What is Dual Language Education?
Dual Language Education is an educational program in which students study grade level content in two languages. Students typically enter the program in the early years and develop reading, writing, listening, and speaking skills in a second language over the course of a number of years. The long-term goals of Dual Language education programs are:
- Bilingualism
- Biliteracy
- High academic achievement
- Cultural competency
DCPS Dual Language Programs
DCPS offers 11 Dual Language programs. Schools in which the entire student population receives dual language education are marked as “whole school”, and those in which only part of the student population receives dual language education are marked as “strand program”.
| School | Program Information | Contact Information | School Leader |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bancroft Elementary | Spanish/English Pre-K – 5th grade Whole school |
1755 Newton Street, NW Washington, DC 20010 (202) 673-7280 |
Principal: Jessica Morales [email protected] |
| Bruce-Monroe @ ParkView Elementary | Spanish/English Pre-K – 5th grade Whole school |
3560 Warder Street, NW Washington, DC 20010 (202) 576-6222 |
Principal: Alethea Bustillo [email protected] |
| Cleveland Elementary | Spanish/English Pre-K – 5th grade Strand program |
1825 8th Street, NW Washington, DC 20001 (202) 939-4380 |
Principal: Taeneress Griffin [email protected] |
| Columbia Heights Education Campus | Spanish/English Grades 6 – 8 Whole school Grades 9 – 12 Strand program |
3101 16th Street, NW Washington, DC 20010 (202) 939-7700 |
Principal: Maria Tukeva [email protected] |
| Houston Elementary | Spanish/English Pre-K – 5th grade Whole school |
1100 50th Place, NE Washington, DC 20019 (202) 671-6170 |
Principal: Camille Townsend [email protected] |
| MacFarland Middle School | Spanish/English 6 – 8th Strand Program |
4301 13th Street, NW Washington, DC 20011 (202) 576-6130 |
Principal: Lucas Cooke [email protected] |
| Oyster-Adams Bilingual School | Spanish/English Pre-K – 8th grade Whole school |
(PK-3) 2801 Calvert Street, NW Washington, DC 20008 (202) 671-6130 (4-8) 2020 19th Street, NW |
Principal: |
| Powell Elementary | Spanish/English PK – 5th Whole School |
1350 Upshur Street, NW Washington, DC 20011 (202) 671-6270 |
Principal: O’Kiyyah Lyons-Lucas O’[email protected] |
| Marie Reed Elementary | Spanish/English Pre-K – 5th grade Strand program |
2201 18th Street, NW Washington, DC 20009 (202) 673-7308 |
Principal: Katie Lundgren [email protected] |
| Roosevelt High School |
Spanish/English |
4301 13th Street, NW Washington, DC 20011 (202) 576-6130 |
Principal: Courtney Wilkerson [email protected] |
| Shirley Chisholm Elementary (formerly Tyler Elementary) | Spanish/English Pre-K – 5th grade Strand program* |
1001 G Street, SE Washington, DC 20003 (202) 939-4810 |
Principal: Jasmine Brann [email protected] |
*All Chisholm ES PK3, PK4 and Kinder students will be enrolled in the dual language program and will continue in dual language through 5th grade. Students who are in 1st - 5th grade in SY24-25 will continue in their strand program (either dual language or creative arts) through 5th grade.
Benefits of Bilingual Learning
Long-term studies of test results show that students in Dual Language programs tend to equal or exceed their peers who are learning only in English and Dual Language students have the added benefit of learning a second language! Additionally, Dual Language students:
- Develop strong reading, writing and speaking skills in two languages.
- Often outperform monolingual peers on standardized assessments.
- Develop cognitive flexibility and problem-solving skills.
- Demonstrate greater understanding, appreciation and respect for other cultures and languages.
- Are prepared for a globalizing world and job market.
How to Enroll Your Child in a Dual Language Program
Early Childhood
- As with all DCPS early childhood programs, families interested in Dual Language Pre-Kindergarten programs must apply through the MySchoolDC lottery.
The Dual Language Early Childhood Lottery
Families applying to Dual Language early childhood programs through the My School DC lottery will be asked to indicate whether their child is English-dominant or Spanish-dominant. This system allows access for students learning English as a new language and ensures there is a balance of students who can serve as language models for their peers within a Dual Language program. Language dominance is defined as the primary language of communication for the applying student. After the release of lottery results and prior to enrollment, all matched students claiming Spanish-dominance may be assessed for language proficiency. Students who do not meet language proficiency criteria will be placed on the school's English-dominant waitlist according to their random lottery number and any other preferences for which they previously qualified.
