Introduction
This project will be a Two-Way Language Immersion program following the 50/50 model of instruction as outlined by the Center for Applied Linguistics, (Howard, 2007). In this project monolingual Spanish and English students will learn side-by-side all academic subjects while taught in both English and Spanish. The purpose of this proposal is to demonstrate the benefits of a bilingual education for all students and the positive impact on achievement scores. This accomplishment will be attained through the implementation of creative teaching techniques, the assistance of technology, the engineering of the educational environment and the involvement of family and community.

Research shows that Two-Way Immersion Programs consistently:
• Improve student learning by implementing innovative, hands-on teaching techniques. Since 100% of each day will be taught in a language not native to ½ of our students, the use of visual aids and hands on learning opportunities become paramount. In order to facilitate this we use Smartboard technology in each classroom as well as power point presentations to give visual cues to the subjects being discussed. Our bilingual teachers begin with simplified vocabulary to teach the subjects. The goal is to follow the natural course of language acquisition, (Pinker, 1994), while teaching the core subjects of a general course of education and thus produce bilingual children with high academic test scores. In the first year of instruction we will see comprehension soar. In the second year of instruction we will see beginning communication, short sentence production, and the ability to name common objects. In the third year of instruction we will witness the “language boom”. Teaching language is not the sole purpose of our charter school. Students who receive a bilingual education consistently outperform their monolingually educated peers on standardized tests, (Thomas, 2003). We seek to create a rich learning environment in which students excel. Two-Way Immersion is the path to take.
• Increase learning opportunities for all students by doing away with a superior instructional language. Both English and Spanish will be used by all staff members equally. Our students will not come to school and feel inferior because of their inability to communicate in a certain language. In 2006 the white population of the U.S. had a dropout rate of 5.8%, the African American population had a dropout rate of 10.7% but the Hispanic population had a dropout rate of 22.1%, far surpassing both the white and African American communities combined, (U.S. Department of Education, 2008). Spanish-only speaking students arrive at school and receive minimal support. Because they cannot understand the language they fall behind academically. This often leads to retention, but if it does not, high-stakes testing is sure to lead to that retention. According to the National Association of School Psychologists, grade retention is one of the most powerful predictors of high school dropout, (NASP, 2003). In addition, “Grade repeaters as adults are more likely to be unemployed, living on public assistance or in prison than adults who did not repeat a grade.” This is the importance of this project. Two-Way Immersion Programs give students the opportunity to succeed before they reach their first high stakes testing year. It is also important to note that native Spanish speaking students are not the only ones to gain in this program. Native English speaking students also consistently scored higher on standardized tests than their monolingually educated peers, (Thomas, 2003). Everyone wins with Two-Way Immersion.
• Encourage the use of different and innovative teaching methods by teaching 50% of the curriculum in Spanish and 50% in English, allowing teachers to work in groups to design lesson plans specifically intended to meet their current students’ needs and encouraging students to become each others’ teacher. Since teachers will know that these students will be with them for three years, teachers will design effective short and long term learning objectives for each student and see their plans through. One of the most unique aspects of our program is allowing the students to teach as well. Children have a natural drive to communicate with each other. They will be afforded the opportunity and encouragement to discover ways to communicate with each other, teaching each other basic language skills. Our bilingual teachers will not act as interpreters. Children will be allowed to discover the new languages together. Children will also work together in partnership groups with equal numbers of native Spanish speaking and native English speaking students in each group. These partnerships will provide excellent opportunities for both native language speakers to teach each other their language as they build friendships and assist each other with assignments delivered in each others’ native language.
• Require the measurement of learning outcomes and create different and innovative forms of measuring these outcomes by employing authentic assessments. These assessments are made as students’ progress through each theme unit to ensure that students are grasping the concepts being taught and to assist teachers in planning their lesson plans and deliveries. Each theme will have a specific rubric complete with information that must be mastered by the student. As the student displays mastery of a concept that mastery is noted by the teacher. The teacher will take time throughout the unit to grade individual assignments and to meet individually with students to assess their learning. We feel that authentic assessment provides a clearer picture of mastered skills as well as weaknesses. In addition we will participate in the state mandated FCAT testing. As stated, bilingually educated students routinely score higher on standardized tests than monolingually educated students, (Thomas, 2003). Our students will be prepared for the FCAT but we will not “teach to the test”.

