Spanish Immersion Programs for Kids in Austin, Texas
Are you a parent in the Austin, Texas, area who wants to help your English-speaking kids become fluent in Spanish? We have some good news for you. The Austin area is rich in resources for families who want to raise bilingual children. Want even more good news? We created this guide to Spanish-language education in the Austin area to help you find the options that are a perfect fit for you and your family.
Being fluent in Spanish will help your kids make the most of all that this vibrant city has to offer. One-third of Austinites identify as Hispanic or Latino. Learning Spanish will help your children form deeper connections with their Spanish-speaking friends and neighbors and appreciate how they shape Austin’s culture.
The big question for you to figure out as a parent is which options for learning Spanish in the Austin area are best suited to the needs of your kids and your family. Don’t worry, though — we’re here to help! Welcome to TruFluency Kids’ tour of the world of Spanish-language learning for kids in the Austin area.
About This Resource
Before we really dive in, we wanted to tell you a little bit more about what you’ll find in this guide to Spanish-language education around Austin.
First, you’ll notice that we’ve focused this article primarily on Spanish immersion classes, schools, and programs. There’s an important reason for that. Based on our years of experience in language training, we strongly believe that immersion is the most effective way to build fluency. Immersion means that your kids are in an environment where Spanish is all around them. For example, in our Spanish classes at TruFluency Kids, English is used only infrequently.
Next, it was important to us that this guide cover the variety of places that people who live and/or work in the Austin area call home. As you probably expect, Austin Independent School District is the largest in the area. But not every family with a mailing address in Austin is zoned for AISD. We are also mindful of the fact that the cost of living in Austin is rising, which means that families who are “moving to Austin” may actually be moving to nearby towns like Round Rock or Pflugerville, where housing prices are more accessible.
Finally, it’s always important to remember that Spanish-language education around Austin will continue to grow and evolve, and so will this guide. All the information you’ll find here was accurate at the time of publication. But please contact us at TruFluency Kids if you discover anything that has become outdated. And if you and your kids have had a great experience with a Spanish immersion school or program in the Austin area (whether it’s featured here or not), we want to know that, too! Please share your own tips and recommendations about Spanish-language education around Austin so that we can make this guide an even more valuable resource for parents.
Dual-Language Programs in Austin-Area School Districts
First, let’s review the school districts around Austin that offer dual-language and Spanish immersion.
Since the Austin Independent School District serves more than 74,000 students, it’s the logical place for us to start talking about dual-language options for kids in the Austin area. If you want your English-speaking kids to become proficient in Spanish, they can be part of AISD’s dual-language program from pre-K all the way through high school.
One important thing to note: If your child transfers to another campus in order to participate in a dual-language program, AISD does not provide bus transportation.
Here’s how dual-language instruction works at different grade levels in AISD:
Dual Language in AISD Elementary Schools
Kids can enter Austin AISD’s elementary school dual-language program from pre-K4 through the first 10 days of first grade. In this program, language arts, reading, social studies, science, and math classes are each taught in either Spanish or English for the full school year.
AISD’s Spanish dual-language program is available at 27 elementary schools:
Bear Creek
12801 Escarpment Blvd.
Becker
906 W Milton St.
Blanton
5408 Westminster Dr.
Blazier
8601 Vertex Blvd.
Casey
9400 Texas Oaks Dr.
Cook
1511 Cripple Creek Dr.
Dawson
3001 S 1st St.
Govalle
3601 Govalle Ave.
Harris
1711 Wheless Ln.
Jordan
6711 Johnny Morris Rd.
Joslin
4500 Menchaca Rd.
Maplewood
3808 Maplewood Ave.
Menchaca
1218 FM 1626
Oak Hill
6101 Patton Ranch Rd.
Ortega
1135 Garland Ave.
Overton
7201 Colony Loop Dr.
Pecan Springs
3100 Rogge Ln.
Perez
7500 S Pleasant Valley Rd.
Pickle
1101 Wheatley Ave.
Reilly
405 Denson Dr.
Ridgetop
5005 Caswell Ave.
Sanchez
73 San Marcos St.
Sunset Valley
3000 Jones Rd.
Travis Heights
3000 Jones Rd.
Uphaus Early Childhood Center
5200 Freidrich Ln.
Williams
500 Mairo St.
Zilker
1900 Bluebonnet Ln.
Dual Language in AISD Middle Schools
AISD’s middle school dual-language program is for students who were part of a dual-language program in elementary school or who already have some Spanish proficiency. Each year, middle school dual-language students take a Spanish class. One of their core courses (science, social studies, or math) is also taught in Spanish. At some schools, students might also be able to take an elective in Spanish.