Who should identify as Spanish-Dominant?
Spanish-dominant seats are intended for students for whom Spanish is their primary language. This means that the student understands AND speaks more Spanish than English. Some examples of ways a child could be considered Spanish-dominant are if they communicate with family and community members mostly in Spanish, if they primarily use Spanish when upset or asking for help and if their play language is primarily Spanish.
Who should NOT identify as Spanish-Dominant? My child speaks some Spanish, but I’m not sure if they are “Spanish-Dominant”. What should I select as their dominant language?
While all progress towards bilingualism should be celebrated, a child who can name a few items in Spanish, can count to 10 in Spanish, can watch a TV show or understand a request from a teacher in a Spanish day care situation, but communicates primarily in English at home, should not indicate Spanish-dominance. This child, while on the path to bilingualism, would more appropriately apply as English-dominant. Similarly, a child who has a home language other than Spanish and English (Amharic, Vietnamese, etc.) should not apply through the Spanish-dominant lottery. For more guidance on whether or how to indicate your child’s language dominance, please reach out to the Language Learning Team at [email protected].
Elementary
- All elementary Dual Language programs are “boundary” schools. If you live in a Dual Language school boundary, your child is eligible to enroll in that school.
- Dual Language programs at some schools are “strand programs,” which means that Dual Language is optional and some students attend English-only classes. In strand program schools, please specify that you are interested in the Dual Language option upon enrollment. Older students must demonstrate Spanish language skills to enroll.
- If you are not in a Dual Language school boundary, please apply through the MySchoolDC lottery for a Dual Language program.
Middle and High School
- Families should apply to Dual Language middle and high school programs through the MySchoolDC lottery. Some secondary schools require language testing prior to admittance.
Frequently Asked Questions about DLE (English)
Can my child start the Dual Language program at any age? For the majority of Dual Language programs, children who do not have a background in Spanish must enter no later than 1st grade so that they can build language skills in the early grades. The one exception to this policy is Columbia Heights Education Campus (CHEC), which has a structured late-entry program that accepts students of all language proficiencies in 6th grade.
My pre-K child doesn’t speak Spanish. How will s/he understand? Dual Language teachers are trained as both subject area and language teachers and make lessons understandable to all students by using hands-on learning, visual supports, interactive activities, and by teaching subject areas thematically.
We don’t speak Spanish at home. Is that a problem? It is not necessary for the new language to be used at home. Dual Language teaching teams work together to make sure that your child is developing both their first and second languages from the early childhood grades and on.
How long will it take my child to learn Spanish? Although your child may begin speaking and understanding their new language during their first year in the program, research has shown that it can take 4—7 years for students to develop full proficiency. This program requires a long term commitment from parents and students!
How will learning in two languages affect my child’s test scores? Studies have shown that bilingual children often outperform their monolingual peers.
Preguntas frecuentes sobre la educación de doble inmersión (español)
¿Puede mi hijo(a) comenzar en doble inmersión a cualquier edad? Es preferible comenzar antes del 1er grado para que los niños desarrollen sus destrezas de lenguaje desde edad temprana pero los alumnos con aptitud en español podrán ser inscritos en cualquier grado.
Nosotros no hablamos inglés en casa. ¿Es eso un problema? No es necesario hablar el nuevo idioma en casa. Los equipos de maestros trabajan juntos para asegurarse que los estudiantes desarrollen ambos idiomas desde edad temprana en adelante.
Hablamos español en casa. ¿Por qué debe mi hijo estudiar el español en la escuela? El aprender otro idioma ayuda a aumentar la habilidad de aprender ingles. Además muchos padres no tienen tiempo para seguir motivando el desarrollo del español en casa y sin seguir los estudios en español sus hijos pierden la habilidad de comunicar efectivamente en español.
¿Cuánto tiempo le tomará a mi hijo(a) aprender el nuevo idioma? Aunque su hijo(a) comenzará a hablar y comprender el nuevo idioma en un par de años, las investigaciones demuestran que puede llevarse de 4 a 7 años para que los estudiantes dominen el nuevo idioma. ¡Este programa requiere un compromiso de los padres y alumnos a largo plazo!
¿El aprender en dos idiomas afectará los resultados de mi hijo(a)? Con el apoyo en casa, su hijo(a) deberá ser capaz de hacer lo mismo que los estudiantes en programas en inglés solamente y los estudios han demostrado que con el tiempo, los niños bilingües a menudo se desempeñan mejor que los niños que solo hablan un idioma.
For more information, please email Katarina Brito ([email protected]) or Kate Burkett ([email protected]).
