By Annika Hauer, For the Reporter
Dual Language is a form of education where students from two language groups are taught literacy and content in both languages. “It is the state-approved and preferred method for instructing multilingual learners,” said Linda Hoste, Director of Categorical Programs for the Renton School District (RSD).
Hoste and Norma Taylor, Dual Language/Multilanguage Facilitator for RSD, presented the Dual Language program to RSD Superintendent Pattenaude and the board of directors on Wednesday, August 9, before the regular monthly school board meeting took place.
Hoste and Taylor originally presented the program at a similar meeting in 2018, with plans hoping to launch the program by 2021.
They held meetings open to community input and questions in March and April of 2019, where 42 families attended. “We had overwhelming support,” said Hoste, “and the number one question that came out of those conversation was ‘when are we going to start?’”
The plans for 2021 were interrupted by the pandemic, but over the past several years, Hoste and Taylor have continued planning, researching, and recruiting.
The program will be launched in neighborhoods with the highest Spanish-speaking population of students. Dual Language classes will be 50% dominant Spanish-speaking and 50% dominant English-speaking. More information on how students can join the program is available on Renton School District’s website.
The program rollout will begin solely in Kindergarten, with that original class aging with the program. By 2029, dual language classes will be available from Kindergarten through 5th grade.
Spanish-speaking students can join the program at any age. English-speaking students can join up to second grade, because of how far ahead the class will be in Spanish, after that.
Kindergarten will be taught in a 90:10 model; 90% of the instruction in Spanish, and 10% (times of the day like recess, PE, and music) in English. As the years progress, 10% of the instruction moves to English: 1st grade would be an 80:10 model, and so on, until the instruction is 50:50 in 4th and 5th grade.
In 90:10 programs, both English and Spanish dominant students have high Spanish proficiency outcomes at the end of the program. Also, learning to decode text is easier in Spanish because of its transparent orthography, which is how each letter in the Spanish alphabet has one sound corresponding with it (unlike English).
“Bilingualism is associated with greater cognitive development,” said Taylor. Students are able to maintain their first language while developing another; by 3rd and 4th grade, English-speaking students in the Dual Language program score as high on reading assessments as those who are in full English instruction.
“The Dual Language education classes really create an environment that fosters positive attitude towards other cultures, as well as developing students’ self-identity,” said Taylor. Also, she said, multilingual learners are more likely to stay in school, graduate from high school, and attend college, as compared to multilingual learners in English-only instruction.
“If they’re coming home with all English homework and the family doesn’t speak any English, then they don’t feel like they can contribute,” said Taylor. “That’s what I’m excited about, is the community support and inviting families to be a part of their child’s education.”
“It’s called cross-cultural competency, it’s bringing in that cultural element to the programs,” said Taylor. “Listening to music in Spanish, entertainment, just geographically knowing which countries do speak Spanish.”
“We don’t want this to be seen as ‘that program’ and ‘those kids,’” said Hoste. “We want everyone to feel — ‘it’s our program, and our kids.’ We want the whole school to be a part of that.” Hoste and Taylor will continue leading community conversations in the schools the program is in, as well as working with the principal of that school, and all of its staff.
“I think the connection between English-speaking families and Spanish-speaking families will just strengthen the community support,” said Hoste.
The program will begin at either Highlands Elementary, Sierra Heights Elementary, or Honeydew Elementary.
In 2022, Washington’s State Superintendent Chris Reykdal proposed a plan to require Dual Language programs. All of Washington’s elementary school students must have the option to be in a Dual Language program by 2040.
Hoste and Taylor are focused on K-5 for now, in order to launch a high-quality program. Long-term, it is meant to be K-12.
Hoste and Taylor have traveled and spent time with Dual Language programs in the Highline, Bellevue, and Tacoma School Districts. “We have the fortune of watching other districts build their success models,” Hoste said. “We would not be doing this by scratch, by ourselves.” Vietnamese is also offered in Highline and Seattle. Mandarin is also offered in Bellevue.
One board member asked what the biggest challenge other district’s have faced. Hoste said, “staffing.”
Through a partnership Hoste formed with Pacific Lutheran University, teachers can get a bilingual endorsement with a significant cost reduction as certificated staff.
It is anticipated that start-up costs for each grade level (starting at Kindergarten) average approximately $47,000. Funding for this will come from different categories, including Curriculum & Instruction (C&I), a Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) grant, federal program Title III, and Washington’s Transitional Bilingual Instruction Program (TBIP).
After a grade’s initial year of having the program, however, ongoing costs are accounted for in the general education budget.
After the presentation to the school board, Taylor pulled out a newspaper from her purse. It was a 2018 issue of the Renton Reporter, with an article about Hoste and Taylor’s original presentation. “I’ve just held on to this,” Taylor said, “And here we are!”
Next steps include hiring two bilingual Kindergarten teachers, reviewing curriculum, building advocacy for the program within the elementary school’s administration, staff, and neighborhood, determining how student assessments will be conducted, and designing a long term plan for continually improving, deep understanding of Dual Language programs. First and foremost, however, it’s choosing a school.
