Process for Enrollment

• All entering Kindergarten grade students in the Urbana School District are eligible to apply.
• Spanish dominant students will automatically have the option to enroll in the program as part of their legally mandated bilingual education program.
• English dominant students from all elementary buildings may apply into the Dual Language programs and will be admitted based on available space.
• The Dual Language Application will be due in early May and should be submitted to the Central Office (1101 E. University) or via email to Irlanda Jimenez at ijimenez@usd116.org. English dominant students will be chosen based on a lottery.
• Parents will be informed of admittance in May. The remaining English dominant students not admitted into the Dual Language Program will be placed on a waiting list. Should space become available for English dominant students during the first 15 school days of Kindergarten, another lottery process will be held.

What is the Dual Language Program Model in Urbana School District #116?

 80/20: Spanish is used and taught most or all of the day in the Kindergarten through 2nd grades. The amount of English is gradually increased until English and Spanish are each used 50% of the time, starting in third grade.

With the 80/20 Dual Language program model literacy development will be occur in both Spanish and English for all students via Spanish Language Arts and Content -based English Language Arts instruction. There is also dedicated time for teachers to bridge the two languages throughout the school year. The curriculum implemented in the dual language classrooms is the same as all classrooms in Urbana School District 116. Instructional techniques and assessments ensure that children learn academic content while developing their first and second languages.

FAQs

• Q: How well do students learn a second language in Dual Language and how long should my child be in the program?
• A: On average, studies show that students reach full proficiency in a second language within 4 -6 years.
• Q: How well do students learn the core subjects if some of them are taught in another language?
• A: On average, students learn core subjects in either language as well or better than their peers who are not in Dual Language.
• Q: Will my child be confused with two languages?
• A: Children typically do not have difficulty keeping languages separate.
• Q: Do the parents need to be bilingual to enroll and help with homework?
• A: No, we ask that you speak with your child in your first language, and we’ll help you provide support in the second language

What is Dual Language?

Dual Language is a bilingual education program that provides core academic instruction in two languages (Spanish and English).

What are the Goals and Benefits of Dual Language?

All students will develop high levels of proficiency in English and Spanish. Academic performance for all students will be at or above grade level in both languages . Acquire cognitive flexibility that also leads to higher -order thinking skills and better problem -solving abilities All students will demonstrate positive cross -cultural attitudes and behaviors.

Additional Information

It is important to understand that since bilingual proficiency is a long-term commitment and space for families is limited, it requires a commitment by the parents and students. As part of the application process, parents will be asked to sign a letter of commitment for 5 -6 years in the program. Due to the immersion nature of Spanish language instruction, native English dominant students can only be admitted into the Dual Language program in Kindergarten. However, if students show Spanish proficiency through a district administered assessment, he/she might be admitted at any grade level. The Dual Language program is the bilingual education program for Spanish speaking students who are learning English as a second language, therefore they will be accepted at any grade level.

Students with special needs are welcome to apply into the Dual Language program and enrollment will be based on a review of their individual needs. For more information on the Dual Language Program, please contact: Guadalupe Ricconi,  Director of Multilingual Programs for Urbana School District #116

• 217-384-3650
• gricconi@usd116.org

Process for Enrollment

• All entering Kindergarten and 1st grade students in the Urbana School District are eligible to apply.
• French dominant students will automatically have the option to enroll in the program as part of their legally mandated bilingual education program.
• English dominant students from all elementary buildings may apply into the Dual Language programs and will be admitted based on available space.
• The Dual Language Application will be due in early May and should be submitted to the Central Office (1101 E. University) or via email to Irlanda Jimenez at ijimenez@usd116.org. English dominant students will be chosen based on a lottery.
• Parents will be informed of admittance in May.  The remaining English dominant students not admitted into the Dual Language Program will be placed on a waiting list.  Should space become available for English dominant students during the first 15 school days of the Kindergarten or 1^st grade year, another lottery process will be held.

What is the Dual Language Program Model in Urbana School District #116?

With the 50/50 Dual Language program model literacy development will be occur in both French and English for all students via French Language Arts and Content-based English Language Arts instruction.  There is also dedicated time for teachers to bridge the two languages throughout the school year.

The curriculum implemented in the dual language classrooms is the same as all classrooms in Urbana School District 116.  Instructional techniques and assessments ensure that children learn academic content while developing their first and second languages. 

