Not too long ago, selecting a Chinese school that was appropriate for your child was much simpler. You sent them to the school closest to your home. Now, with the growing influx of Chinese immigrants, some parents may find several different schools in their neighborhood to choose from. Here are some important factors to consider when selecting a school:

• Dialect. Most schools offer instruction in either Mandarin or Cantonese, with some schools offering instruction in both. If you speak Mandarin at home, you will be more readily able to assist and reinforce your child’s language lessons if they were also learning Mandarin. The same is true if you speak Cantonese and your child is attending Cantonese classes. Cantonese is spoken in Hong Kong and Guangdong (Canton), while Mandarin is spoken in the People’s Republic of China and Taiwan.
• Phonetics. Mandarin is usually taught in either Pinyin (拼音) or Zhuyin (注音符號), which is also known as BoPoMoFo (ㄅㄆㄇㄈ). These two systems of Chinese phonetics associate a particular sound with a symbol. For example, the b sound in Mandarin is represented by a “b” in Pinyin and a “ㄅ” in Zhuyin. Pinyin is the current system of romanization used in the People’s Republic of China, and is also the standard used by the United States as well as the United Nations.
• Characters. Chinese characters may either be written in the simplified style (简体) or the traditional style (繁体). The simplified style is used in the People’s Republic of China, while the traditional style is used in Hong Kong and Taiwan.
• Chinese. Some Chinese schools offer specific preparation for the AP Chinese Language and Culture examination. This high school-level examination tests reading and listening comprehension, as well as written and spoken communication skills. The listening portions are spoken in Mandarin Chinese, while the reading passages are in both traditional and simplifed Chinese.

California Chinese Schools

• AppleSeed Montessori School. Offers a Mandarin and English bilingual program in Sunnyvale, CA.
• Bay Valley Chinese School. Provides Mandarin language instruction for K-12 students in Danville, CA.
• Berryessa Chinese School. Provides Cantonese and Mandarin language classes in North San Jose (Berryessa), CA.
• Contra Costa Chinese School. Provides Mandarin instruction with both traditional and simplified Chinese texts, as well as cultural enrichment programs. Classes at Diablo Valley College in Pleasant Hill, CA
• HeadsUp! Montessori Biligual Preschool Provides bilingual preschool and kindergarten instruction, as well as an after school Chinese immersion program. Campuses in Palo Alto, CA and San Jose, CA.
• Silicon Valley International School. A Chinese language immersion day school in Palo Alto, CA.
• Irvine Chinese School. Provides Mandarin instruction using both traditional phonetics and pinyin, as well as textbooks with traditional and simplified characters. Located in Irvine, CA.
• Los Angeles Chinese Learning Center. Provides Chinese language classes in Los Angeles and Orange County.
• Mustard Seed Learning Center. After-school program with Mandarin instruction in Palo Alto, CA.
• New Concept Chinese School. Provides Mandarin classes in Fremont and San Jose, CA.
• Palo Alto Bilingual Montessori. Mandarin and English preschool program in Palo Alto, CA.
• Palo Alto Chinese School/a>. Provides Mandarin and Cantonese instruction. Located at Jane Lathrop Stanford (JLS) Middle School in Palo Alto, CA.
• Santa Barbara Chinese School. Provides Chinese language classes in Santa Barbara, CA.
• Stanford Chinese School. Mandarin instruction at Gunn High School in Palo Alto, CA.
• Thousand Oaks Chinese School. Provides Chinese language classes in Thousand Oaks, CA.
• Yellow River Chinese School. Provides Mandarin classes in Fremont, CA.

Colorado Chinese Schools

• Bohua Chinese School. Provides Chinese language classes in Boulder, CO.

Connecticut Chinese Schools

• Chinese Language School of Connecticut Provides Mandarin classes in Riverside, CT.

Delaware Chinese Schools

• Chinese School of Delaware. Located at the Chinese American Community Center in Hockessin, Delaware, the Chinese School of Delaware provides Chinese language instruction for children from pre-K to high school.

Maryland Chinese Schools

• American Chinese School. Provides Chinese instruction from Pre-K to SAT-II/AP Chinese level. Also offers dance, music, art and athletic instruction. Classes at Rockville, MD, Herndon, VA and Clarksburg, MD.
• Hope Chinese School. Provides Chinese language classes in Bethesda, College Park, Fairfax, Germantown and Rockville, MD as well as Herndon, VA.
• Potomac Chinese School. Provides Chinese language classes in Potomac, MD.

