Multilingual Learning

Welcome to Multilingual Learning at D26!

Cary District 26 offers a variety of language support services to meet the linguistic and academic development of students who come to us with a variety of languages. Each home language is a great asset to our District! We proudly serve close to 400 students from 29 different home language backgrounds.

Dual Language Program

General Information

Videos

Dual Language Program Explained
Video produced by American Institute for Research explains the benefits of dual language programs and some of the challenges to implementing them (4 minutes in English).

Bilingual Dual Language Education-Families
Video produced for Spanish speaking families about the benefits and research behind bilingual and dual-language education (11 minutes/Spanish with English subtitles)

Two-Way Immersion Programs in MCPS
Video produced by Montgomery Schools explaining Two-Way Immersion (4 minutes - English)

Making Dual Language Immersion Work
Video produced by Colorín Colorado explaining how Claremont Immersion School’s dual-language model works and how teachers collaborate to provide instruction across two languages (7 minutes - English).

Articles to Help You Determine if DL is For Your Family

Preparing Your Child (and you) for Dual Language Kindergarten
Lilscholars explains the benefits, preparation, fears and questions of parents considering dual language.

Full Language Immersion Program in Public Schools
Public School Review talks about what to expect from the first couple of months in an immersion program and reservations a parent may have.

The Pros and Cons of Choosing a Language Immersion School
A mom, Maureen Zhao, has a child in a Chinese immersion school. She offers a transparent, parental view of the benefits and challenges of immersion.

Lottery

Dual Language Lottery Procedures

In order to meet the needs of diverse learners in the district, the Dual Language (DL) program will strive to fill DL classrooms with this breakdown:
● ½ heritage English students
● ½ heritage Spanish students

As the District 26 Dual Language program is a two-teacher program, we have two DL sections per grade level, which includes Kindergarten. Per Illinois School Code, spots are reserved for identified English Learners (EL) and class sizes will compare to district averages.

Dual Language Lottery Procedures / Procedimientos de la Lotería de lenguaje dual (click to open / Haga clic para abrir)

The following two requirements must be fulfilled in order for non-EL students to be considered for participation in the lottery and acceptance into the Dual Language program.
● Attend a Dual Language Informational session
○ Thursday, February 19th via Zoom from: ■ 5:30-6:30PM
○ Wednesday, February 25th via Zoom (link will be sent out when register for informational session): ■ 5:30-6:30 PM

Click here to register

● All families MUST submit the Dual Language Application AND District 26 Kindergarten registration prior to the deadline. The deadline to submit is Monday, May 4, 2026.

Sesiones Informativas para el programa dual de kindergarten/Incoming Dual Language Kindergarten Information Sessions

The lottery will adhere to the following procedures:
● If an applicant has a sibling currently in the Dual Language program, the student will automatically qualify for the Dual Language program (as long as they complete Dual Language and Kindergarten registration by Monday, May 4th).

● If the student selected is a twin, then both twins will be placed in the Dual Language program as long as the application and registration forms are completed on time. All incoming Spanish-speaking students identified as EL (per standardized assessments) will automatically enroll in the Dual Language program until capacity is reached.

● For English-speaking applicants, the lottery will occur on Wednesday, May 6th. A total of 20 English-speaking applicants (this number may change based on district average class-size numbers) will be selected and notified. This INCLUDES families who qualify as siblings to current Dual Language students.

Letters of results from the Lottery will be sent out Thursday, May 15th,

● Selected families MUST complete the Letter of Dual Language Consent Form by Friday, May 22nd.

● Families who were on the waitlist will begin to receive invitations on Monday, May 25th if there are open spots available in the program.

In regards to the Wait List,
● After the initial spots are filled by English-speaking applicants, all applicants will be picked in order and assigned a number based on the order of their selection. We will monitor the registration of families into the Dual Language program throughout the summer. As open placements become available, wait list applicants will be invited in the order that they were selected in the initial lottery.
● All families will be notified by mail of their acceptance or non-acceptance into the Dual Language Program by August 2026.