FAQs

• Q: How well do students learn a second language in Dual Language and how long should my child be in the program?
• A: On average, studies show that students reach full proficiency in a second language within 4-6 years.
• Q: How well do students learn the core subjects if some of them are taught in another language?
• A: On average, students learn core subjects in either language as well or better than their peers who are not in Dual Language.
• Q: Will my child be confused with two languages?
• A: Children typically do not have difficulty keeping languages separate.
• Q: Do the parents need to be bilingual to enroll and help with homework?
• A: No, we ask that you speak with your child in your first language, and we’ll help you provide support in the second language.

What is Dual Language?

Dual Language is a bilingual education program that provides core academic instruction in two languages (French and English).

Goals and Benefits of Dual Language:

• All students will develop high levels of proficiency in English and French
• Academic performance for all students will be at or above grade level in both languages.
• Acquire cognitive flexibility that also leads to higher order thinking skills and better problem-solving abilities
• All students will demonstrate positive cross-cultural attitudes and behaviors.

Additional Information

It is important to understand that since bilingual proficiency is a long-term commitment and space for families is limited, it requires a commitment by the parents and students.  As part of the application process, parents will be asked to sign a letter of commitment for 5-6 years in the program.

Due to the immersion nature of French language instruction, native English dominant students can only be admitted into the Dual Language program in Kindergarten and first grade.  However, if students show French proficiency through a district administered assessment, he/she might be admitted at any grade level. The Dual Language program is the bilingual education program for French speaking students who are learning English as a second language, therefore they will be accepted at any grade level.

Students with special needs are welcome to apply into the Dual Language program and enrollment will be based on a review of their individual needs.

For more information on the Dual Language Program, please contact: Guadalupe Ricconi,  Director of Multilingual Programs for Urbana School District #116

• 217-384-3650
• gricconi@usd116.org

Information about USD #116
Urbana School District #116 values the diversity of our student population. On average there are approximately 1,000 Emergent Bilingual students attending USD #116 schools, which is approximately 25% of our total student population. Emergent Bilinguals are students who are still developing their English proficiency and are eligible to participate in our Multilingual Programs. There are 45+ different languages represented from our student
population and our students come from countries in North America, South America, Europe, Asia, and Africa. The world truly comes to Urbana School District 116!

Program Goals

• Provide Emergent Bilingual Students, students whose dominant language is not English, and are developing both the native language and English, the opportunity to receive equal and equitable access to education.
• Develop English Language Proficiency according to the WIDA Language Proficiency standards.
• Develop Native Language Proficiency for students in the bilingual programs in order to promote bilingualism and biculturalism.
• Meet or Exceed the Illinois Academic Learning Standards (Math, Science, Reading, etc.)
• Support learners’ linguistic and academic needs with research based instruction.
• Promote multicultural awareness and diverse learning environments throughout the district.
• Provide parents and families of Emerging Bilingual students with the ability to actively participate in the education of their children.

About King School

M.L. King Elementary School has housed USD 116’s Multilingual program for over 40 years. It serves students in Urbana that speak a language other than English as their first language.

At King School the Transitional Program of Instruction classes are offered for students who speak languages other than Spanish. Native language instruction is also available for a number of native languages spoken by our students. In the past we have offered native language classes in Mandarin Chinese, Korean, French, Indonesian, Lao, Portuguese, Pashto, Vietnamese, Turkish, Russian and Arabic.

FAQs

Q: How is a student identified as an English Language Learner (ELL)?
A: Based on the Home Language Survey completed at the time of enrollment, every student who speaks a language other than English will be evaluated for English proficiency.  An ESL specialist administers the WIDA Model or W-APT Assessment. Students who do not meet the IL State
required English proficiency level are identified as ELLs.

Q: How do ESL services meet the needs of English Learners?
A: The ELL student’s language proficiency
needs are met through the use of specialized instructional strategies, lesson delivery, and assessments. Instruction in
the content areas takes into account that students are at different levels of proficiency in English, have different cultural backgrounds and possess varying degrees of background knowledge.

Q: How is ESL programming provided at King School?
A: At the elementary level students are supported with content-based instruction in English language skills throughout the day. The instructional services could be provided through push-in support, pull-out support or co-teaching. The method of
delivery may include oral language development, reading and writing skill
development and content-area instruction.

Q: How will the ESL program help a student to learn English?
A: The ESL program helps a student to learn and strengthen English skills through scaffolded content-based instruction.
Instruction is based on the state standards in each content area.  The ESL students are also expected to meet the district goals
and standards.

Q: What rights do parents have?
A: Parents have the right to choose whether or not their child receives ESL programming services. Should parents refuse services, they sign an official waiver from ESL programming services. Students whose parents waive ESL attend their home school.