Eleven middle schools in AISD offer Spanish dual-language instruction:
Bedichek
6800 Bill Hughes Rd.
Burnet
8401 Hathaway Dr.
Covington
3700 Convict Hill Rd.
#10 in U.S. News & World Report’s rankings of best AISD middle schools
Dobie
1200 E. Rundberg Ln.
Garcia
7414 Johnny Morris Rd.
Lamar
6201 Wynona Ave.
#4 in U.S. News & World Report’s rankings of best AISD middle schools
Lively
201 E. Mary St.
#6 in U.S. News & World Report’s rankings of best AISD middle schools
Martin
1601 Haskell St.
Paredes
10100 S Mary Moore Searight Dr.
Bertha Sadler Means Young Women’s Leadership Academy
6401 N Hampton Dr.
Webb
601 E. St Johns Ave.
Dual Language in AISD High Schools
Four AISD high schools offer Spanish dual-language programs. These programs are open to students who participated in a dual-language program in middle school or who already have proficiency in Spanish. Students take two courses each year that are taught in Spanish. One is a core subject like social studies, math, or science. The other is a seminar course. Graduates can earn the Texas Seal of Biliteracy. Individual schools might offer additional courses in Spanish as well.
The AISD high schools with Spanish dual-language programs are:
Akins
10701 S. 1st St.
Crockett
5601 Menchaca Rd.
Navarro
1201 Payton Gin Rd.
Travis
1211 E. Oltorf St.
Dual Language in Del Valle Independent School District
The Del Valle Independent School District serves more than 10,000 students in southeastern Travis County. The Del Valle area has been in the news a lot lately because it is the site of a new Tesla Gigafactory that is expected to bring more opportunities to Del Valle ISD students.
And speaking of new opportunities, DVISD is expanding its dual-language program, which started as a pilot program in 2019 at Hillcrest Elementary. Keep an eye on the DVISD website as more details about the expansion of dual-language opportunities are announced.
Spanish Immersion in Eanes ISD
Not every family with an Austin address is zoned for AISD. The Eanes Independent School District serves about 8,000 students in the western part of Travis County.
Eanes ISD has a Spanish immersion program called Futuro. Futuro is currently available at four elementary schools in the district, and there are plans to expand the program to middle school students.
For the 2021 school year, the Eanes Spanish immersion program was offered at these elementary schools. Keep in mind that more grade levels are likely to be added at each school as Futuro expands.
Barton Creek, K-3
1314 Patterson Rd.
Bridge Point, K-4
6401 Cedar St.
Cedar Creek, K-4
3301 Pinnacle Rd.
Eanes, K-3
4101 Bee Cave Rd.
Spanish Immersion in Hays ISD
A small part of the city of Austin is within the Hays Consolidated School District, which serves about 20,000 students. Students from Kyle and Buda, two fast-growing suburbs to the south of Austin, also attend Hays CISD.
The Hays CISD offers a dual-language immersion program at two elementary schools:
Blanco Vista
951 Blanco Vista Blvd
San Marcos
Science Hall
1510 Bebee Rd
Kyle
The Manor Independent School District is headquartered in Manor, a fast-growing Travis County city of almost 14,000 that’s about 15 miles northeast of downtown Austin. Tech giants Samsung Austin Semiconductor and Applied Materials Austin are located within the area served by Manor ISD. While the district is based in Manor, it also serves students who live in Austin and Pflugerville. (Yes, these districts do get a little confusing!)
Manor ISD’s two-way dual-language program began in 2019. In the 2021-22 school year, dual-language instruction was available in grades kindergarten through second in three Manor ISD elementary schools. Students enter the program in kindergarten and may also be eligible if they were enrolled in a dual-language program in another district.
Since Manor ISD’s program is expanding, be sure to keep an eye on the district’s website for the latest updates on availability.
The Manor ISD elementary schools offering dual-language instruction in the 2021-2022 school year are listed below:
ShadowGlen Elementary
12000 Shadowglen Trace
Manor
Decker Elementary
8500 Decker Ln.
Austin
Bluebonnet Trail Elementary
11316 Farmhaven Rd.
Austin
Dual Language in Pflugerville ISD
Pflugerville is a city of over 60,000 people that’s about 18 miles northeast of Austin. It’s a fast-growing suburb, and the Pflugerville Independent School District serves about 25,000 students.
