Spanish/English Dual Language Program

The Spanish/English Dual Language Program is an academically challenging and enriching program for developing linguistic proficiency in Spanish and English. Students enter the program in kindergarten and continue through fifth grade. In middle school, Spanish language instruction focuses on literacy. In high school, students may take rigorous classes offered through the Spanish language pathway.

Students throughout Vancouver Public Schools may apply.

Program goals

Be successful in all academic subjects
Achieve true bilingualism and biliteracy of participating students
Acquire the knowledge skills and dispositions to be competent global citizens

Parent participation and commitment

To ensure achievement and success for students, it is necessary for families to make a long-term commitment to the program. Active parent support is extremely important to the long-term success of the program.

Benefits

Bilingual students generally demonstrate academic gains. Research shows that students in language learning programs typically develop strong academic skills in addition to becoming proficient in both languages.
Students have the opportunity to achieve true bilingualism and biliteracy in Spanish and English. Students learn languages more easily at an early age. Immersing and instructing students in a second language provides an effective vehicle for students to learn to speak read, and write in both languages by fifth grade.
Students develop cultural literacy as well as enhanced cognitive skills. Language Learning program students benefit from the ability to communicate with people from diverse linguistic and cultural backgrounds. They also typically experience academic achievement at or above their single-language peers. Research covering more than 40 years of language instruction shows that students receive a variety of cognitive benefits such as mental flexibility, nonverbal problem-solving abilities and enhanced critical thinking skills.

Application process

Interested families should view the Parent Information Session videos prior to completing the online application for the program. Families must complete and submit the online application for their child. Applications must be submitted by the deadline to be entered into the lottery. (If there are more applicants than spaces in the program, students will be selected through a lottery process.)

Students residing within the school boundaries of one of the elementary schools with the program will be placed in the first round of student selection. The second round will be for students who live outside of those schools’ boundaries, but within Vancouver Public Schools’ boundaries. The third round will be for students living outside of Vancouver Public Schools (per district regulations). All applicants will be notified of the outcome of the student selection process.

Parents of students outside of school boundaries who are selected for this program will be required to provide their own transportation to and from school.

Once students are admitted to the program, they will have continued placement in the program each year without having to reapply. Annual renewal of boundary exceptions is required for students living outside of the program schools’ boundaries.

Siblings of students admitted to the program are not guaranteed placement in the program, nor are they given preference on a waiting list based on their sibling’s admission to the program. Parents may apply for a boundary exception for a sibling to attend the same school. Regular boundary exception policies apply (Regulation 5115, sections II–V).

Contact us

Lucy Estrada-GuzmanDirector of multilingual education

360-313-1285

Elsa Martinez-MyersDual language specialist

360-313-1188

Dana Re-Bloom, principalKing Elementary School

4801 Idaho St., Vancouver, WA 98661
360-313-2200

Jill MacKenzie, principalRoosevelt Elementary School

2921 Falk Rd., Vancouver, WA 98661
360-313-2600

Steve Stoll, principalHarney Elementary School

3212 E. Evergreen Blvd., Vancouver, WA 98661
360-313-2000

Nichole Reinfeldt, principalSarah J. Anderson Elementary School

2215 NE 104th St., Vancouver, WA 98686
360-313-1500

Travis Boeh, principalMcLoughlin Middle School

5802 MacArthur Blvd., Vancouver, WA 98661
360-313-3600

Esteban Delgadillo, principalGaiser Middle School

3000 NE 99th St., Vancouver, WA 98665
360-313-3400

Curt Scheidel, principalFort Vancouver High School

5700 E. 18 St., Vancouver, WA 98661
360-313-4000

Dates to know

Transportation

Parents of students who live outside of school boundaries and are selected for this program will be required to provide their own transportation to and from school for as long as the student participates in the program. In limited circumstances, students who live close to the school’s boundaries may be able to ride a bus if the bus is not full and the student is able to travel safely to a nearby stop for pickup/dropoff.