The research is clear that bilingual instruction is the best route to English proficiency; and learning in two languages has proven cognitive and social-emotional benefits. Students with bilingual skills have significant advantages in college and career. That’s why DPS offers bilingual instruction in all schools with sufficient numbers of Spanish-speaking Multilingual Learners, and why we encourage all students to pursue the Seal of Biliteracy. 

DPS research confirms Thomas and Collier’s finding that students who receive bilingual instruction acquire English more quickly than their peers who do not. We have also found that students enrolled in bilingual programming are significantly more likely to be on-track to becoming fully English proficient within 6 years, and that students enrolled in bilingual programming consistently outperform their peers on Spanish assessments.