School staff propose expanding dual-language immersion to two more Winchester elementary schools

Jake, a curriculum/program staff member, presented a proposal and timeline to expand Winchester’s Spanish-English dual-language immersion program to additional elementary schools.

Jake said the division’s dual-language program currently serves Frederick Douglass and Virginia Avenue elementary schools and extends into Dana Morgan Intermediate and Dana Morgan Middle. He recommended starting a dual-language track at Corals in kindergarten for the next school year and adding John Kerr in 2027, while leaving specific grade-start decisions to each school.

Why it matters: staff argued the program promotes bilingualism, biliteracy and equity of access; it also attracts families from outside the division and can strengthen school identity. Jake said the immersion model typically delivers 50 percent instruction in Spanish for targeted subjects such as math and Spanish language arts in elementary grades, with options for heritage-speaker courses and U.S. history in Spanish at middle school and continuation into high-school Spanish coursework.

Staff presented assessment data they said show dual-language students “holding their own” on recent SOL and network assessments. Jake described the division’s shift to an adaptive assessment from the Participate network (and noted the STAMP test is an accepted alternative for the Virginia Department of Education’s biliteracy seal). He said participating students take a subset of assessment components in earlier grades and all four components (interpretive reading/listening, interpersonal speaking, presentational writing) in grades 5 and 8.

Costs and staffing: staff estimated ongoing coaching and Participate-network supports at roughly $25,000 per school for initial launch and cited coaching, professional development, and classroom materials as primary costs. The classroom model requires two teachers per dual-language classroom (an English teacher and a Spanish-speaking teacher) sharing roughly 40 students and splitting instructional time (approximately 50% Spanish, 50% English by program design). Jake said the Participate program recruits teachers who typically arrive on J-1 cultural-exchange visas for multi-year placements.

Board members raised two recurring concerns: (1) how parents will interpret diagnostic assessments and communications — some students in immersion may temporarily lag in English academic language before catching up — and (2) staff workload and “initiative fatigue,” given new SOL standards and other district initiatives focused on primary grades. Jake and other staff noted plans for family information nights, principal-to-principal site visits, teacher teaming and targeted professional development.

Jake recommended bundling Corals and John Kerr into one action so the board can address both expansions as a single decision; staff said principals will decide whether to start one or two entry grades (kindergarten vs. K–1) at each site. No formal vote occurred at this meeting; staff said the item will be presented as a future action item (an action vote is expected at a subsequent meeting).

Ending: Board members requested more detail on timelines for hiring, enrollment management (lottery procedures if demand exceeds capacity), and community messaging about assessments; staff will return with an action item for the board to vote on in a future meeting.