Several Harnett County Public Schools to shutter Dual Language Immersion program

More than 1,000 students participating in Dual Language Immersion programs within Harnett County Public Schools are faced with deciding whether to transfer or remain at their school without the program before next school year.

Enrolled families received a letter from school principals last month informing them that HCPS would be discontinuing the DLI program at several different schools after “thoughtful review of enrollment trends, students' needs, and school and district priorities.”

The program allows students to alternate between learning different subjects in English and in another language.

“This is the reason why we purchased this home in this area, because we wanted our kids to have this opportunity,” said Francisco Prieto, who has multiple children in the program at Coats Elementary School.

The program’s closure at Coats Elementary alone will affect more than 200 students.

The topic first came up publicly during a March 2 school board meeting, when Assistant Superintendent of Curriculum and Instruction Chris Pearson informed the board of the change.

“The original thought there on Dual Immersion was some language acquisition for English speakers; it has shifted heavily towards native speakers being in that program,” Pearson said.

At a board meeting later in the month, the chambers were filled with community members, asking for the board to reconsider their decision and halt any action.

“These are families that are both English-speaking families, Spanish-speaking families, and many families where children speak both languages in the home,” said Maria Coady, an NC State professor who has been participating in research in Harnett County for the past four years.

Coady also serves as a board member with the National Association for Bilingual Education. She says districts around the country are having similar discussions about the program, partially due to a nationwide rollout of funding cuts.

“We have a lot of money being pulled from public schools and being put into choice programs,” Coady said. “We also haven’t passed a state budget in a few years.”

North Carolina’s Department of Instruction website said the state currently ranks fifth in the country for the number of DLI programs offered.