Entering Oyster as Spanish-dominant -- Spanish proficiency test?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:From the OA website

As part of the application, all applicants must complete a “language dominance” declaration stating whether the applicant is “Spanish-dominant” or “English dominant/other.” After the specified application deadline, a lottery will be conducted under the auspices of the DCPS. Two lists will be compiled: Spanish-dominant and English-dominant/Other. Each child on the lists will undergo oral and/or written language screening to confirm language dominance.

We are OOB and Spanish dominant. Only the child was tested, not the rest of the family. At home we speak Spanish and DC went to a Spanish speaking daycare. When DC was accepted at OA, DC's English was very poor in spite of having been born in the US and never living abroad (I say this in response to an earlier posting that said it is not possible for a child not being Spanish dominant if you are not a recent immigrant). After one year at Oyster, DC's dominant language changed to English.

I am considering OA, but your post worries me. Why would your child go from Spanish dominant to English dominant after attending the school? We are also OOB and Spanish dominant. We want our kids to keep up with the language in school, that's why we only put down Spanish immersion programs on our list. Are the kids not speaking Spanish in class? How do you feel about the school's language program overall?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:From the OA website

As part of the application, all applicants must complete a “language dominance” declaration stating whether the applicant is “Spanish-dominant” or “English dominant/other.” After the specified application deadline, a lottery will be conducted under the auspices of the DCPS. Two lists will be compiled: Spanish-dominant and English-dominant/Other. Each child on the lists will undergo oral and/or written language screening to confirm language dominance.

We are OOB and Spanish dominant. Only the child was tested, not the rest of the family. At home we speak Spanish and DC went to a Spanish speaking daycare. When DC was accepted at OA, DC's English was very poor in spite of having been born in the US and never living abroad (I say this in response to an earlier posting that said it is not possible for a child not being Spanish dominant if you are not a recent immigrant). After one year at Oyster, DC's dominant language changed to English.

I am considering OA, but your post worries me. Why would your child go from Spanish dominant to English dominant after attending the school? We are also OOB and Spanish dominant. We want our kids to keep up with the language in school, that's why we only put down Spanish immersion programs on our list. Are the kids not speaking Spanish in class? How do you feel about the school's language program overall?

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