Spanish Schools for Kids in Brooklyn, New York
New York is a very diverse state with a large Hispanic population. In fact, the number of Hispanic people in New York City keeps growing gradually; they’re currently the second biggest ethnic group in NYC. That’s why it is a great place to raise bilingual kids. And if you’re looking for a place to live in NYC in which your kids can learn Spanish, Brooklyn is a great option since Spanish is a widely spoken language there.
But, apart from the living location, every family has different schedules, budgets and needs. Plus, there are so many bilingual school options that it can be difficult to choose one for your kids. Don’t worry, TruFluency Kids has you covered. We’ve created a guide for the best Spanish schools in Brooklyn, New York. All you have to do is check them out and choose the best one for you and your kids.
About This Resource
In this guide we will mostly present you with Spanish immersion classes, because we believe that’s the best way to acquire a language. An immersive environment will teach your kids all academic subjects in the target language. And the teachers will speak to your kids in that language, so they’ll become fluent in Spanish, not just memorize some grammar rules.
And because we are aware that all families have different budgets, needs and goals, we will also present you with some private Spanish schools, preschools and after-schools.
We want to hear from you! If you see any outdated information, please let us know so we can update the guide. You can also tell us if you have any school recommendations. This will help us give you all the best information possible.
Great Brooklyn Geographic Districts’ Dual Language Programs
Brooklyn’s public education is guided by the New York City Department of Education (NYC DOE), just like the rest of NYC. The borough of Brooklyn has 12 geographic districts: dist. 13, dist. 14, dist. 15, dist. 16, dist. 17, dist. 18, dist. 19, dist. 20, dist. 21, dist. 22, dist. 23, and dist. 32. As well as two non-geographic districts, which encompass all of NYC: dist. 75 and dist. 79. Since there are so many school districts, we will show you the best schools around Brooklyn’s geographic districts.
Great Brooklyn Geographic Districts’ Dual Language Schools
P.S. 133 William A. Butler
This school belongs to district 13, one of the most outstanding geographic school districts in Brooklyn. According to Niche, it is the 24th most diverse school district in NY. As well as the 94th best school district in NY. 60% of their student population is proficient in math, and 65% is proficient in reading.
Their mission is for kids to become responsible citizens and have high academic abilities. They achieve this by having a strong and varied curriculum. They have literacy, math, science, social studies, and enrichment classes. Their enrichment lessons include different subjects, such as drama, dance, and physical education.
They also offer two different dual language programs, one in French and one in Spanish. P.S. 133 William A. Butler is the first public school in Brooklyn that has two different dual language programs.
They acknowledge the importance of the Spanish language in New York and the world. That, along with the interest in a Spanish dual language program expressed by the parents, is what made the school create this program.
The Spanish dual language program has a 50-50 model. This means that half of their students are native English speakers, and half are native Spanish speakers. And 50% of the instruction will be in English, while the other 50% will be in Spanish. So all students will become proficient in both languages.
If your kid’s first language is Spanish, he/she has to be tested for native Spanish speakers’ seats available in the program. You can check more about their application process on their “how to apply” page.
According to Niche, P.S. 133 William A. Butler is the 130th most diverse public elementary school in New York. As well as the 260th best public elementary school in New York. Their students are 67% proficient in reading, and 62% proficient in math. Plus, according to U.S. News & World Report, they have 72.2% of minority enrollment, of which 36.2% is Hispanic/ Latino.
They’re rated 4/5 on GreatSchools and 4.8/5 on Google.
I.S. 228 David A. Boody School
This is a district 21 school. This district is the 18th most diverse school district in New York, according to Niche. It also ranks at number 270 on Niche’s list of the districts with the best teachers in New York. And 62% of their student population is proficient in reading, and 63% is proficient in math.
I.S. 228 David A. Boody school uses the acrostic “rockstar” to reveal the characteristics that they want to develop in their students: respectful, optimistic, caring, kind, safe, thoughtful, accountable, and responsible.
They offer many different programs, like Magnet, STOMP, and After School programs. They also have different sports and dance teams. And, of course, they have the Heritage Dual Language Programs, for Russian, Spanish and Mandarin languages.
Students of the Heritage Language program will take social studies in their home language. And literacy classes will be instructed in both the home language and English. A great resource for kids that are new immigrants, and are not very familiarized with the English language, is that the school will help them with ESL classes. They also have free ESL lessons for adults, in case the parents don’t know English either.
In order to enroll your kid in the Heritage Dual Language program you must first go to an open house. Then, you have to complete a screening process. After your kid has been accepted, you’ll have to sign a commitment letter. Be aware that this is a three-year commitment program. You’ll also have to go to a parent orientation before the start of the classes. You can check more about the application steps on their website.
The school is the 191st best New York middle school, according to U.S. News & World Report. It also is the 104th best public middle school in NYC. With 57% of their students being proficient in math, and 58% being proficient in reading.
The school is rated 4.8/5 on GreatSchools, 3.6/5 on Niche, 4.5/5 on Facebook, and 4.1/5 on Google.
P.S. 124 Silas B. Dutcher
This is a district 15 elementary school. According to Niche, the NYC geographic district no. 15 is the third most diverse school district in New York. It’s also the 217th district with the best teachers in New York. 61% of their student population is proficient in reading and 60% is proficient in math.
P.S. 124 Silas B. Dutcher school’s mission is that their kids develop high academic skills. They want to achieve that through a rigorous curriculum. They offer a Y.M.C.A. after school program, and a Dual Language program.
Their dual language program is based on a 50-50 half day model. This means that the students receive 50% of instruction in English and 50% in Spanish. And the classrooms are composed of 50% native Spanish-speaking students and 50% native English-speaking students. This is a great opportunity for kids to learn not only from the classes but also from their classmates.
The school is the 879th best New York elementary school, as stated by U.S. News & World Report. It also is the 378th best New York City elementary public school. And 47% of their students are proficient in math and reading. A great advantage for your kids’ Spanish learning journey is that the school has 79.5% of minority enrollment, of which 58.2% is Hispanic/Latino. So, your kids will also learn Spanish with their Hispanic friends.
It is rated 4.3/5 on GreatSchools, and 4.7/5 on Google.
Other Great Brooklyn Geographic Districts’ Schools
Not all geographic districts’ schools offer a dual language program, but they offer other great educational tools. Here are some of the best schools in Brooklyn’s geographic districts. They don’t have a Spanish dual language program, but your kids will still acquire a high academic level.