Dual Language Programs provide integrated language and academic instruction for native English speakers and native speakers of another language with the goals of high academic achievement, first and second language proficiency, and cross-cultural understanding.

Learn more about how our Dual Language program started and where it's headed this school year. 

The Beginning

Almost twenty years ago an East Valley district dual language team was formed consisting of administrators and staff members.  This team was formed to research and analyze data regarding the possibility of starting a Dual Language Program in the East Valley School District. The goal of the team was to ensure that if such a program was launched in our district, we would have the necessary tools and structure to foster academic growth for all enrolled students in both the English and Spanish languages, as well as the capacity to grow and evolve over time. The research and design process took a full 2 years of diligent work of and collaboration among the team members and with other districts nation-wide that had already achieved success with their own dual language programs.   

Once administrators were sure they had a working system in place, they initiated the East Valley Dual Language Program in 2003, with four classrooms in grades K-1. The dual language program, housed at Moxee Elementary, was able to serve approximately ninety-six students in their first year.  Over the course of the next four years, the program continued to roll-up one grade level at a time until they were serving two classes at each grade-level in grades K-5. For the next five successful years, the dual language program remained a K-5 program.

Where We’re Headed

After two years of research and 16 years of success, we had the exciting opportunity to expand our dual language program to East Valley Central during the 2017-2018 school year. This expansion has allowed students transitioning from the elementary dual program to continue their dual language studies into middle school, and allow us the privilege of serve approximately 430 students in grades K-8 each year. In 2020-21 the dual language program followed dual students to the high school and the dual language program now serves students K-12.

East Valley dual administrators and teachers are provided with continued professional development opportunities to expand their knowledge of our current program and to pursue the guiding principles of the dual language program model.  We have been very fortunate to receive competitive dual grants, awarded by the Office of the Superintendent of Instruction (OSPI) of Washington State, over the past few years, to assist in funding the continued program expansion and program improvements. These grants allow for the recruitment of bilingual staff, professional development do dual language staff members and activities that accompany this program.