PFISD offers two-way dual language instruction at four elementary schools. Your family does not have to be zoned for a dual-language campus in order to participate, but transportation is not provided if you opt for a school outside your zone. English-proficient students who will be learning Spanish enter the program at the start of kindergarten.
You can view a presentation about the PFISD dual-language online. The district also has a detailed framework of how the program works online.
PFISD elementary schools with two-way dual-language instruction in Spanish and English are:
Barron
4850 Harris Ridge Blvd.
Pflugerville
Caldwell
1718 Picadilly Dr.
Round Rock
Highland Park
428 Kingston Lacy Blvd.
Pflugerville
Riojas
3400 Crispin Hall Ln.
Pflugerville
Dual Language in Round Rock ISD
The city of Round Rock is about 20 miles north of downtown Austin and is home to the headquarters of Dell Technologies. Besides students from Round Rock, the Round Rock Independent School District also serves students from Austin and other areas.
Round Rock ISD offers a two-way Spanish dual-language program. In kindergarten, Spanish is used for 80% of the day. Each year, the amount of English-language instruction increases, and in grades three through five, instruction is evenly split between Spanish and English.
English-speaking students who are learning Spanish can enter the program in kindergarten. Students who have been part of a dual-language program in another district can enter the RRISD program with administrators’ OK and if there is space available.
Dual-language instruction is available at the following RRISD elementary schools:
Anderson Mill
10610 Salt Mill Hollow
Austin
Berkman Arts Integration Academy
400 W Anderson Ave.
Round Rock
Bluebonnet
1010 Chisholm Valley Dr.
Round Rock
Caldwell Heights
1010 Chisholm Valley Dr.
Round Rock
Callison
4010 Eagles Nest St.
Round Rock
Gattis
2920 Round Rock Ranch Blvd.
Round Rock
Old Town
2200 Chaparral Dr.
Round Rock
Robertson
1415 Bayland St.
Round Rock
Union Hill
1511 Gulf Way
Round Rock
Voigt
1201 Cushing Dr.
Round Rock
Wells Branch Arts Integration Academy
14650 Merrilltown Dr.
Austin
Private, After-School, & Preschool Spanish Immersion in the Austin Area
Beyond dual-language programs in Austin-area school districts, there are also many other ways you can help your kids learn Spanish. Do you have very young children? Then you may be interested in a bilingual preschool or daycare. Or perhaps you want your kids to be in an Austin-area Spanish after-school or summer program where they can build on the Spanish they are learning in school. You can find all of these options around the Austin area, sometimes even at the same location. Let’s take a look at some Austin-area programs that have an excellent reputation for Spanish-language instruction.
Aldea Verde Pre-School
Aldea Verde Pre-School is located in Cedar Park, about 22 miles from downtown Austin. Besides Spanish immersion, the school emphasizes outdoor activities and draws inspiration from educational philosophies such as Montessori, Decroly, High Scope, and Waldorf. Children can attend half-days or full days.
Aldea Verde Pre-School has earned an average rating of five stars on both Facebook and Google. Sample review: “If you are seeking a high-quality Spanish Immersion preschool, you found it in Aldea Verde.”
Amiguitos Spanish Immersion Academy
Located in Southwest Austin, Amiguitos Spanish Immersion Academy provides childcare in a Spanish immersion environment for kids ages 5 months to 5 years, including a pre-K4 and kindergarten program. Students practice Spanish as they also learn letters and numbers, get hands-on experience with science and art and get moving with yoga and other activities.
Amiguitos has a five-star rating in Facebook reviews, and 4.8 stars on Google. Sample review: “My two daughters attend Amiguitos and love the teachers! Most importantly what they learn is so valuable and their Spanish is amazing.”
Atelier Preescolar
Atelier Preescolar is a Spanish immersion preschool serving kids 18 months through 5 years old. The school has been around since 2012 and also offers Spanish immersion camps with themes like cooking, art, and gardening.
Atelier Preescolar has an average score of 4.8 out of 5 stars on Google reviews. On Facebook, Atelier Preescolar has 5 stars. According to one reviewer: “We have been at Atelier for over a year. My son is thriving and his Spanish is amazing – I am not a Spanish speaker so it is very special when your 3-year-old can teach you something.”
Cielito Lindo
Cielito Lindo offers Spanish immersion daycare, preschool, after-school and summer camp programs. Daycare is open to infants as young as 3 months old. Camps serve kids 2-12 and teach Spanish through play-based activities.
On Google, Cielito Lindo has an average rating of five stars. Sample review: “I hold CL in such high regard and couldn’t recommend it more for your little one! I am so grateful for how much my daughter was cared for and loved and nurtured during her time there.”
