Language Immersion Programs:

• use a language other than English to teach subject matter content;
  

• integrate language teaching with content teaching;
  

• offer instruction through the immersion language for at least 50 percent of the school day during the pre-school and elementary years; offer a minimum of two content areas taught through the immersion language in middle and secondary continuation programs;
  

• promote additive bi- or multilingualism, (i.e., enriched instruction in the immersion language sustained through the elementary years, including maintenance and development of the English language both in and out of school);
  

• are school-based programs that are held accountable for evaluating academic achievement in the content areas;
  

• employ teachers who are highly proficient in the language(s) they use for instruction; and,
  

• clearly separate teacher use of one language versus another for sustained periods of time.

One-Way (Foreign Language) Immersion Programs are designed to serve students whose native language is English.  Two-Way Immersion Programs are designed to serve a combined population of native English speakers and native speakers of a minority language (e.g., Spanish or Hmong). Indigenous language immersion programs promote the revitalization of Native languages and cultures and typically enroll Native American children whose first language is English.