When a school does not offer the MLE services that parents choose in their Parent Permission Form (PPF), their child is eligible to attend the nearest MLE Zone School.

ELA-E Zone Schools

If ELA-E services are requested and not available at the student's home school, families are provided with the option of an ELA-E Zone school:

Elementary - Place Bridge Academy
Middle - Merrill
High - South

TNLI Zone Schools

If parents request ELA-S services, and they are not available at the student's neighborhood school, families are provided with the option of a TNLI Zone school:

All TNLI Zone Schools

TNLI Zone School Maps show the Zone School (identified by a star) in each color coded area.

• K-5 TNLI Zone Schools
• 6-8 TNLI Zone Schools
• 9-12 TNLI Zone Schools

Newcomer Centers

All DPS schools have the ability to meet the needs of all Multilingual Learner students, including New-to-U.S. and Newcomer (SLIFE) students. Families make the ultimate decision about their child's placement. 

Students are eligible to attend a Newcomer Center when they have been identified by as meeting the following criteria:

• New to the country and have been enrolled in a U.S. school for less than two semesters
• Have Limited or Interrupted Education (6+ months of missed schooling)
• Minimal Literacy skills in English (WIDA 1.0-2.4)
• Minimal Literacy skills in their native language

Newcomer Centers serve students generally for one or two semesters to prepare them for participation in an ELA-E or ELA-S classroom.