EVERETT — Last week, Sofia Sierra, a second-grader at Emerson Elementary in south Everett, read a book about volcanoes aloud.

“Cenizas y vapores emergen de la montaña. La roca fundida y caliente sube por el interior de la montaña,” she read. “De repente, escapa una columna brillante de ceniza caliente. ¡Es una erupción!”

Her teacher, Paola Martinez, says Sofia’s fluency and confidence with the Spanish language are typical of a fourth-grader.

Later in the day, Sofia and her entire class switch to her second language — English.

Sofia’s parents are from Honduras, and like half of her peers, she primarily speaks Spanish at home. For the other half of students, their first language is English.

They are part of a growing number of kids enrolled in dual language programs. Next school year, in Snohomish County, 10 schools will offer dual language instruction.

As kindergarten registration for the Everett and Mukilteo school districts began Monday, parents have more options for a bilingual education. Challenger, Horizon and Silver Lake elementary schools will all open new dual language kindergarten classes.

Proponents of the program say a Spanish-English education helps students surpass literacy expectations in both languages. At the same time, it can raise the confidence and academic performance of Latino students.

According to the state superintendent’s office, 141 schools offered a dual language program during the 2022-2023 school year.

‘It is giftedness’

Shelley Boten, chief academic officer at Everett Public Schools, says the effort is part of removing the stigma around speaking a language other than English.

“It is giftedness, it is an opportunity for students to really showcase and shine,” she said.

These programs ask parents to commit to the program through high school.

In August 2022, state Superintendent of Public Instruction Chris Reykdal announced his goal for all Washington students to have access to a K-8 bilingual program by 2040.

Across the state, districts offer 14 languages to students. Nearly 90% of the programs are in Spanish. Also offered are Chinese (nine schools), Russian (four schools) and Japanese, Vietnamese and Yakima-Sahaptin language (taught in three schools each).

This session, Rep. Lillian Ortiz-Self, D-Mukilteo, sponsored a bill that renews a previous dual language program grant first established in 2017. On Monday, it was delivered to the governor.

Under the new bill, a minimum of 10 new dual programs will start every year.

The state Professional Education Standards Board and the Paraeducator Board will be required to set endorsement standards and language assessment requirements for multilingual teachers and paraeducators.

The bill also extends the grants and stipends to dual programs teaching American Sign Language and tribal languages.

“This is taking an appreciation for the fact that language is so much a part of us and the multiple ways that we communicate only strengthens us and brings us closer together,” Ortiz-Self said.

‘Students are definitely learning more Spanish’

Everett, Edmonds, Monroe and Mukilteo all use a 90-10 model. The first year of kindergarten starts with 90% in Spanish and 10% in English. Each year, the balance changes by 10% toward English. English and Spanish reach an equal share by fourth grade.

Paola Martinez used to work within a 50-50 model. But she prefers the 90-10 model.

“Students are definitely learning more Spanish, with this model,” she said. “I’ve seen a lot more growth in the target language and a lot more foreign language proficiency.”

A 1997 study compared reading skills from English learners to the type of education they received.

According to the study, by fourth grade, English learners in dual language programs surpass those transitional programs that aim to phase out the minority language as soon as possible. By eighth grade, English learners students in dual language programs surpass native English speakers not enrolled in bilingual programs.

The study concluded that students need “strong cognitive and academic development through their first language for many years (at least through Grade 5 or 6), as well as through the second language (English)” to do well as they reach high school.

Ortiz-Self, who is fluent in Spanish, said dual language programs benefit both English and minority language speakers.

“For English speakers that want to learn another language, kindergarten to fifth grade is the most crucial time,” she said.

Ortiz-Self said English learners need to learn different content at the same time they develop their language skills.

“Oftentimes we will teach our kids how to speak English, but they’d lost two and three years of academic content or behind in science and history,” she said. “This will help them not be behind and be able to succeed.”

On a rainy Wednesday morning, multilingual education director Elena Kelley promoted the upcoming program to parents dropping off their children at Challenger Elementary.

“The great thing about dual language is to get started you’ve got to do a lot of recruiting, but once it gets going, it pretty much just sustains itself,” Kelley said.

Kelley has Puerto Rican heritage but didn’t have the chance to learn Spanish. She bought a house in Monroe to send her three children to a dual-language program.

The move increased her commute to work from five minutes to almost 40.

“But it’s worth it. That’s how much I care about dual language,” she said with a laugh.

Kelley is still learning Spanish, and now her strictest teacher is a sixth-grader.

“My oldest, she likes to correct me,” Kelley said. “She’s like ‘Mom, your accent! You need to say it like this, ‘rrrrrrr.’”

Kelley says any student can participate in the program. Two of her three children have individualized education plans.

“I can, as a parent, attest to the fact that, yes, every kid can be in dual language,” she said. “It’s not always easy to find special education teachers who speak the partner language — but we’re always able to provide services to students.”

‘It’s rising up our tide for all learners’

Everett Public Schools has two years of experience with dual language programs.

Erika Velasco, the district’s dual language/multilingual learner facilitator, said Everett schools are hoping to collaborate with other districts to train more Spanish teachers.

As students move up the grades, the district will continue the program at Evergreen Middle School in 2027-2028 and Cascade High School in 2030-2031.

Velasco sees a big difference between Latino students in and outside the dual language program. Those in the program appreciate and love both English and Spanish, while some outside see Spanish as a liability, she said.

“They’re kind of ashamed. ‘Oh, I’m going to speak English,” Velasco said. “I don’t want people to know I speak Spanish.”

The program has also addressed some barriers, like transportation. The district provides transportation to dual language students even if they would otherwise go to another school in the district.

Chris Fulford, director of categorical programs for the district, said opening a program at Silver Lake Elementary “was really important to us.”

“It removes that barrier of that long bus ride especially when you’re thinking about kindergarten students,” he said.

To keep equity in mind while growing the program, the school set up a parent advisory group.

Velasco said parents talk about their vision for the program and their concerns, like growing the program beyond elementary school and improving communications.

Their monthly meetings are in Spanish, but they’re testing a translating device to include English-speaking parents and staff.

Emerson Elementary Principal Blythe Young said the goal of the program is not to diminish English.

“We’re elevating Spanish,” she said. “It’s rising up our tide of all learners.”

To register

To learn more and register for the kindergarten dual language program at the Mukilteo School District: mukilteoschools.org/page/16689

For information concerning dual language programs in Everett Public Schools: everettsd.org/Page/38779

For information about dual language programs in the Edmonds School District: edmonds.wednet.edu/programs-services/multilingual-education-ml/dual-language

To learn more about dual language programs in the Monroe School District: monroe.wednet.edu/academic-programs/dual-language

Para registrarse

Para obtener más información e inscribirse en el programa bilingüe de jardín de infancia del distrito escolar de Mukilteo: mukilteoschools.org/Page/16689

Para más información sobre las escuelas de Everett: everettsd.org/Page/38779

Para obtener información sobre el distrito escolar de Edmonds: edmonds.wednet.edu/programs-services/multilingual-education-ml/dual-language

Para más información sobre el distrito escolar de Monroe: monroe.wednet.edu/academic-programs/dual-language

Aina de Lapparent Alvarez: 425-339-3449; aina.alvarez@heraldnet.com; Twitter: @Ainadla.