Field Hours: A bilingual program is absent at Most Precious Blood Catholic School.

We do not have any

English learners. However, I am interested in the different bilingual program that is available in the
Denver Public School District, so I have written a summary of my findings.

Denver Public Schools (DPS) has 92, 331 students enrolled in its schools as of 2016 with 36.8%

ELL students (The Commons, 2016). There are over 170 languages spoken across DPS (The Commons,

2015). Spanish speakers make up 85% of English learners in DPS (cde.state.co.us). All DPS teachers are

ELA-E/ ELA-S certified. DPS has a newcomer program for students to help develop basic literacy/

numeracy skills and to receive targeted instruction in grade level academic language skills while learning

content knowledge. A Newcomer must have attended school in the U.S. for less than one year.

Kindergarten students with little to no English will be placed in a classroom with other English learners

and not in the Newcomer program. Students with L1 literacy skills can enter a ELA-E/Ela-S classroom.

DPS also requires all schools to schedule a dedicated separate 45 minute block in English Language

Development class for all eligible ELs.

A Seal of Biliteracy can be earned for students who demonstrate mastery in two languages. An

approved list of criteria can be found at:

http://thecommons.dpsk12.org/cms/lib/CO01900837/Centricity/domain/107/teacher%20qualification/

seal%20of%20biliteracy/Seal_criteria.pdf. The Biliterate designation appears on the student’s transcript

and diploma. Certificates are awarded in 3rd, 5th, and 8th grade to encourage students to continue the

pathway to biliteracy.

Studies have shown that English learners will take 3- 5 years to become proficient speakers and 4- 7

years to be academic English proficient (Hakuta, Butler, Witt, 2000). However, with the widening gap

between EL students and native English speakers, it may take longer than reported. Additional hours in

summer school and/ or after school programs may be needed.

DPS Bilingual- Biliterate Program. https://www.cde.state.co.us/cde_english/dps-bilingual-biliterate

Hakuta, K., Butler, Y.G., Witt, D. (2000). How long does it take English learners to attain proficiency? The

University of California Linguistic Minority Research Institute Policy Report 2000.

https://web.stanford.edu/~hakuta/Publications/%282000%29%20-

%20HOW%20LONG%20DOES%20IT%20TAKE%20ENGLISH%20LEARNERS%20TO%20ATTAIN%20P

R.pdf

The Commons (n.d). English language acquisition. http://thecommons.dpsk12.org/Page/569

The Commons (n.d). Facts and figures DPS. http://thecommons.dpsk12.org/Page/202

The Commons (n.d) Seal of Biliteracy. http://thecommons.dpsk12.org/Page/688