This year, parents in Superior had the opportunity to express interest in a booming part of elementary education in America: immersion school.
The idea didn't fly.

So tonight, in "Passport to Education," we begin a look at what they missed:

PK: This is not Mexico City.

This is Forest Lake, Minnesota.

These students are learning their readin', 'ritin' and 'rithmetic - staring in kindergarten - in Spanish.

"We've got 100 kids registered for kindergarten next year; almost 40 on our waiting list, which, for an immersion school, is not that big of a waiting list."

They're called "immersion schools." Students who enroll hear virtually nothing but a foreign language throughout their school day.

Here in St- Paul at the Yinghua Academy, many students are enrolled by Chinese parents who want their culture passed along, but there are quite a few Western children, too.

(TEACHER TALKS FAST)

( "JAAAA...")

And just a few blocks away, a German language school accepts students kindergarten through sixth grade.

Because I have some German experience, the first graders there peppered me with questions.

Student: "Wann ist dein Geburtstag?"
PK: "Mein Geburtstag is am morgen. Am dreiundzwanzigsten April."
Students: "Oooooh."

(SINGING)

"The school's really fun, 'cause we get to learn a lot of Spanish and what I like about the school is: once I finish sixth grade, I can go to other parts of the world that speak Spanish."

This year, the Superior School District tried to establish a language immersion school.

At this April meeting, someone stole the registration forms from the table outside the Superior Senior auditorium.

The crowd was less than receptive.

"I don't think everyone out there in that crowd out there tonight is against foreign language; I would bet that they're not. My bet is that they're against the way the plan is being laid out. You don't just have some 'time share' presentation here all you hear is 'glorious,' because that's what we hear."

The District officials looked for parents of 100 students to express interest.

They got fewer than 50.

The plan was shelved.

Kim Olson and her husband, on the other hand, actually moved from Bloomington to Forest Lake, just so their children could attend.

"We really wanted our children to go to an immersion school. It's truly like winning the lottery to get in, in the Twin Cities. So, when we learned that Forest Lake was staring an immersion school, we thought we had a pretty good chance of getting in, because the community didn't yet understand its true value."

PK: Here in Forest Lake, kindergarten through 6th grade students are immersed in Spanish. But we also saw them taking Chinese, singing in Yiddish and singing French songs in Spanish. That's all well and good, but does language diversity translate into a better resume...or a better job?

"We always look at that on a resume, when somebody comes in for a job interview. It's so important now and we speak Russian, Ukrainian, French, German, Spanish."

Bill Ulland just broke ground this month on an expansion for his international graphics and design business.

Tracy Mauer, who's from Superior, could have chosen anywhere around the Twin Cities to live for her work.

She grabbed the opportunity in Forest Lake.

"I understand the concerns that people have, because immersion is not for everybody, but to see an opportunity that it can offer for children - both academically and socially - I think it's a fabulous opportunity."

Tomorrow: a closer look at the how the students get through their day speaking and hearing only a foreign language.

The parents' biggest concern: how can they - the parents - possibly help their child with homework?