Dual Language/Immersion (DLI) & Title I Funds
NCDPI April 2014
Title I Funds for Dual Language/Immersion (DLI) Programs
Title I, Part A (Title I) of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), as amended provides
financial assistance to local educational agencies (LEAs) and schools with high numbers or high
percentages of children from low-income families to help ensure that all children meet challenging
state academic standards. Federal funds are currently allocated through four statutory formulas that
are based primarily on census poverty estimates and the cost of education in each state.
(http://www2.ed.gov )
“Title I-eligible students in dual language score significantly higher on state tests as well as normreferenced tests than Title-I eligible students in the English mainstream classroom”. (Collier
Thomas,2012)
DLI Programs as a school reform model address many Title I schoolwide components:
Effective Instructional Strategies: Language taught through academic content; Balanced literacy
approaches; Sheltered Instruction; Cooperative learning; Interactive, discovery learning; Cognitive
complexity found in all lessons. (Collier & Thomas 2012, p.55)
Innovative Instructional Strategies (priority in i3 program): Research indicates that when schooling is
provided in both first and second languages, both languages are the vehicle for strong cognitive and
academic development, including biliteracy development. More than half of all literacy skills are
generalized to all languages of the world and transfer from first language to second language, even
with non-Roman alphabet languages. Also, academic knowledge and cognitive processes transfer
from first language to second language, as well as from second language to first language. (Collier
&Thomas, 2009,p.39)
Professional Development: Required DLI teaching strategies include an emphasis on grade-level
cognitive, linguistic, and academic development within a favorable sociocultural setting.
Parental Involvement: The bilingual/bicultural context of a well-implemented dual
language/immersion program nurtures everyone. The school may provide cross-cultural events for
families, including exchanges of skills and shared language learning experiences. Parent meetings
focus on the needs of their multilingual/multicultural community. (Collier &Thomas, 2012, p.3)
Comprehensive Needs Assessment: Self- assessment rubrics for DLI implementation provide a
complete needs assessment structure for successful program implementation and close the
achievement gap for their students. (www.cal.org/twi/guiding_principles.pdf and
www.carla.umn.edu/immersion/resources.html)
NCDPI Title I Information
http://www.dpi.state.nc.us/federalprograms/titleI/
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NCDPI April 2014
Dual Language/Immersion (DLI) & Title I Funds
Dual Language/Immersion (DLI) Program Model as School Reform Models
The DLI program model is a federal and nationally recognized model as an effective and
significant instructional model for closing the achievement gap for all learners. Research
consistently demonstrates the advantage of a dual language education program that is
sustained and consistent (e.g., August & Hakuta, 1997; Cazabon, Lambert, & Hall, 1993;
Christian & Genesee, 2001; Christian et al., 1997; de Jong, 2002; Howard, Christian, &
Genesee, 2003; Howard, Sugarman, & Christian, 2003; Kirk Senesac, 2002; Lambert &
Cazabon, 1994; Lindholm-Leary, 2001; Lindholm-Leary & Borsato, 2001, 2006; Ramirez,
1992; Ramirez, Yuen, & Ramey, 1991; Thomas & Collier, 2002, 2012; Willig, 1985). In
addition, most long-term studies reported that the longer the students stayed in the dual
language programs, the more positive the outcomes. These results were true whether the
outcomes included reading achievement, mathematics achievement, grade point average,
attendance, school completion, or attitudes toward school and self.
The North Carolina longitudinal research conducted by Thomas and Collier (2009,2010) also
indicates that a high percentage of students in North Carolina two-way models are attaining
proficiency on the NC state Reading and Mathematics End-of Grade Tests beginning in the
3rd grade and continuing this level of high achievement throughout Grades 3-8. The impact
of schooling through two languages is very positive and is evidenced in EOG test scores for
all populations of students, including Caucasian, Hispanic, African-American, students with
special needs or exceptionalities, as well as students of low-income background as measured
by free and reduced lunch. School districts implementing one-way immersion models with
mostly native English speakers are reporting similar results.
“We challenge our schools and communities to invest in our future leaders with biliteracy
and multiliteracy skills.” Arne Duncan, U.S. Secretary of Education and Libia S. Gil, Assistant Deputy
Secretary of the Office of English Language Acquisition in the Department of Education. (2/19/2014)
NCDPI Dual Language/Immersion Information
Program Information: http://wlnces.ncdpi.wikispaces.net/Dual+Language+&+Immersion+Program
Thomas and Collier Research: http://gled.ncdpi.wikispaces.net/DLI+Research
Available in Spring 2015: NCDPI Dual Language/Immersion Wiki
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