Dual Language Expansion

Update on April 21, 2023: Parents and guardians of students in pre-K-4th grade had the opportunity to take an new shorter survey that didn't require registration on the Engage BSD website. The results of the new survey are posted on the right under Survey Results.

Updated on April 5, 2023: Due to a low response rate to the first survey, we have reissued the Dual Language Expansion survey. The NEW survey is considerably shorter and should only take one minute to complete. Also, you do NOT have to register on the Engage BSD website to participate. If you previously took the Dual Language Expansion survey in March, please do NOT take this survey.

For Parents/Guardians of pre-K through 4th grade students:

The Beaverton School District is planning on expanding its dual language programs, which offer instruction in both English and a partner language. These programs include children who speak many different languages at home and are not limited to speakers of any particular language. We would like your feedback to help identify the languages that we might offer and the schools that will house the programs.

Your responses to this survey will not commit your child (or children) to participate in any program. We simply want to understand how many students might be interested in joining dual language programs and which locations might best serve them. Your participation in this survey is voluntary, and your responses are confidential. They’ll never be shared with your child’s teacher or school.

Thank you for your participation. The survey will close on Wednesday, April 19 at 4 p.m.

Updated on April 4, 2023: Families with students in grades pre-K through 4th grade responded to a survey indicating their interest in dual language education. The results of the survey are posted to the right under Survey Results.

This district will be adding a dual language Spanish strand at William Walker Elementary School, starting at the kindergarten level for the 2023-2024 school year and expanding to other grade levels as students advance. A strand program means that there will be dual language kindergarten classrooms that will be taught in English and Spanish in addition to kindergarten classrooms that will be taught in English only. Families may select their preference during kindergarten orientation.

This decision to add a dual language program at William Walker was based on a number of factors:

Both national and BSD studies indicate that students in dual language programs have a higher on-track graduation rate and are more likely to attend college after high school. Dual language students also tend to experience greater confidence, self-esteem and sense of belonging in their school communities.

As part of a recent survey, more BSD families indicated Spanish as their preferred dual language program over other language options.

William Walker has more Spanish-speaking students than English-speaking students which means the school has the critical mass and balance of Spanish and English-speaking students needed for a successful dual language strand.

William Walker has the third largest English Learner (EL) population in the district with an EL projection of 257 students for the coming school year. The majority of EL students speak Spanish.

William Walker has capacity for 625 students. Currently, 534 students are enrolled with an expected decline in enrollment over the next several years. The school has the capacity to accept more students if the District decides to transition the school to a regional option school in the future.

William Walker will be the only dual language expansion for the 2023-2024 school year.

This coming fall, we’ll announce more schools and additional languages that will begin in the 2024-2025 school year.

Updated on March 3, 2023: Families with students in grades pre-K through 4th grade responded to a survey indicating their interest in dual language education. The results of the survey are posted to the right under Survey Results.

Original project:

The district’s Multilingual Department has been conducting a multi-year evaluation of dual language programs in the district. Dual language is a form of bilingual education in which students are taught literacy and content in two languages. Currently, our district has Spanish-English dual language programs at two elementary schools, one K-8 school, two middle schools and three high schools. Please watch this video in English or Spanish to learn more.

As a result of our evaluation, as well as decades of national research, we’ll be moving forward with a plan to expand dual language programs across the district.

The mission of dual language education is to honor and develop multilingual, multiliterate and multicultural students through a rigorous, culturally inclusive education while empowering students to become agents of change in a global community. The specific goals of dual language programs are for students to attain:

High level of bilingualism/biliteracy proficiency in two or more languages.
High academic achievement in all subject areas.
Sociocultural competence.

We recognize the need for equal access to these programs and will be working diligently to remove barriers. We also recognize the limitations of our current programming and plan to expand access to a variety of different languages, including heritage languages.

In order to make good decisions, we’re asking families of Pre-K through 4th grade students to fill out a survey, so that we can:

Assess which school communities have the greatest interest in dual language education.
Gauge which language those school communities would want to add.
Identify which grade levels have the greatest interest in dual language education.
Understand the implications that the addition of a dual language option would have on bus transportation.

To access the survey, you’ll need to register on this page. It takes less than a minute, and you’ll only need to do this once. You’ll then have access to all future engagement projects.

When you fill out the survey, you’ll be asked to include your name, student ID number and school. We need this information to gauge interest in particular school communities and evaluate the transportation implications for your student. If you have more than one child in Pre-K through 4th grade, please complete one survey for each child.

Please complete your survey by Thursday, March 2.

This is an exciting move for our district! Thank you for helping us set a new direction for dual language education in Beaverton.