Preguntas más Frecuentes del Programa Dual

¿Para quién es el programa?
Un programa de dos idiomas proporciona instrucción a través de dos idiomas con el objetivo de promover la competencia plena en los aspectos orales y escritos de los dos idiomas, junto con la comprensión intercultural y altos niveles de rendimiento académico. Los estudiantes desarrollan una fuerte alfabetización en español e inglés haciéndolos bilingües y también letrados en los dos idiomas. Los salones están generalmente compuestos por 50% hablantes nativos de inglés y 50% hablantes nativos del español. La relación permite a los estudiantes ser modelos del idioma o estudiantes del segundo idioma. El programa de dos idiomas se encuentra en la escuela primaria de Three Oaks.

¿Quién califica para el programa de dos idiomas?
Los estudiantes que hablan español con fluidez en casa, quienes son identificados como aprendices del idioma inglés (por evaluación típica), y se están inscribiendo en kindergarten, automáticamente califican para el programa si los padres optan por inscribirse en el programa. Los estudiantes que sólo hablan inglés en casa, y se inscriben en kindergarten, pueden calificar si hay un compromiso con la duración del programa y son seleccionados a través del proceso de la lotería. . El programa es opcional para todos los estudiantes. Se requiere que el estudiante asista kindergarten como día completo para ser parte del programa. Matriculación para kindergarten comienza el 9 de Marzo.

¿Cómo funciona el proceso de selección y las inscripciones?
Los salones serán comprometidos de 50% quien habla español y 50% quien habla inglés. Si hay una gran cantidad de interés por parte de las familias que hablan inglés, puede haber una lotería involucrada para las familias que hablan inglés. Las familias de todas las escuelas primarias de Cary D26 son elegibles para participar. Si un estudiante ya tiene un hermano en el programa, automáticamente calificará para el programa de lenguaje dual si el hermano/a está inscrito activamente en el programa de lenguaje dual, asiste a una de las sesiones informativas de lenguaje dual y los requisitos del proceso de inscripción se completan.

Los estudiantes que comienzan en el programa de Kindergarten de dos idiomas serán colocados en una clase de primer grado de dos idiomas el año siguiente. Cada año, el grupo se traslada al otro año de instrucción de dos idiomas.

¿Qué evidencia tenemos de que la instrucción de dos idiomas es de calidad?
Varias investigaciones han examinado el rendimiento en lectura y matemáticas de los estudiantes en programas de dos idiomas en los niveles de primaria y secundaria para determinar el impacto de los programas de dos idiomas (Cazabon, Nicoladis, y Lambert, 1998; Collier & Thomas, 2004; Howard, Sugarman & Christian, 2003; Kirk-Senesac, 2002; Lindholm - Leary, 2001, 2005). Estos estudiantes demostraron que los estudiantes en general, tanto del lenguaje inglés y hablantes nativos de inglés hicieron avances significativos en los dos idiomas; ambos grupos obtuvieron calificaciones iguales o un nivel superior en ambos idiomas de la escuelas secundarias; y ambos grupos realizaron a niveles comparables o superiores en comparación con compañeros de la misma lengua en otros sistemas educativos. En las pruebas estandarizadas referidas según las normas de la lectura y el rendimiento en matemáticas en inglés, hablantes nativos de inglés superaron a sus compañeros de habla inglés en salones de habla inglés solamente. Los estudiantes del idioma inglés que habían aprendido inglés en un programa de dos idiomas calificaron significativamente más alto que sus compañeros de habla inglés que habían estudiado en otro tipo de programas y también se realizan al mismo nivel con los estudiantes que hablan solamente inglés en el salón. (Lindholm - Leary, 2005; Lindholm-Leary y Borsato, en prensa).

¿Dónde puedo conseguir más información?
Por favor, póngase en contacto con Rosalba Conde al 224-357-5450, rosalba.conde@cary26.org o visite la página web del distrito y vea debajo del Departamento – Teaching & Learning , Multilingual Program.

