LILA: Shaping global citizens through bilingual education

The International School of Los Angeles fosters academic excellence and empathy by immersing students in a bilingual, culturally enriched curriculum.

At the International School of Los Angeles (Lycée International de Los Angeles, or LILA), students are prepared for a diverse global environment that is constantly evolving. With four campuses across the city, the preschool-to-12th-grade international school stands out with its dual diploma tracks: the French Baccalaureate and the International Baccalaureate (IB).

“We strongly believe that bilingualism fosters empathy and creates a worldview that we desperately need today,” says Anneli Harvey, interim head of school at LILA. “We nurture strong bilingual critical thinkers who can make up their minds and see issues from different perspectives. We want our students to be open-minded and caring towards others.”

Students at LILA follow a demanding yet balanced curriculum. The school offers a rigorous French immersion program from preschool through 12th grade, serving over 1,000 students.

In elementary, learners begin with 80 percent of the curriculum in French, and as they progress into middle school, that gradually decreases to 60 percent. These initiatives prepare learners for the French Baccalaureate and a separate international high school track, which prepares students for the IB in Grades 11 and 12. Many students graduate with a bilingual diploma, with the IB allowing them to study six different subject areas in both French and English.

Such an emphasis on bilingual education has worked well for the students. With the help of LILA, many of them have been accepted to top-notch colleges worldwide. To accommodate the large number of families wanting to take advantage of the school’s bilingual education, LILA is undertaking initiatives to expand the entry points into the school. Four years ago, LILA welcomed its first English-speaking students into the IB program in 9th grade.

The strength of the school’s academic success is driven by its dedicated and diverse faculty. Coming from all over the world, many of its teachers are from French-speaking countries and are trained by the French Ministry of National Education. LILA also embraces innovation, using tools like Khan Academy’s AI-based tutor, Khanmigo, to enhance learning. There are also extensive training programs to develop the teachers’ soft skills in areas like communication, collaboration and creativity.

For families considering LILA, Harvey emphasized the school’s nurturing environment: “Our core values are diversity, excellence and respect, and we make sure our learners’ well-being is front and center. Our students love the school, and they consider it a second home.”

Learn more about International School of Los Angeles at www.internationalschool.la.