• Dual Language Immersion

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      Building better brains with two languages.
     
     

    2025 - 2026 Kindergarten DLI Application Dates

    Application Window: March 10 - June 2, 2025

     

    All DLI Applications for students zoned to a DLI school must be submitted by Monday, June 2, 2025 for inclusion in the DLI June Lottery.

     

    Note: Benteen and Garden Hills Early Decision Applications March 10th - 12th; Early Decision Lottery for in-zone students at these two schools ONLY will be March 14, 2025.

     

     

    The schools listed below provide a Spanish Dual Language Immersion program for students zoned to their schools and for the grade levels listed. Students begin in Kindergarten and continue each year. The application does not guarantee your child a spot. Should applications exceed the number of available slots, DLI placement will be determined via a lottery process conducted by the district. Parents will be notified of lottery results via an email from the lottery portal.

     

    2025 - 2026 Dual Language Immersion Program Application Process
    DLI Program Admission is outlined in APS Board Policy JBC-R (4). Registering adults should complete the DLI application below and return the Dual Language Immersion application with the completed APS Student Enrollment form to their child's school prior to the deadline.

    Should interest in the DLI program exceed the number of available slots, parents will be notified and an internal lottery process conducted. After the first week of school, admission to fill any remaining seats will be allocated based on the waitlist results of the lottery. Priority admission is given to students zoned for the school and in the following order:

    1. Native speakers of the partner language (Spanish).
    2. Current DLI program students from another DLI program school with the same target language (A DLI program school is one in which 50% or more of daily instruction is provided in the target language by the primary classroom teacher.)
    3. Siblings of students currently in the APS DLI program. Twins will be treated as one applicant in a lottery process.
    The APS DLI program only serves students who reside within the school's attendance zone unless the school accepts students through General Administrative Transfer.
    Students who enroll at a DLI program school via the General Administrative process do not participate in the DLI Lottery in early June. A separate lottery process is held in late June once the lottery for students who reside within the attendance zone is completed.
     
    Kindergarten Dual Language Immersion Application for 2025 - 2026
     
    The APS Student Enrollment and DLI program applications are available online. The DLI Lottery is a centralized process and the APS Student Enrollment Form AND the online DLI application must be completed and submitted by the deadline for inclusion in the June lottery. The APS DLI Kindergarten Program application is only available online and is accessible via a link from the APS Online Registration Form.
     
    If you submitted your APS Student Enrollment Form prior to accessing the link, go to https://apsgatransfer.scriborder.com/ to access the APS DLI Application.
     
    Click here to access information on the APS Kindergarten student registration and enrollment process: https://www.atlantapublicschools.us/Page/34745  
     
    Click here to access a video overview of Navigating the APS Kindergarten DLI Application: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1JZDEL1gqj5sbq59OIujTKmPz-fhg9UkX/view
     
    Native English speakers may only begin the DLI program in Kindergarten or 1st grade unless the student has prior participation in a Spanish Dual Language Immersion program or has sufficient proficiency in Spanish to meet the proficiency targets for that grade level. Native Spanish speakers who are new to the country may begin the DLI program at any grade level. Native/Heritage Spanish speakers who begin in grades 2nd or higher and who have been schooled only in English, will need to complete a Spanish language assessment to ensure sufficient proficiency to meet the proficiency targets for that grade level.

     

    Virtual Information Session for DLI Kindergarten Prospective Parents

    On Wednesday, March 5th, the APS district DLI team held a virtual information session for prospective DLI parents. During this session, the team provided information on the goals and benefits of DLI, the language allocation plan for the APS DLI program, and the application process and important dates.

    See below for the flyer announcements. Click here on March 5th at 7:00 pm for the Zoom Link. This meeting will be held in English and in Spanish.

    Prospective Kinder DLI Meeting English    Prospective Kinder DLI Meeting Spanish

     
    First Grade - Dual Language Immersion Application for 2025 - 2026 
    This application is part of the DLI program admission process and does not guarantee selection into the program. This application allows APS DLI program schools to collect information from families interested in a 1st grade DLI program slot should one become available in the APS DLI program school in which the student is already enrolled. Per APS Board Regulation, priority admission is given to students who are native Spanish speakers, students currently in a Spanish DLI program, and to siblings of students already in the DLI program. The APS DLI program only serves students who reside within the school’s attendance zone unless the school is part of the General Administrative Transfer process. The DLI application is only considered complete once the student is enrolled at the DLI program school.
    If you are new to APS, the DLI Program Application for 1st grade is embedded withine the online APS Student Enrollment form. If your student is already enrolled in an APS DLI school, and you wish to be added to the 1st grade DLI Waitlist, go to https://apsgatransfer.scriborder.com/ to access the APS DLI Application for 1st Grade. Note: If your child is already on the DLI program waitlist for Kindergarten and will continue to 1st grade within the same school, there is no need to complete this application. 
     
    Second Grade and Up - Dual Language Immersion Application for 2025 - 2026
    This application is part of the DLI program admission process and does not guarantee selection into the program. This application allows APS DLI program schools to collect information from families interested in 2nd grade or higher in the DLI program at the APS DLI program school in which the student is already enrolled. Students must have demonstrated language proficiency in the partner language. For example,
    • The student is a native speaker of the DLI program partner language.
    • The student is transferring from another DLI program of the same partner language.
    Per APS Board Policy JBC-R (4), the district may administer a Spanish language screener to confirm language proficiency to support DLI program entry and to ensure student success in the program. The APS DLI program only serves students who reside within the school’s attendance zone unless the school has designated availability through the General Administrative Transfer process. This application is only considered complete once the student is enrolled at the DLI program school and should be submitted to the school with the APS Student Enrollment Application.
     
