Charles County Public Schools (CCPS) will hold a lottery application for a limited number of kindergarten seats in the dual language, two-way immersion program. The spaces will be available at the start of the 2026-2027 school year. Parent and community nights are scheduled for later this month where more information about the program and the lottery process will be shared.

• A meeting will be held in person and virtually 5 to 6 p.m., Wednesday, Oct. 15, at Arthur Middleton Elementary School, 1109 Copley Avenue, Waldorf. The Zoom link is https://ccboe.zoom.us/j/86398070912?pwd=VGvBA2EDk3AupLFAAelxmNg0gXZUuZ.1#success
   
• A virtual meeting is planned from 6 to 7 p.m., Tuesday, Oct. 21. The Zoom link for the Oct. 21 is https://ccboe.zoom.us/j/88515984740?pwd=oOFOHHMAqzVLBHb5cABSEbl4rgnjN9.1#success

The dual language, two-way immersion program is housed at Middleton with the lottery held for students who live outside the Middleton zone. There are 25 seats available in kindergarten and other grades may have seats available based on the grade-level enrollment numbers. The lottery opens in January, with families notified of program acceptance in February.

The dual language program delivers grade-level content instruction in two languages, English and Spanish. It begins in early childhood and lasts for a minimum of six years. “We have been very pleased to see students in the dual language, two-way immersion program developing core academic skills in two languages,” Autumn Hoffman, CCPs content specialist for English language development and bilingual education, said. “The program is incredibly valuable for the CCPS community and will provide students with more opportunities in the future because they are bilingual or multilingual.”

The dual language immersion program is intended to teach students to be bilingual and biliterate. Multilingualism benefits students in several ways, according to the U.S. Department of Education Office of English Language Acquisition. At Middleton, students are speaking English and Spanish in the classroom and in non-instructional settings like the cafeteria and playground, Hoffman said.

Students who are multilingual have improved learning in various subjects, increased levels of creativity and can boost higher levels of abstract thought and reasoning, the department of education office reported.

“When students learn in two languages, their brains develop in a way that improves academic achievement, strengthens executive functioning skills and increases empathy,” Hoffman said. “The benefits are life long and even include a lower risk for developing dementia in the future.”

Learn more about the dual language program at https://www.ccboe.com/academics/dual-language-two-way-immersion-program. For more information about the lottery or the program, email Hoffman at ahoffman@ccboe.com.

To view the fliers for the upcoming parent meetings, click here for English. The flier in Spanish is posted here.

About CCPS

Charles County Public Schools provides 28,162 students in grades prekindergarten through 12 with an academically challenging education. Located in Southern Maryland, Charles County Public Schools has 39 schools that offer a technologically advanced, progressive and high quality education that builds character, equips for leadership and prepares students for life, careers and higher education.

The Charles County public school system does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age or disability in its programs, activities or employment practices. For inquiries, please contact Dr. Mike Blanchard, Title IX/ADA/Section 504 Coordinator (students) or Nikial M. Majors, Title IX/ADA/Section 504 Coordinator (employees/ adults), at Charles County Public Schools, Jesse L. Starkey Administration Building, P.O. Box 2770, La Plata, MD 20646; 301-932-6610/301-870-3814. For special accommodations call 301-934-7230 or TDD 1-800-735-2258 two weeks prior to the event.  CCPS provides nondiscriminatory equal access to school facilities in accordance with its Use of Facilities rules to designated youth groups (including, but not limited to, the Boy Scouts).