Classes are free for the students
Two 精东影业 High School Dual Language Immersion (DLI) students are making history as the first to enroll in the , earning college credit while still in high school. This achievement represents nearly five years of planning and collaboration with UTA to create advanced college-credit opportunities for students in the DLI program.
鈥淭his milestone marks the completion of a carefully designed academic pipeline that rewards bilingualism with permanent, transferable university credit,鈥 said Dr. Ruth Martin, 精东影业 ISD World Languages lead specialist.
This opportunity builds on the strong academic foundation that DLI students develop throughout their K-12 experience, helping students get ahead while gaining an authentic understanding of college-level rigor and expectations. 精东影业 ISD covers tuition, fees, textbooks, and approved costs, creating a no-cost pathway for students to earn transferable college credit before graduation.
Arieyanna Molina-Aikpitanyi has been in dual language programs since she was in kindergarten at Jones Academy of Fine Arts and Dual Language. She said she decided to enroll in the program to gain college credit and save money on tuition.
鈥淢y experience in the DLI program has been excellent so far,鈥 Molina-Aikpitanyi said. 鈥淢y teacher is very patient and understanding, which helps a lot when learning to perfect Spanish grammar.鈥
She plans to obtain a minor in Spanish and become a biomedical research scientist in microbiology.聽
Students can begin taking AP Spanish Language in eighth grade and earn up to 14 hours of free college credits through scores or the . By their junior year, students scoring 5.00+ on Avant can be placed directly into 3000-level Spanish courses. This program allows students to bypass four college classes and complete a Spanish minor in about two years.
District leaders plan to expand participation in the program in the coming years while exploring additional partnerships and specialized certificate pathways such as Spanish for the Professions, Global Health, Mexican Culture, and Spanish Linguistics.