DC Bilingual Public Charter School
Columbia Heights, Washington, DC

Enrollment 2008-09 Lottery Results Here!

The District of Columbia Bilingual Public Charter School (DC Bilingual), which opened in September 2004, seeks to expand educational opportunities and choices for children from three years of age through Grade five by implementing a dual language program that will enable students to meet high academic expectations and develop critical thinking, problem-solving skills and a joy of learning. DCBPCS's approach encourages students to be self-motivated, life-long learners, who will express their creativity, develop strong leadership skills and value the diverse cultures of our city. This new school draws on the 17-year history of its parent organization, CentroNía and shares with it a philosophy rooted in respect for the culturally and linguistically rich environment of Columbia Heights, the community in which DCBPCS two sites will be located.

DC Bilingual opened in September 2004 which 122 students from early Pre-K (three-year-olds) through Kindergarten. The school will add a grade each year through 5th grade in 2009.

The Mission and Guiding Principles: Within the well-established and stated mission of the CentroNía, Educating children and youth, and strengthening families, in a bilingual, and multicultural community, lies the core mission of the new school which seeks to implement an academically demanding dual language program which will foster bilingualism and biliteracy for all children. This mission will be guided by the following principles:

• every child has a right to a quality education;
• parents have an important role to play as partners with DCBPCS in their child's education;
• effective schools value children's language and culture;
• continuity of care can help children build trusting relationships and a positive self-image; and
• every member of a learning community can contribute to the program's strength and excellence by committing to life-long learning.

Approach: DC Bilingual's approach to the education of young children draws heavily on current research in the field of child development  and language acquisition, and uses as its framework Teaching Strategies' Creative Curriculum. All support the view that learning is a process, which requires a high degree of active interaction between the child and the learning environment, the child and his/her peers, the child and his/her teachers, the school and the child's family, and the school and the local community. Children, parents and teachers form an active learning partnership designed to support all aspects of the child's development, provide for significant areas of his/her education, and supports them as they engage in meaningful social relations and civic behavior with other children, adults and the community as a whole.

Goals and Accountability: Program goals have an intrinsic relationship with educational approach, teaching/learning strategies, curriculum and curriculum development, local (DCPS) and national performance standards, student progress assessment, and, finally, program evaluation. The Charter is the DCBPCS agreement with the citizens of the District and their authorized representatives on the Public Charter School Board; and, more significantly, it reflects the DCBPCS commitment and pledge to the children and families it hope to serve now and well into the future

What is a Public Charter School? Charter schools are independently-operated public schools that are open to all District residents, regardless of their neighborhood, socioeconomic status, academic achievement, or ethnicity. There are no admission tests or tuition fees. Parents and students choose to attend a particular charter school because its unique focus, curriculum, structure, size, environment and other features that meet the needs of those families. Enrollment is on a space-available basis. When a charter school has reached its maximum enrollment, a waiting list is developed, and a lottery system is used as spaces become available. Public Charter Schools receive public funds based on the number of students they enroll, as do all District of Columbia public schools. (DC Public Charter School Board Web Site)

For more information about the DC Bilingual Public Charter School, contact us at:

DC Bilingual Public Charter School
1420 Columbia Rd, NW
Washington, DC 20009
Phone: 202-332-4200
Fax: 202-745-2562
dcbilingualinfo@centronia.org