By AP
Louisville, KY – Several schools in Kentucky are expanding Chinese language courses to satisfy student and parent interest in non-Western languages.
At the same time, the number of students who take Chinese and Japanese courses is till small.
In Jefferson County, nearly half the students in public high schools take a language class, but less than one percent are taking Chinese or Japanese.
The district is expanding Chinese offerings to at least three schools, compared with just one last year. Jefferson County schools are seeking federal funds to create an elementary Chinese curriculum.
The Kentucky Virtual High School, which has on-line classes statewide, wil begin offering Chinese in the fall. And Bowling Green High School will have the state's first Arabic class.