Dual-Language Immersion programs will be available in all Canyons District traditional high schools beginning in the 2016-2017 school year, when some of the students who began the program as first-graders begin high school as freshmen.
The statewide Dual Language Immersion (DLI) program is aimed at preparing students for college and career in a second language. Canyons DLI programs are available in Spanish-English, French-English and Mandarin Chinese-English at eight elementary schools and six middle schools.
High school DLI programming, as crafted by the Utah State Office of Education, will be in the form of Advanced Language courses. In the ninth grade, Advanced Language students will take one Advanced Placement class in the target language. Tenth- through 12th-grade Advanced Language students will take one 3,000-level college course each year in the target language.
DLI programs will be available as the following, based on programs offered in feeder elementary and middle schools:
- Alta: Mandarin Chinese
- Brighton: Mandarin Chinese-English and French
- CornerCanyon: French and Mandarin Chinese
- Hillcrest: Spanish
- Jordan: Spanish
The plan was provided to the Canyons Board of Education on Nov. 17, 2015, and will be implemented as the first DLI students reach ninth-grade in the 2016-2017 school year.
DLI is a districtwide magnet program. Utah law allows parents to choose to send students to schools outside of their neighborhood school boundaries, provided the school has room. Schools with full enrollments are placed on moratorium status by the Board of Education. While Corner Canyon is on moratorium status, nearly all students enrolled in feeder elementary and middle school French and Mandarin-Chinese programs live within the Corner Canyon boundary. The Board of Education and Administration are working on solutions for future Corner Canyon DLI students.