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| One D.C. school is turning to Spanish immersion to help its students learn English | One D.C. school is turning to Spanish immersion to help its students learn English |
| (about 9 hours later) | |
| Students east of the Anacostia River will be able to enroll in a dual language school in their neighborhood for the first time, as Houston Elementary, a low-performing school in Ward 7, will become a Spanish language immersion school starting next school year. | Students east of the Anacostia River will be able to enroll in a dual language school in their neighborhood for the first time, as Houston Elementary, a low-performing school in Ward 7, will become a Spanish language immersion school starting next school year. |
| Dual language options are in high demand in the District, with the 13 traditional public and charter elementary schools offering such programs attracting long waitlists each year. The addition of Houston to the roster of the city’s dual language programs is a victory for education advocates, who long have argued that students across all socio-economic levels do not have equal access to the programs’ benefits. | Dual language options are in high demand in the District, with the 13 traditional public and charter elementary schools offering such programs attracting long waitlists each year. The addition of Houston to the roster of the city’s dual language programs is a victory for education advocates, who long have argued that students across all socio-economic levels do not have equal access to the programs’ benefits. |
| “We look at these programs as a way to close the achievement gap,” said Vanessa Bertelli, executive director of the D.C. Language Immersion Project, an advocacy group pushing to expand the city’s language programs. | |
| [Language immersion programs are growing in D.C., but only west of the river] | [Language immersion programs are growing in D.C., but only west of the river] |
| During the 2016-2017 academic year, the 30 students in the pre-kindergarten class for three-year-olds at Houston will spend half their academic time learning in Spanish, with the school incrementally expanding the program to a higher grade each year. | During the 2016-2017 academic year, the 30 students in the pre-kindergarten class for three-year-olds at Houston will spend half their academic time learning in Spanish, with the school incrementally expanding the program to a higher grade each year. |
| Houston will be one of the few dual language programs in the city not located in a wealthy or Spanish-speaking neighborhood. | Houston will be one of the few dual language programs in the city not located in a wealthy or Spanish-speaking neighborhood. |
| About 75 percent of Houston Elementary’s predominately African-American students are considered “at-risk” — students who are homeless, in foster care, or qualify for food stamps — and just 20 percent of them are considered proficient in reading. | About 75 percent of Houston Elementary’s predominately African-American students are considered “at-risk” — students who are homeless, in foster care, or qualify for food stamps — and just 20 percent of them are considered proficient in reading. |
| School officials believe the broad benefits that foreign language programs can have on students’ cognitive abilities will make the program a perfect fit for Houston. | School officials believe the broad benefits that foreign language programs can have on students’ cognitive abilities will make the program a perfect fit for Houston. |
| “There is something that happens in a brain of a child that’s learning in two languages. They develop a greater awareness of how language works. They develop flexibility,” said Katarina Brito, the bilingual program developer at D.C. Public Schools. “Rather than think of remediation — how do we get kids to catch up — we recognize that acceleration and creativity are better ways.” | “There is something that happens in a brain of a child that’s learning in two languages. They develop a greater awareness of how language works. They develop flexibility,” said Katarina Brito, the bilingual program developer at D.C. Public Schools. “Rather than think of remediation — how do we get kids to catch up — we recognize that acceleration and creativity are better ways.” |
| Brito referenced a 2010 George Mason University study that found that math and reading test scores improved for students who participate in dual language programs. Other studies indicate the success of such program hinges on how effective the bilingual teachers are in the classroom, and bilingual teachers can carry high salaries. | Brito referenced a 2010 George Mason University study that found that math and reading test scores improved for students who participate in dual language programs. Other studies indicate the success of such program hinges on how effective the bilingual teachers are in the classroom, and bilingual teachers can carry high salaries. |
| [Wait-list numbers are up for District school] | [Wait-list numbers are up for District school] |
| Rembert Seaward, Houston Elementary’s principal, said the school already has a pre-kindergarten teacher for three-year-olds who is bilingual and will teach the Spanish class next year. | Rembert Seaward, Houston Elementary’s principal, said the school already has a pre-kindergarten teacher for three-year-olds who is bilingual and will teach the Spanish class next year. |
| Seaward said students will switch their language each day, taking classes in Spanish one day and classes in English the following day with a different teacher. | Seaward said students will switch their language each day, taking classes in Spanish one day and classes in English the following day with a different teacher. |
| “Different languages is already a part of America,” Seaward said, adding that bilingualism will help students’ job prospects later in life. “I believe if we give our kids the opportunity to learn a second language, it’s not a very heavy lift. We just need to give them the opportunity.” | “Different languages is already a part of America,” Seaward said, adding that bilingualism will help students’ job prospects later in life. “I believe if we give our kids the opportunity to learn a second language, it’s not a very heavy lift. We just need to give them the opportunity.” |
| All students at Houston Elementary — which draws 68 percent of its students from the surrounding neighborhood in Northeast — will be required to participate in the dual language program. | All students at Houston Elementary — which draws 68 percent of its students from the surrounding neighborhood in Northeast — will be required to participate in the dual language program. |
| Tyler Elementary on Capitol Hill — now the only dual language school in the D.C. Public Schools system in a non-Spanish speaking neighborhood — has both a dual language Spanish track and a regular track, which integrates fine arts into the curriculum. There was a 233 person waitlist for Tyler’s Spanish program for the 2015-2016 school year, according to the school system. | |
| School officials say that Tyler’s academic performance has improved since the addition of the foreign language immersion program more than 10 years ago. Forty-five percent of the school’s students there are proficient in reading, and 3 percent are considered advanced, according to standardized test assessments. | School officials say that Tyler’s academic performance has improved since the addition of the foreign language immersion program more than 10 years ago. Forty-five percent of the school’s students there are proficient in reading, and 3 percent are considered advanced, according to standardized test assessments. |
| Bertelli, of the D.C. Language Immersion Project, said the program has attracted higher-income families to Tyler, resulting in different racial and socio-economic demographics between the two tracks at the school. The D.C. school system declined to provide data showing the difference in test scores for Tyler students enrolled in the dual language program and those who are not. | Bertelli, of the D.C. Language Immersion Project, said the program has attracted higher-income families to Tyler, resulting in different racial and socio-economic demographics between the two tracks at the school. The D.C. school system declined to provide data showing the difference in test scores for Tyler students enrolled in the dual language program and those who are not. |
| “There is a perception that if a child doesn’t have issues with reading or with their family homes, than that child will benefit more from a dual language,” Bertelli said. “We know that is not the case.” | “There is a perception that if a child doesn’t have issues with reading or with their family homes, than that child will benefit more from a dual language,” Bertelli said. “We know that is not the case.” |
| Seaward said he had to talk to parents and ensure they were on board with the changes ahead of bringing the Spanish program to Houston Elementary. | Seaward said he had to talk to parents and ensure they were on board with the changes ahead of bringing the Spanish program to Houston Elementary. |
| “Parents are excited, they’re really excited,” he said, adding that parents want their children to have every option available to them. “Every parent wants their child to have an education. It’s not either-or for parents, its both. ‘I want a standard education and foreign language.’” | “Parents are excited, they’re really excited,” he said, adding that parents want their children to have every option available to them. “Every parent wants their child to have an education. It’s not either-or for parents, its both. ‘I want a standard education and foreign language.’” |
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