• Establish new forms of accountability for our school by making teachers accountable to each other, as well as parents and senior faculty. Teachers will be assessed regularly in the classroom by linguists for the efficacy of their teaching. All teachers will provide an annual report for the progress made by each student in their class in every subject. Students will create a portfolio and this will also be presented for review by senior faculty. At the beginning of each school year an individual achievement plan will be created for each student and discussed with the parent(s) of that student. At the end of the school year the teacher will meet again with the parent(s) and review the student’s progress as well as offer suggestion for summer projects to aid in retention.
• Create new professional opportunities for teachers including the opportunity to be responsible for the learning program at the school by including teachers in curriculum decisions and for designing their own hands-on activities. Teachers will meet in groups by grade level to plan the year’s activities and goals. Teachers will choose the necessary curriculum to meet these goals. Where no curriculum exists, teachers will be encouraged to collaborate and create a suitable curriculum which, when it gains the approval of senior faculty, will be implemented into the coursework for that year. Teachers will be encouraged to review the curriculum available through Paso Partners, creators of bilingual textbooks, since this will be the core curriculum at the school. Teachers will be free to be creative in the implementation of the curriculum. Each grade level will have a lead teacher. The primary grades and the intermediate grades will each have a linguist available to consult with the teachers. Teachers can become lead teachers and, if educationally qualified, linguists to supervise either the primary or intermediate grades.
Two-Way Immersion Programs consistently improve student test scores, (Thomas, 2003). This is accomplished by the decrease in class size, the increase in hands on activities required for the acquisition of the second language, the development of individual achievement goals and authentic assessments occurring regularly in the classroom instead of relying on one end-of-year test to measure student success. Our classes will be no greater than 16 students, equally divided by native language. Reduced class size has a positive effect on test scores, (Akerhielm, 1995), due to greater individual attention. Hands on activities provide students with greater opportunity to explore and deeply grasp subject matter. Experiments and projects are important parts of the learning experience since children routinely learn more from doing than just listening, (Chin, 2000). The development of individual achievement goals provides children, their parent(s) and teachers with clear goals for the school year. These goals are revisited throughout the year to ensure student success. Grades are awarded based upon the achievement of these goals. Authentic assessments provide a truer picture of a student’s abilities and weaknesses by allowing the student to demonstrate mastery as the year progresses. Authentic assessment involves one-on-one time between the teacher and the student so that the teacher can review the goals for each unit and provide opportunity to the student to demonstrate their capabilities. Additionally authentic assessments look at the student’s work as well as quiz and test scores to validate the findings of the one-on-one assessment. Smaller class sizes make regular one-on-one assessment possible.

Our school will do more than educate children; we will educate families as well. We will encourage parental involvement by setting up Fourth Friday Families. These will be pot-luck style get togethers. Students will sit with their families as well as the families of the other members of their in-school partnership. Teachers will be present to assist the adults as necessary in communication until the students, or the parents, learn enough of the 2nd language to communicate independently. There will be a game from one of the cultures played on an alternating basis. These Fourth Friday events will be mandatory for our students and families and will be part of the enrollment agreement. Parents will also be invited to come to the classrooms and share items, foods or activities of cultural significance, a sort of “parent show-and-tell”. It is our hope that our families will form friendships that will transcend the language barrier just as their children are learning to do the same within the classroom.
Our classes will be small, no larger than 16 students per classroom. Children will sit at tables that will accommodate their partnership group so that they can work together on all subjects and assist each other. Classrooms on the primary level will be heavily labeled in both English and Spanish to familiarize students with the words of commonly used items. Each classroom will be equipped with a blackboard as well as a Smartboard. In the rear of the classes will be our “centers”. Each center will be designed for a specific activity such as science experiments, art, a reading center filled with bilingual story books, and a writing center. There will also be a block of computers for student use. Partnership groups will be evaluated by looking at each student’s progress. Every effort will be made to keep the partnership group intact. Centers can be modified as needed.
We will employ a teacher directed, student centered approach to teaching our students. It is the teacher’s job to create interest in the topics being presented. The teacher will be free to determine how much time is spent in each subject as long as the students display growth towards their individual learning goals. We believe in hands-on, experience oriented learning. Lectures will be brief as teachers will instead engage the students in learning activities. Students will be encouraged to create their own questions about the topics being discussed and the teacher will be able to use these to build lesson plans.
Two-Way Immersion Programs prepare students for the world of the future, which is continuing to become more ethnically and linguistically diverse. Two-Way Immersion Programs also allow students who may be unable to succeed in a monolingual environment to become academic achievers. We will increase student test scores through increased hands-on activities, smaller class sizes, rich educational environments and opportunities and increased parental and community involvement. We will allow teachers to determine the best way to develop their lesson plans with strong peer support and input. We will encourage students to reach their highest potential through the pursuit of clear academic goals. We will encourage parental involvement and the formation of a new, diverse community through our family events. Two-Way Immersion Programs allow everyone to win. We hope you will choose to be part of our team.