Holyoke Public Schools’ dual language program offers a solid foundation for developing biliteracy skills for students of all ages. It is especially beneficial for children who begin participating at a young age.
Families of children who will enter PreK and kindergarten this fall are encouraged to enroll as soon as possible, as space is limited and admission is determined through a lottery process. The Round 2 lottery closes May 17. Rolling admission opens June 28.
“While we certainly encourage our youngest students to enroll in dual language, the program is right for ALL students, including students who are dominant in English, Spanish or another language,” said Associate Director of Multilingual Learning Laura Espinoza-Mufson. “Dual language is also a good fit for students who are already bilingual or who have not yet been exposed to either language, and also for students who have an IEP or don’t have an IEP.”
HPS strives to accept an equal balance of students who are Spanish-dominant speakers, English-dominant speakers, and bilingual speakers, based on the following requirements:
Students entering preschool must be 4 years old on or before September 1, 2024.
All students applying for grades 1 and up will need to be evaluated to determine their verbal, written, and reading level in Spanish. Those students must meet the Spanish language criteria for the grade they are applying to in order to be accepted into that grade.