Dual Language FAQ's/
Preguntas más Frecuentes del Programa Dual

FAQ

Who is this program for?
A Dual Language program provides instruction through two languages with the goal of promoting full proficiency in oral and written aspects of both languages, along with cross cultural understanding and high levels of academic achievement. Students develop strong literacy in both Spanish and English making them bilingual and biliterate. Classrooms are generally composed of 50% native English speakers and 50% native Spanish speakers. The ratio enables students to be language models and second language learners. District 26 Dual Language Program is housed at Three Oaks Elementary School.

Who qualifies for the Dual Language program?
Students who speak Spanish fluently at home who are identified as English Learners (per standardized assessment), and are enrolling in Kindergarten, automatically qualify for the program if the parents choose to enroll them in the program. Students who speak only English at home, and are enrolling in Kindergarten, may qualify if there is a commitment to the duration of the program and they are selected via the lottery process. The program is optional. It is required that the student attends full day kindergarten to be part of the program. Kindergarten enrollment begins March 9th.

How will the selection and enrollment process work?
The classrooms consist of approximately 50% Spanish speakers and 50% English speakers. If there is an abundance of interest from the English speaking families, a lottery process is involved for the English speaking families. Every elementary school’s families are eligible to participate. If a student has a sibling already in the program, they will automatically qualify for the Dual Language program as long as the sibling is actively participating in the Dual Language program, families attend an informational session, and all registration requirements are met.

The students starting in the Kindergarten Dual Language Program will be placed into a first grade Dual Language class the following year. Every year, the group will move into another year of Dual Language instruction.

What evidence do we have that Dual Language is solid instruction?
Several researchers have examined the reading and math achievement of students in Dual Language programs at late elementary or secondary levels to determine the long-term impact of Dual Language programs (e.g., Cazabon, Nicoladis, & Lambert, 1998; Collier & Thomas, 2004; Howard, Sugarman & Christian, 2003; Kirk-Senesac, 2002; Lindholm – Leary, 2001, 2005). These students showed that overall both English language learners and native English speakers made significant progress in both languages; both groups scored at or well above grade level in both languages by middle school; both groups performed at comparable or superior levels compared to same-language peers in other educational settings. On norm-referenced standardized tests of reading and math achievement in English, native English speakers outscored their English-only peers in English-only classrooms. English language learners who had learned English in a Dual Language program scored significantly higher than their English language peers who had studied in other kinds of programs in the state and also performed on a par with native English speaking students in English-only classrooms (Lindholm – Leary, 2005; Lindholm-Leary & Borsato, in press).

Where can I get more information?
Please contact Rosalba Conde at 224-357 5450,
rosalba.conde@cary26.org or go to www.cary26.org under Department of Teaching and Learning – Multilingual Program.

Dual Language FAQ's/
Preguntas más Frecuentes del Programa Dual

Parent Handbook

Parent Resources

English Learner Program

Students who have not achieved academic language proficiency with the English language have the opportunity to participate in the Cary District 26 English Language Learners (EL) program. The D26 EL program includes: Dual Language at Oak Knoll and Three Oaks, Bilingual (Spanish) support Cary Junior High, EL Resource support (any language) at all schools for eligible students. The EL Resource instructional program provides students the opportunity to develop academic and linguistic proficiencies to listen, speak, read, and write in English in their general education classrooms.

Dual Language classes, available for eligible students in PreK to 8th grade provide instruction in Spanish and English with the goal of developing bilingualism, biliteracy, multiculturalism, and academic proficiencies in both languages. High-impact instructional practices support students as they learn English and grade-level skills, concepts, and vocabulary in all content areas.

Parent University

Want to learn how to support your student as they become multilingual? Join us in Cary School District's Multilingual Department's Parent University. This is for any family who has a student in the Dual Language or EL program. Each session we will be discussing an element of biliteracy development and how you can support your student outside of school.

Bilingual Parent Advisory Committee

The Bilingual Parent Advisory Committee (BPAC) is required in school districts with 20 or more students of the same language background who are in a Transitional Bilingual Program (TBE). "Its purpose is to ensure the district recognizes their voices and acts to meet their needs" (Illinois State Board of Education)

For information about the Multilingual Program, please email the Teaching & Learning Multilingual Coordinator, Ms. Lauren Kramer, lauren.kramer@cary26.org or call (224) 357-5453