Wapato School District

The District is excited about the continuation of it Dual Language Program in the 2024-2025 school year.  The District will be offering the program at the Transitional Kindergarten (TK), Kindergarten and 1st Grade levels in the 2024-2025 school year.  If you reference the graph below you will see how the District plans to roll the Dual Language Program up through the grade levels over the next several years.

The Spanish Dual Language program is a choice program for both English and Spanish speakers which is open to Wapato students based on their Home Language Survey. There will be equal numbers of Spanish only speakers, speakers of both languages, and English only speakers. While Spanish only speakers and speakers of both languages will have priority, English only speakers will be selected through a lottery. This will apply to students in TK, Kindergarten, and First grade. Students in higher grades will be accepted into the program based on their individual Spanish levels. 

The Spanish Dual Language program has bilingual staff dedicated to the success of our students. Dual Language Learners experience instruction in TK, Kindergarten and 1st in a 90/10 model where 90% other their instruction is in Spanish and 10% is in English. Each year, more instruction is English is added until a 50:50 balance is reached by 5th grade. This model helps immerse English speaking students in Spanish. The early focus will be on oral language, listening and speaking in Spanish and English. Students will first learn to read in Spanish. By 2nd grade they will be learning to read in English (see graph below). Students in this model have been shown by research to exceed their peers in academic achievement.

The Dual Language Program is a long-term commitment.  Research shows it takes 5-7 years to become fluent in another language.  Students should continue to enroll in the program in order to achieve the academic, bilingual and biliteracy success.  Parents are expected to attend an informational meeting prior to their child’s acceptance into the program.  Parents are also invited to serve on the Dual Language Advisory Board to provide input for program decisions.

Students who have continued in the program and successfully completed the requirements will graduate from Wapato High School with a Seal of Biliteracy on their diploma. Earning this achievement opens doors for future careers and educational opportunities.

Wapato families interested in enrolling their Transitional Kindergarten (TK) or Kindergarten student in the District’s Dual Language Program are REQUIRED to attend one of our Dual Language Information Meetings.  Click here for the meeting schedule: REQUIRED DUAL LANGUAGE PARENT MEETING

Marilyn Bergevin, Special Programs Director 509877-4181 ext. 4311 or email marilynb@wapatosd.org