Building Cultural Bridges
We recognize the complex and diverse needs of a growing and changing population possessing various values, backgrounds, and preparations pose unique challenges for educators, business leaders, and policymakers in the United States. The Dual Language Immersion Program provides unique teaching and learning opportunities for all its participants: students, parents, teachers, administrators, and communities. Dual Language Immersion education serves as a linguistic and cultural bridge for all, and it helps to embrace and promote linguistic and cultural pluralism inside and outside the school. We are committed to supporting our schools in offering Dual Language Immersion Programs to prepare our future citizens with the necessary academic and linguistic competencies to be highly qualified and competitive globally.
What is the Dual Language Immersion Program?
The Dual Language Immersion Program is a language-oriented program designed to build fluency in Spanish and English. Native Spanish and English-speaking children can develop their listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills in both languages. With more than 2,000 students, our program is one of the fastest-growing in the district. What do parents say about the program? Find out in this brief video in English and Spanish.
CVLCC was the first school to open a Dual Language Immersion Program as part of its charter in 1998, but our first district school was Heritage Elementary. The 90/10 program started at Heritage in 2001 and began with kindergarten, first, and second. Since then, we have continued to grow, and with each new school we open, our parents overwhelmingly request Dual Language Immersion. We have a history of over 22 years of establishing and growing our Dual Language Immersion Programs, and we are very proud to be able to offer this program to our families.
There are 23 schools offering the Dual Language Immersion Program.
- Arroyo Vista Charter (90/10)
- Camarena (Enrique) Elementary (90/10)
- Chula Vista Learning Community Charter (Schoolwide) (50/50)
- Clear View Elementary (90/10)
- Discovery Charter (50/50)
- Eastlake Elementary (50/50)
- Feaster Charter (50/50)
- Hedenkamp (Anne & William) Elementary (90/10)
- Heritage Elementary (90/10)
- Jeffers (Fahari L.) Elementary (90/10)
- Lauderbach (J. Calvin) Elementary (50/50)
- Liberty Elementary (90/10)
- Loma Verde Elementary (50/50)
- Los Altos Elementary (50/50)
- Muraoka (Saburo) Elementary (90/10)
- Rice (Lillian J.) Elementary (50/50)
- Salt Creek Elementary (90/10)
- Silver Wing Elementary (50/50)
- Sonia Sotomayor Elementary (90/10)
- Tiffany (Burton C.) Elementary (90/10)
- Valle Lindo Elementary (90/10)
- Valley Vista Elementary (50/50)
- Veterans Elementary (90/10)
Students develop oral, reading, and writing proficiency in two languages. Classes may be taught with team teachers (an English teacher and a Spanish teacher) or in a self contained setting (teacher is bilingual and teaches both in English and Spanish).
What are the Goals of Dual Language Education?
The overarching goals of our Dual Language Immersion Program follow the three pillars of Dual Language Education:
- Bilingualism and biliteracy.
- High academic achievement.
- Socio-cultural competency.
Program Models
In the 90/10 model, the target language (Spanish) is used for 90% of the instructional time and English is used for 10%, in TK, Kindergarten, and 1st grade. Each year the amount of English is increased by 10% until the instructional day becomes 50% English and 50% Spanish.
In the 50/50 model, the target language (Spanish) is used for 50% of the instructional time and English is used for the other 50% of the time in TK through 6th grade.
Benefits of the Dual Language Immersion Program
Recent studies indicate that this Dual Language Immersion model is one of the most successful programs in teaching a second language. This program allows English-speaking students to become bilingual and biliterate in English and Spanish. English-speaking students acquire Spanish without risk to their academic achievement and English proficiency. Spanish-speaking students acquire English while maintaining their primary language, thereby allowing for higher English language achievement. View the video in Spanish for additional information.
Additional benefits to bilingualism include increased academic achievement.
Student Enrollment
Program participation is voluntary. Parents are encouraged to become familiar with the Dual Language Immersion Program before enrolling their child. It is recommended that English-speaking students enroll in TK, kindergarten or first grade. For the Spanish-speaking student, placement is also recommended in the primary grades. If no space is available at a school site, the student will be placed on a waiting list. Parents may also request a zone transfer to another Dual Language Immersion school that has space.
Biliteracy Pathway Recognition
The District acknowledges students in Grade 6 who have participated in the Dual Language Immersion Program with a Biliteracy Pathway Recognition. This recognition paves the way for students to eventually earn the State Seal of Biliteracy upon high school graduation.
Contact Us
- Lalaine Perez, Executive Director, Ext. 181501
- Patricia Pimentel, Coordinator, Ext. 181523
- Dr. Nancy Rojas, Coordinator, Ext. 181525
- Olvia (Angie) Amador, District Biliteracy Resource Teacher, Ext. 181506
- Reina Galvez, District Biliteracy Resource Teacher, Ext. 181552