It is mandatory for a parent or guardian to attend an orientation for a child to be eligible for the DI program at either school.  This meeting is for prospective DI parents.  Prospective students do not need to attend.  

In-person orientation: No registration is necessary but your attendance at the orientation will be verified during the application process.  

• Tuesday, March 5, 6:30 p.m. at Las Animas Elementary (6550 Cimino St.)
• Wednesday, March 13, 6:30 p.m. at Rod Kelley Elementary (8755 Kern Ave.)

All orientation meetings will be conducted in English and Spanish.

Admission into the GUSD Dual Immersion program will be alloted to students by a system that also accounts for a balanced program of English speakers, Spanish speakers and bilingual students.  Placement letters will be sent to parents by the end of May notifying of student placement into the program or placement on the waiting list.  Placement priority will be given to DI site attendance area candidates, siblings of current DI students and children of GUSD employees.  However, these priorities do not guarantee placement in the DI program.  Students that are not placed in the DI program will be assigned to a waiting list, according to the guidelines of the GUSD balanced dual immersion program.

** Current GUSD transitional kindergarten students can apply directly to the dual immersion program.  Parents do not need to complete the entire enrollment process for admission into the DI program or kindergarten.**

NOTE: DI program completion does not automatically qualify a student for the Seal of Biliteracy.

The State Seal of Biliteracy, marked by a gold seal on the diploma or transcript, recognizes high school graduates who have attained a high level of proficiency in speaking, reading, and writing one or more languages in addition to English.

Eligibility criteria for a Student Whose Primary Language is English 

Each of three academic requirements shall be fulfilled:

1. Students complete ELA requirements for graduation with GPA of 2.0 or above.
2. Students pass the CAASPP in ELA at or above “standard met.” 
3. Students demonstrate proficiency in one or more languages other than English through one of these methods:

• Pass a foreign language Advanced Placement (AP) exam, including American Sign Language, with a score of three or higher.
• Pass an International Baccalaureate (IB) examination with a score of four or higher. 
• Successfully complete a four-year course of study in a foreign language with an overall GPA of 3.0 or above, and demonstrate oral proficiency in the language comparable to that required to pass an AP or IB examination.
• Pass the Scholastic Assessment Test (SAT) II foreign language exam with a score of 600 or higher.
• If the primary language of a pupil is other than English, the student shall also meet the following academic requirements: attain the level demonstrating English language proficiency on the ELPAC; and meet the academic requirements 1, 2, and 3 as stated above.

When can we apply for DI for kindergarten?
The kindergarten registration window opens in February/March each year. Dual Immersion orientations are offered repeatedly during these months with the deadline around mid-March. See the dates on this page for the specific dates for this year.

How do I get a DI application?
Parents must attend one of the mandatory DI orientation meetings to receive a DI application.

How many students are accepted and placed in kinder DI each year?
Las Animas and Rod Kelley elementary schools each have two DI classes, for a total of approximately 100 students placed in DI each year.

When will families be notified of placement in the kinder DI program?
Families will be notified around the last week of May of the DI placement.

How long does the program last?
The Dual Immersion programs at Rod Kelley and Las Animas elementary schools are a K-5th grade program. Parents who enroll their children in the Dual Immersion program are strongly encouraged to make a commitment to participate through all grades. Students who leave the DI program after being accepted may be required to return to their neighborhood school, based on space available in the non-DI classes.

What if my child is currently in TK (Transitional Kindergarten)?
TK students are already enrolled in GUSD, so parents only need to attend a DI orientation and submit a DI application to complete the process.

What if my child will be enrolling in TK (Transitional Kindergarten)?
GUSD does not have a Dual Immersion class in TK.  Parents will apply for kinder DI the next February/March for the kinder DI program.

How do I apply for DI for an older student who is not entering kindergarten?
If the student is not currently attending one of the DI schools, parents should contact the District Office to fill out an intradistrict transfer request.  If space is not available, the student will be added to the waitlist for that grade level.

Where do we turn in our applications?

• Parents must complete a registration for kindergarten at their attendance area school.
• The DI kinder applications will be submitted electronically.
• Both of these steps must be completed by the DI deadline.

How does the waitlist work?
Each spring, the DI schools evaluate the number of spaces available for the next year and contact the families on the waitlist to offer available spaces.

How do I know where we are on the waitlist?
Students are admitted from the waitlist based on maintaining the balance in the DI programs with English, Spanish and bilingual students.

If my child is on the waitlist and doesn't speak Spanish, will he/she be able to join DI in a later grade?
Generally students are not placed in DI after 1st grade if the student does not have some familiarity with Spanish.

Can I transfer my child to an other DI school after starting the DI program?
Once a student starts the DI program at one school, there are no transfers to a different DI school, unless the family moves into that attendance area, and based on space availability.

Do we need to attend an orientation meeting if we already have a child in DI?
Yes – every family must attend one of the orientation meetings each time a child is enrolling for the DI kinder program.