Houston — A new private Mandarin immersion school has opened in Houston to meet rising demand for bilingual education. The Mandarin Immersion School of Houston was founded by former Houston ISD parent Lynette Miller and is led by former HISD administrator Jade Rush.

The school, located in Houston’s Chinatown, offers early language immersion, teaching core subjects such as math, science, and social studies in Mandarin while also integrating English. Students participate in cultural activities and daily interactions in Mandarin, helping them develop language fluency alongside strong academic skills.

Houston has one of the largest Chinese-American populations in the United States, yet access to public Mandarin immersion programs remains limited. HISD’s Mandarin Immersion Magnet School receives hundreds of applications each year but accepts only a fraction of students. The new private school aims to expand opportunities for families seeking a high-quality bilingual education.

The program builds on Rush’s experience running a Mandarin preschool and begins with small class sizes to allow individualized instruction. Currently, tuition is approximately $10,000, and the school plans to pursue accreditation to accept vouchers, making it accessible to more families.

Parents cite multiple benefits for enrolling their children, including preserving cultural heritage, strengthening cognitive skills, and preparing for future career opportunities in a global economy. The school opened with a dozen students and expects to grow over the next year, eventually offering classes from pre-K through fifth grade.