The Pittsburgh Chinese Academy (PCA) is a private school providing superior instruction in Mandarin Chinese language and customs using Pin-Yin (phonetic writing system) and simplified characters for children in grades K-12. The PCA school program is rigorous in its pursuit of excellence and dedicated to producing students who are fully bilingual in both verbal and written skills by grade 8. The PCA also strives to encourage students to cherish Chinese culture and heritage, foster and enhance friendship among the Chinese-American community, and contribute to the mutual understanding and appreciation of Chinese and other cultures.