Massachusetts Chinese Schools

• Boxford Chinese School. Teaches Mandarin Chinese to students in the Greater Boston area.
• Kwong Kow Chinese School. Offers Chinese language and cultural programs in Boston Chinatown.
• Newton Chinese Language School. Provides Chinese language and culture programs in Newtonville, MA.
• Pioneer Valley Chinese Immersion Charter School. Mandarin Chinese immersion program for K-8 students in Hadley, MA.

Michigan Chinese Schools

• American Chinese School of Greater Detroit
• Ann Hua Chinese School Provides Chinse language classes in Ann Arbor, MI.
• Canton Chinese School Provides Chinese language classes in Plymouth, MI.
• Grand Rapids Chinese Language School. Provides Chinese language classes in Grand Rapids, MI.
• Michigan New Century Chinese School. Provides Chinese language classes in Livonia, MI.
• Southern Michigan Chinese School. Provides Mandarin classes in Troy, MI.

New Jersey Chinese Schools

• EverBright Chinese School. Provides Chinese language classes in Edison, NJ.
• Huaxia Chinese School. Provides Chinese language classes in Bloomfield, Hillsboro, Fort Lee, Boonton, Marlboro, Edison and Plainsboro, NJ.
• Princeton Chinese Language School. Offers traditional Chinese, Chinese as a Second Language, adult conversation and Chinese culture instruction in Princeton, NJ.
• YingHua Language School. Provides Mandarin classes in Lawrenceville, NJ.

New York Chinese Schools

• Albany Chinese School Provides Chinese language classes in Latham, NY.
• Chinese Institute Provides Mandarin and Cantonese classes in New York, NY.
• Chinese School of Southern Westchester. Provides Mandarin classes in Scarsdale, NY.
• Dix Hills Chinese Cultural Association. Provides Chinese language classes in Dix Hills, NY.
• Huaxia Chinese School. Provides Chinese language classes in Wappingers Falls and Westchester, NY.
• Nortnern Westchester Chinese School. Provides Chinese language classes in Somers, NY.
• Sunflower Chinese Language Studio. Teaches Mandarin to children between 3-6 years of age in Ossining, NY.

Oregon Chinese Schools

• Jiao Ying Chinese Culture & Art School. Provides Mandarin classes in Portland, OR.
• Springleaf Chinese School. Provides Chinese classes in Portland, OR.

Pennsylvania Chinese Schools

• Huaxia Chinese School. Provides Chinese language classes in Bethlehem, PA.

Texas Chinese Schools

• Austin Great Wall Chinese School. Provides Chinese language classes in Austin, TX.
• Dallas Chinese School.
• Institute of Chinese Culture. Offers Chinese language and cultural instruction using traditional and simplified characters. Located in Houston, TX.
• Hua-Hsing Chinese School. Offers traditional and simplified Chinese language classes, as well as Chinese as a Second Language instruction. Located in Plano, TX.
• Merit Chinese School. Provides Cantonese and Mandarin instruction in Plano, TX.

Virginia Chinese Schools

• American Chinese School. Provides Chinese instruction from Pre-K to SAT-II/AP Chinese level. Also offers dance, music, art and athletic instruction. Classes at Rockville, MD, Herndon, VA and Clarksburg, MD.
• Hope Chinese School. Provides Chinese language classes in Bethesda, College Park, Fairfax, Germantown and Rockville, MD as well as Herndon, VA.
• Tidewater Chinese School. Provides Chinese language and cultural classes at Old Dominion University in Norfolk, VA. Instruction offered in simplified and traditional Chinese.

Washington Chinese Schools

• Northwest Chinese School. Provides Mandarin classes using simplified Chinese and pinyin in Bellevue and Seattle, WA.
• Sammamish Chinese Academy. Provides Mandarin classes in Sammamish, WA for children ages 4+.

Washington DC Chinese Schools

• Hope Chinese School. Provides Chinese language classes in Bethesda, College Park, Fairfax, Germantown and Rockville, MD as well as Herndon, VA.

Canada Chinese Schools

• Chinese Cultural Centre of Greater Vancouver. Provides Mandarin and Cantonese language classes in Vancouver, Burnaby and Coquitlam.
• Grand River Chinese School. Provides Chinese language and culture instruction. Serves the greater Kitchener-Waterloo region in Ontario.

Associations

• Association of Northern California Chinese Schools. Provides a directory of member schools in Northern California.
• Chinese School Association in the United States. Provides a directory of member schools in the United States.
• Southern California Council of Chinese Schools. Provides a directory of member schools in Southern California.