This paper describes the English-Italian bilingual education program of the Tangipahoa Parish School System in Tangipahoa, Louisiana. The program reaches approximately seven hundred students from kindergarten through third grade, and the main objectives of the program are (1) refining the native language for children of non-English speaking backgrounds, (2) establishing a standard of English acceptable to the dominant group of the local community, (3) developing in pupils a mastery of the mechanical skills of listening, reading, speaking and writing for effective communication with clarity of meaning and precision of expression. In concurrence with the elementary school program, the Foreign Language Department at Southeastern Louisiana University offers courses in Italian studies to train the classroom teachers involved in the bilingual program, and night courses are offered for adults. It is anticipated that the result of this project will be the establishment of a permanent cultural, ethnic heritage and language studies program in the Tangipahoa Parish schools for students of Italian ancestry and others who may be interested. (Author/CLK)