    Click here to access the APS DLI program application for 2nd grade and up: 2nd Grade and Up DLI Application
     

    Dual Language Immersion Program Schools for 2025 - 2026

    Maynard Jackson Cluster:

    Benteen Elementary (Pre-K -5th)

    200 Casanova Street

    Atlanta, GA 30315

    404-802-7300

     

    ML King Middle School (6th - 7th)

    545 Hill Street SE

    Atlanta, GA 30312

    404-802-5400

     

    North Atlanta Cluster:

    Bolton Academy (K - 5th)

    2268 Adams Drive

    Atlanta, Georgia 30318

    404-802-8350

     

    E Rivers ES (K - 5th)

    8 Peachtree Battle Ave

    Atlanta, Georgia 30305

    404-802-7050

     

    Garden Hills ES (Pre-K -5th)  

    285 Sheridan Dr NE

    Atlanta, Georgia 30305

    404-802-7800

     

    Morris Brandon ES (K - 5th)

    2741 Howell Mill Road

    Atlanta, Georgia 30327

    404-802-7250

     

     

     Sarah Smith ES (PreK - 5th)

     370 Old Ivy Road

     Atlanta, Georgia 30342

     404-802-3850

     

    Sutton Middle School (6th - 8th)

    4360 Powers Ferry Road NW

    Atlanta, Georgia 30327

    404-802-5650

    North Atlanta High School (9th - 10th)

    4111 Northside Parkway NW

    Atlanta, Georgia 30327

    404-802-4700

    The Dual Language Immersion Program initially began in APS during the 2013‐2014 school year and has grown each year. DLI schools add a grade level each year until the school DLI program spans all grade levels within the school. The APS Dual Language Immersion Program in K-5 is a two-teacher, 50/50 model in which students spend half of the day learning in English and the other half of the day in Spanish. As the DLI program expands through secondary, DLI program students continue with at least one core content area in Spanish in addition to Spanish language arts. The APS DLI program will continue through the 12th grade in the North Atlanta Cluster and the Jackson Cluster.

     

    Why Dual Language Immersion?

    Research has proven that world language study boosts the brain. Results indicate that bilingualism is reliably associated with several cognitive outcomes, including increased attention control, working memory, metalinguistic awareness, and abstract and symbolic representation skills (Adesope, Lavin, Thompson, Ungerleider, 2010).

    Dual Language Immersion programs are the most effective types of learning for nurturing bilingual/biliterate students.  The APS Dual Language Immersion program helps students to develop linguistic competence in both languages at the same time (listening, speaking, reading, and writing). Studying in two languages allows students to transfer knowledge and skills acquired in one language to the other.  They are able to feel comfortable and successful in one language while gradually building the second language.

    By continuing to learn and develop using two languages, children’s educational and cognitive developments are enhanced.  Learning in two languages provides students with access to two groups of literature, an opening to diverse traditions, ideas, and ways of thinking, which can lead to open-mindedness, flexibility, and an ability to think in a different way.

     
    Click here to access the handout "What Parents Need to Know about DLI in APS."
     
     

     

     
    APS is committed to 

    o   Ensuring Highly Qualified Certified teachers. APS DLI Spanish partner teachers must demonstrate high levels of Spanish language proficiency in addition to meeting content area certification requirements. English partner teachers are also highly qualified and certified. In schools with two-way DLI programs, the English partner teacher must also hold the ESOL Endorsement or ESOL certification as the DLI program is the State-approved ESOL Delivery Model used for most of the English Learners in APS DLI program schools.

    o   Ensuring high quality instructional materials and resources in Spanish and English for all DLI classrooms with a focus on the use of authentic Spanish language and not just translated text.

    o   Ensuring that all students receive a curriculum in English and in Spanish that is based upon the Georgia Standards of Excellence, as decided by the State of Georgia AND high-quality instruction focused on language development AND content achievement.

     

    Question:
    Do I have to reside in the zone for one of the schools listed above for my child to attend this program?
     
    Answer:
    Yes.  However, if the school has been designated as participating in the General Administrative Transfer process, there may be some limited spaces for students who do not reside in the school attendance zone. Parents would need to complete the General Administrative transfer process to be selected for the school and then complete the Dual Language Immersion application. It should be noted that per APS Board Policy, DLI program slots must first be awarded to families who reside within the attendance zone of the school. Acceptance to a DLI school during the General Administrative process does not guarantee a DLI program slot.
     
    Question:
    How long is the commitment to the program?
     
    Answer:
    At the elementary school level, parents/guardians are asked to commit to the program until their child completes 5th grade. The APS Dual Language Immersion Program continues at feeder middle and high schools and families will complete a DLI Intent Form as they transition to the secondary level. Upon completion of the Dual Language Immersion program in 12th grade, students may be eligible for the Georgia Seal of Biliteracy should they demonstrate the requisite scores in Spanish on the Advanced Placement or IB exam as well as the IB Bilingual Diploma.
     

    Question:

    Can my child begin DLI at the secondary level without DLI elementary experience?

    Answer:

    Per the APS DLI Program Admissions process as outlined in APS Board Policy JBC-R (4), a student may only begin in DLI beyond the 1st grade if ONE of the following conditions applies: 1) The student is transferring directly from a DLI Spanish program; 2) The student is a native Spanish speaker; 3) The student has sufficient Spanish proficiency as demonstrated by a district-administered proficiency assessment. 

     
    For more information about the APS Dual Language Immersion program, contact
     
    Dr. Margaret McKenzie
    Director, Multilingual Programs & Services
     
    Grethel Pedroarena
    Dual Language Immersion Coordinator
     
    Melissa Radu
    Dual Language Immersion District Instructional Coach
     
     
     
    Multilingualism Matters!