Dual Language Enrichment Program

The PSJA ISD Seal of Biliteracy certifies students as bilingual and biliterate. PSJA ISD is the only district in
the Rio Grande Valley to offer this Seal to graduates.

No. Dual Language Education is not the same. Bilingual Education is a remedial program exclusively for students whose first language is not English. The goal is just English language development and not biliteracy.

Dual Language Education is an enrichment program geared towards all students (both native English Speakers and native Spanish Speakers) that considers both languages equally valuable and important to develop academically.

PSJA’s Dual Language Enrichment Program expects students to maintain higher levels of academic achievement and behavior. At the middle school and high school level, students are expected to participate successfully in college-level courses delivered in Spanish.

Did you know? Recent studies show that English, Spanish, and Mandarin are not only among the top spoken in the world, but also the ones with the highest business demand.

Students who participate in our PSJA Dual Language Enrichment Program are academically instructed in English and Spanish, from Pre-Kinder to 12th grade. In addition, they can also learn a third language such as Mandarin Chinese at select schools.

Research has shown that students who receive Dual Language instruction can gain positive cognitive effects.

When students develop literacy in two languages, their brain develops differently, in a positive way. Students who can fluently speak, read and write in two languages display greater mental flexibility and a greater ability to think abstractly and form concepts.

Dual Language students also stand out academically to universities across the nation. Showing proficiency in two languages at a high academic level is an attractive characteristic for college admissions.  Since Spanish is the second most spoken language in the U.S. and third in the world, having on-level proficiency in Spanish also increases our student’s workforce value and marketability.

PSJA Dual Language graduates receive an additional seal on their diploma. They have the PSJA Seal of Biliteracy that officially certifies that the student is bilingual and bi-literate. Only one other school district in Texas offers a Biliteracy Seal to their students. Employers and education institutions recognize and validate PSJA’s Biliteracy Seal.