Coppell ISD sent an email to these families Dec. 5 and the form will be open through Dec. 20, after which families will be unable to make changes to their selection, according to district documents.
What's happening?
On Oct. 23, trustees approved consolidating Wilson’s Dual Language Immersion program to Denton Creek Elementary in a 5-2 vote. The decision is poised to save $288,000 and aims to help mitigate the district’s budget challenges along with the closure of Pinkerton Elementary, which is set to save $2.1 million. The CISD board adopted a $7.5 million shortfall budget in fiscal year 2024-25.
Wilson Elementary families will need to decide if they are continuing in the program at the new campus or leaving the program to remain at Wilson. Denton Creek Elementary families with students in the DLI program will not receive a form and no action will be required for continuation, per district documents.
Now that the program is consolidated, there is just one campus in the district offering the program. Transportation will be provided for students who qualify as emergent bilingual students, but students in the program who fall outside this category will need to provide their own transportation. Emergent bilingual students learn English while having another primary language and are qualified by the district through language assessments.
Some context
The DLI program seeks to create bilingual and biliterate students, and is the district’s chosen model to serve its emergent bilingual students as required by the state, according to district documents. The program focuses on developing English proficiency in listening, speaking, reading and writing through academic instruction in both English and Spanish.
Over 17% of Coppell ISD students speak a foreign language, according to district data. Around 162 students are enrolled at the DLI program at Denton Creek Elementary school, which has a total enrollment of 500 students, according to previous Community Impact reporting. At Wilson Elementary, around 204 students are enrolled in the program for a total of 366 districtwide.
As a result of the DLI program shifting to Denton Creek Elementary and Pinkerton's closure, the district plans to adjust multiple attendance zones to make space at the campuses, according to district documents. In this plan Denton Creek attendance zones could be adjusted to own Center, Cottonwood Creek and Lakeside elementary schools and Austin Elementary attendance zones could be adjusted to Town Center and Lakeside.
Going forward
The effects of the consolidations will take effect in the 2025-26 school year. Students already in the program will remain in the program based on parent choice, according to district documents.
Emergent bilingual students are given priority as DLI is the district’s choice program to serve these students. The state mandates districts offer a bilingual program for these students.
Students who are not emergent bilingual looking to get into the program will be placed on a waitlist. Once the number of emergent bilingual students is determined, students on the waitlist are placed in the program. The lottery for DLI will take place in the spring.
Additionally, the transfer window for CISD residents opens March 3 and closes March 28. Transfer application information can be found on the district webpage under transfers. A transfer application has a review process inclusive of space on the campus and in the grade level and is not guaranteed.
