The overall goal of the World Languages & Dual Language/Immersion program is to promote high academic achievement in literacy and proficiency in two languages while enhancing the level of cultural awareness among students. “Late Entry” means that a student is entering a specialized program at a grade other than the normal entry grade of kindergarten, and must be deemed eligible through testing in order to enter the programs.
Our dual language/immersion programs are not designed for students who have not had exposure to the target language. Students in these programs should already be familiar with the language.
World Language & Language Immersion Schools
The following chart lists all the immersion grade levels for the 2024-2025 school year.
| Blue Transportation Zone | Green Transportation Zone | Violet Transportation Zone | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spanish | Collinswood Language Academy (grades K-8) | Charlotte East Language Academy (grades K-7) | Oaklawn Language Academy (grades K-8) |
| Chinese, French, German | South Academy of International Languages (grades K-8) | South Academy of International Languages (grades K-8) | North Academy of World Languages (grades K-4) |
| Japanese | South Academy of International Languages (grades K-8) | South Academy of International Languages (grades K-8) | South Academy of International Languages (grades K-8) |
How to Enter the Programs: Lottery vs. Late-Entry
- Rising kindergarten students can enter one-way immersion programs (Chinese, Japanese, German and French) and two-way immersion programs (Spanish) through the CMS School Choice Lottery each year, and testing is not required. Families who miss the lottery can participate in the Reassignment/Transfer process and testing is not required.
- Rising 1st through 8th grade students can enter the one-way immersion or immersion continuation programs (Chinese, Japanese, German and French) and the two-way immersion or immersion continuation programs (Spanish) through the Late-Entry process only.
- Rising 6th grade students can enter the non-immersion, World Language programs (Chinese, Japanese, German and French) through the CMS School Choice Lottery and testing is not required. Families who miss the lottery can participate in the Reassignment/Transfer process.
- Rising 7th and 8th grade students can enter the non-immersion, World Language programs (Chinese, Japanese, German and French) through the Reassignment/Transfer process only. The school will perform a transcript review to ensure the student has the necessary background in the language of study.
Late-entry is a 3-step process. Students who wish to be considered for placement must:
- Be registered in the Charlotte-Mecklenburg School district as a current or future student. Use this link to complete registration.
- Request a reassignment/transfer into one of the language immersion programs. Use this link to complete the online request and see the due dates for the 2024-2025 school year.
- Read the information below to request a late-entry assessment. The assessment will only determine eligibility for a dual language/immersion program. It does not guarantee placement. Placement depends on whether there is space available in the program.
Late-Entry Assessment Sign-Up and Dates
There are no transfers into the programs during the last quarter of the current school year. Late-entry assessments for the 2024-2025 school year will start in March 2024.
There are no scheduled testing dates at this time. You can use the forms below to sign up for testing, and you will be contacted if a testing date becomes available.
Help your child prepare for the assessment!
- Make sure your child eats and rests before the test. You will not be able to accompany them in the testing room, so prepare them to enter alone.
- See the rubrics used to score late-entry assessments here: https://avantassessment.com/guides/benchmark-rubric/stamp#Rubric.
- See sample tests for the Avant 4Se assessments here: https://avantassessment.com/sample-tests#STAMP-4Se.
Need assistance?
Email Luz Pachon at luz1.pachon@cms.k12.nc.us