EBI is committed to providing an outstanding bilingual education based on the best teaching and learning practices from around the world.
In 2006, a small group of committed parents and professional educators dreamt of providing their children with an outstanding bilingual education based on the best teaching and learning practices from around the world.
They valued the immense cognitive, social and cultural benefits of multilingualism and wanted their children to be engaged members of both the Spanish and English learning communities.
But, with no Spanish-English independent schools in the Bay Area and no Spanish-English bilingual programs beyond 5th grade at the time, they could not find a program like the one they imagined.
Then, inspired by their vision, EBI’s founders decided to build a dual immersion school for students from pre-kinder through 8th grade that would prepare them in Spanish and English for the highest academic levels in all disciplines.
EBI’s founders decided to build a dual immersion school for students from pre-kinder through 8th grade.
In the beginning the school’s name, Escuela Bilingüe Internacional, was bigger than the school! And they exceeded their student enrollment expectation of 18 and opened with 80 students. Each year more dedicated parents and educators joined the school. Together, they put together a 5-year strategic plan. And the school grew into the EBI you see today.
Here is the Timeline of Our Story
2006
Escuela Bilingüe Internacional began at the St. Augustine Parish on Alcatraz Avenue in Oakland in the fall. It was the first independent co-educational day school offering a Spanish-English dual immersion program to pre-kinder and elementary students in the Bay Area.
2011
Escuela Bilingüe Internacional acquired its Emeryville building with the generous support of Steve Oliver and Company. Escuela Bilingüe Internacional opened its Middle School on San Pablo Avenue in Emeryville.
2014
The California Association of Independent Schools (CAIS) and the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) accredited EBI through the year 2021. The International Baccalaureate Organization (IBO) authorized EBI to offer their Primary Years Programme curriculum.
2015
The first EBI eighth grade class graduated.
2016
The International Baccalaureate Organization (IBO) authorized EBI to offer their Middle Years Programme (MYP) curriculum. EBI became an IB World School.
2020
EBI welcomed its first cohort to the Language Acquisition Track to the Middle School. This program is designed for students with little to no Spanish to integrate with the Bilingual Track students for grades 6-8.
2022
EBI becomes the SF Bay Area’s only certified school test site to offer the DELE. Students and community members from all over the area can test at the San Pablo campus to certify their Spanish language level.
Our Core Values
Diversity
Diversity is the heart of EBI. We are passionate about creating a community that reflects the vibrant diversity of the world in which we live and a culture that celebrates a myriad of perspectives.
Bilingualism
In a global era, the benefits of being bilingual are profound and multifaceted. We believe that everyone is capable of becoming multilingual and that knowing a language opens up new worlds for its speakers.
Students at EBI become literate in Spanish and English while developing conversational skills in a third language.
Character
The cultivation of character is at the core of EBI’s educational model. We are dedicated to fostering the development of certain qualities in our students through our educational methods of inquiry and our personal actions.
Every day we teach self-respect, kindness, integrity, compassion, cooperation, curiosity, empathy, enthusiasm, open-mindedness, respect for the planet, confidence, commitment, responsibility and an awareness of privilege.
International Mindedness
We view the world as our broadest community and context for learning. It is our belief that international mindedness helps people become their best selves and responsible members of their local and global communities.
Educational Excellence
EBI is committed to the highest academic standards in every area of education. We promote the active construction of knowledge and incorporate traditional disciplines into our International Baccalaureate programs of inquiry.
But, we’re nowhere near the end of this story. Our students are ready to write the next chapters.