Cielito Lindo has two locations:
– 704 Sandpiper Ave., about 11 miles northeast of downtown Austin and about 8 miles south of Pflugerville
– 12410 Tomanet Trail, about 12 miles north of downtown Austin.
Georgetown Spanish Academy
Georgetown Spanish Academy is about 28 miles north of downtown Austin and 10 miles north of Round Rock. Led by a longtime bilingual teacher, Georgetown Spanish Academy offers Spanish immersion programs for infants, young toddlers, toddlers, and pre-K kids.
On Facebook and on Google, Georgetown Spanish Academy has an average rating of five stars. Sample review: “Our children are mastering Spanish through daily immersion, and they are excelling through every learning milestone thanks to personalized attention through an excellent teacher to student ratio.”
Mariposas Spanish School for Kids
Located near the University of Texas campus in Central Austin, Mariposas Spanish School for Kids has a variety of programs to help kids from toddlers to elementary age gain fluency.
Summer camps teach both language and culture, while Spanish immersion day camps are offered throughout the school year on AISD holidays. Mariposas has their own in-person outdoor classroom. They also have partnerships with more than a dozen schools around the Austin area to provide immersive Spanish instruction, including many Montessori schools. That makes sense since the Montessori method is one of the inspirations for Mariposas’ curriculum.
Mariposas has been recognized by both the Austin Chronicle and Austin Family Magazine for the quality of their instruction. The school is rated five stars in Facebook reviews. Sample review: “My 4 year old daughter has been enrolled in the Mariposas Spanish program at Headwaters Montessori for the past year and absolutely loves it! She always comes home on her Spanish days (Monday and Wednesday) and shares all kinds of new words she learned and is always excited for her Spanish days.”
Olas Spanish Immersion School
Located near the popular Mueller neighborhood in Northeast Austin, Olas Spanish Immersion School has a range of Spanish programs for all ages:
- Mommy and Me classes
- Two-hour toddler classes
- Two levels of preschool immersion classes
- Elementary immersion classes with optional homework
- A middle and high school program for all ability levels
- Private Spanish tutoring
Olas, which boasts instructors from Latin America, has an average review score of 4.7 out of five stars on both Facebook and Google. Sample review: “Our family loves Olas! Our kids have been there forever and they have learned to speak, write and read Spanish well. The teachers are creative, supportive, and happy and have done a great job of making us all feel welcome. In fact, we met a lot of our closest Austin parent friends here at Olas!”
Spanish Schoolhouse
Spanish Schoolhouse has locations in the Austin, Dallas-Fort Worth, and Houston metro areas. The Austin-area branch is in Round Rock. Programs include:
- Preschool, for kids 18 months-4 years old.
- Kindergarten, which kids can attend three days per week (all Spanish) or five days per week (three days Spanish, two days English).
- After-school Spanish immersion classes for students in grades kindergarten through five.
- Full- and part-time Spanish immersion summer camps for kids 3-8.
- Mommy and Me Spanish classes for toddlers and parents.
Spanish Schoolhouse-Round Rock has an average of five stars in reviews on both Facebook and Google. Sample review: “Lovely teachers and staff. Everyone is friendly and welcoming. My daughter is thriving at this school, we are so grateful!”
YPW Spanish Immersion School
- Spanish immersion preschool, daycare, and after-school care
- Spanish immersion workshops, divided according to age groups
- Spanish immersion day camps with field trips and cultural learning
- Spanish tutoring by native speakers for students in grades kindergarten through 12 (as well as adults who want to join their kids in learning Spanish)
YPW has two Austin-area locations. The Westlake location is about five miles west of downtown Austin and convenient to families in the Eanes Independent School District. The central location is about eight miles northwest of downtown Austin. YPW is rated five stars on Google.
TruFluency Kids Spanish Immersion Program
As fellow Texans (TruFluency Kids is based in Dallas), we love having Austin-area families in our live, online classes. Spanish classes at TruFluency Kids are a great option if you want to accelerate your kids’ progress in their in-person Spanish immersion programs. TruFluency Kids might also be the right choice for your family if you prefer online Spanish instruction.
We provide Spanish classes tailored according to age and previous Spanish experience for kids 4-17. We know your family is busy, so you can find classes available seven days a week. Our curriculum is created by native Spanish speakers, and our teachers are specially trained to connect with kids. Students use REAL everyday Spanish from their very first class.
Our classes deliver great results. Just check out the testimonials for TruFluency Kids.