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Everett Public Schools expands two‑way dual-language program; Silver Lake to start next year
Summary
District staff reported growth at Emerson Elementary’s dual‑language program and plans to launch kindergarten dual-language at Silver Lake next year, with a middle-school pathway to Evergreen and a high-school pathway to Cascade. Staff said the model yields bilingualism, biliteracy and higher academic achievement over time.
Chris Fulford and Erica Velasco briefed the board on Feb. 11 on the dual‑language (two‑way) program, its structure, enrollment growth and plans to expand the program into additional schools.
Why it matters: district presenters cited research showing two‑way dual‑language models can close achievement gaps for Spanish‑speaking students while producing bilingual, biliterate graduates who meet academic standards in both languages.
Program structure and timeline: the kindergarten-through-fifth-grade model at Emerson starts with 90% instruction in Spanish and 10% in English at kindergarten and shifts each year toward a 50/50 model by fifth grade. Middle- and high-school instruction will retain a substantial Spanish-language component (presenters described a minimum 40% Spanish instruction model in grades 6–12). Silver Lake Elementary is scheduled to launch kindergarten dual‑language classrooms next year; Evergreen Middle School is slated to open a sixth-grade dual‑language program in 2027; Cascade High School will phase in high-school grades beginning in the late 2020s, and the district expects the cohort’s first high-school graduation in 2034.
Enrollment and access: staff said the program aims for two‑way balance (about half native Spanish speakers and half native English speakers). Emerson’s enrollments have grown each year as cohorts age; district staff said Emerson has a relatively large share of Spanish‑speaking families, and the Silver Lake launch has generated community interest across central and south Everett. For Silver Lake, staff are planning two kindergarten classrooms initially due to building space constraints and said transportation will be provided for program continuity (the district already buses students for certain choice programs).
Family engagement and supports: staff described parent surveys that reported pride in bilingualism and requests for additional bilingual learning materials and family supports. The district said it will offer parent workshops, bilingual resources and family engagement nights, and noted existing governance bodies — a Dual Language Task Force and a Dual Language Parent Advisory Board — that support program implementation.
Assessment and outcomes: presenters referenced research by Thomas and Collier showing two‑way programs often exceed the achievement of monolingual peers by upper elementary grades. Staff said students in the program will begin SBA testing in third grade and that the district tracks biliteracy outcomes; by eighth grade students will be eligible for the Washington State Seal of Biliteracy. No board vote was taken; directors expressed support and asked questions about classroom counts, transport and capacity.
Ending: Directors welcomed the expansion and asked staff to return with enrollment updates after the kindergarten registration period begins March 3.
