Spanish Schools for Kids in Denton, Texas
Denton, Texas is located in the northernmost region of North Texas, bordering Oklahoma. It is the home to many historic things like the Bayless-Selby House Museum and also hosts an annual Denton Jazz and Arts Festival. But did you know that Denton is also a great place to learn Spanish? In fact, the number one most spoken non-English language is Spanish.
If you’ve been thinking about giving your kids a Spanish education, the best time to start is now. Bilingualism will bring many personal and professional opportunities for them. We know that it might be difficult to choose the best school for your children, but don’t worry. TruFluency Kids’ has a guide for the best Spanish schools in Denton, Texas.
About This Resource
Throughout this guide, we will show you many different schools that offer Spanish classes. Most of them will be focused on Spanish immersion programs because we know that immersion is the best way to become fluent in a new language.
First, we will focus on Denton Independent School District (DISD) (see map). It is the 60th most diverse school district in Texas, and the number 101 best school district in Texas, according to Niche.
Denton ISD offers different language learning programs: a dual language program and an English as a Second Language (ESL) program. The dual language program has two modalities, the one-way and the two-way dual language models. We will focus on the two-way dual language program because that is the one for both English and Spanish learners.
Then, we will show you some private schools, pre-schools, and after-schools with Spanish classes because we know that every family and child has different needs and budgets.
Your opinion counts! All the information in this guide is accurate at the moment of publication, but if you see anything that’s been outdated, contact us so we can update the guide. Or, if you have any Spanish school recommendations, please let us know! This way we can provide parents with better information and advice.
Denton ISD Two-Way Dual Language Program
The Denton ISD dual language programs aim to help students become bilingual and bi-literate. They also want to encourage cross-cultural competence.
A two-way dual language program means that both English native speakers and Spanish native speakers will take classes together. Classes will be in English and Spanish so they all will become fluent in both languages.
This is a great opportunity for language immersion because it means that students will learn not only in classrooms but also by making foreign friends.
Currently, the two-way dual language program is offered on six Denton ISD campuses. There’s a school directory where you can look for the one that offers the program that you want.
They have a “bilingual homework hotline”. These are zoom mentoring sessions in Spanish and English that help bilingual students with their assignments. It is for kids from kindergarten to eighth grade and for Algebra I students.
If you want to enroll your child into Denton ISD, all registration is done online. There, you can see the process and the documents needed. If your child is new to the district, they provide all the information you might need for new students on DISD website. The district will try to enroll kids in the school nearest to their place of residence. If you want to see which school your child would attend based on location, check the school finder tool. Check out the school enrollment requirements to see all documentation you will need to provide for your child’s registration.
Highlighted Denton ISD Two-Way Dual Language Schools
Here are the top elementary schools in Denton ISD that offer the Two-Way Dual Language program.
Shultz Elementary School
Shultz ES was originally named Wilson Elementary, but it was changed when a new campus was built in 2021. They were the first Denton ISD school to offer a dual language program. Their two-way dual language classes include partner work and community events. They also have a language of the day: Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays are for Spanish; Tuesday and Thursday are for English.
From kindergarten to fourth grade, students will learn science in Spanish. And in fifth grade, they’ll learn science in English. From kindergarten to fifth grade, they’ll be taught social studies in Spanish. From kindergarten to first grade, language arts will be taught in the students’ dominant language, and from second grade to fifth grade it’ll be taught for one hour in English and one hour in Spanish. Math will always be taught in English.
Children will have reading partners to practice their reading skills in their second language. In fact, from second grade through fifth grade, students will have 50% of reading instruction in Spanish and 50% in English.
Kindergarten students will acquire the Spanish language through songs, reading aloud and interaction with their classmates. They’ll also gain vocabulary in Spanish, like colors and commands.
Check their dual language presentation for more details from the curriculum and information about what’s expected from the students’ language learning journey.
The school also has fun clubs for your kid to grow in other areas. They can join the Ballet Folklorico, where kids will also be exposed to Spanish by learning about Hispanic countries through dancing. Or they can participate in the chess club.
It is the 7th best Denton ISD elementary school, according to U.S. News & World Report. 55% of their student population is proficient in Math, and 60% is proficient in reading, as stated by U.S. News & World Report. It has 3.5 stars on Google.
Pecan Creek Elementary School
Pecan Creek Elementary school’s dual language program goal is for its students to become bilingual and bi-literate in English and Spanish and gain cross-cultural awareness while maintaining a high academic achievement.
They offer a two-way dual language program, where the language of instruction changes daily between English and Spanish. The curriculum that the children learn stays the same in both languages.
Kids don’t need to have any level of Spanish knowledge to be admitted into the program.
They have a family resources page on their website with different materials to help your children practice their target language. Even if you’re not proficient in Spanish or English, these resources are quite helpful. There’s a Spanish and English cognates list, an article about the differences between these two languages, dual language vocabulary for the home, and more.
They also have a student resources page. With these, the kids will keep learning while having fun, since many of them are online language games.
This school is the 14th best Denton ISD elementary school, according to U.S. News & World Report. And they have 57.7% of minority enrollment, of which 36.4% are Hispanic/Latinos, as reported by U.S. News & World Report.
It is number 979 in Niche’s “Best Public Elementary School Teachers in Texas” list.
It has 4.1 stars on GreatSchools and 4.5 stars on Google.
Hodge Elementary School
Hodge Elementary school offers a one-way and two-way dual language program. Their programs are based on three language pillars: bilingualism and biliteracy for all students, high expectations for academic achievement, and cross-cultural awareness.
In their two-way dual language program, math is taught in English, science and social studies in Spanish, and language arts is taught in the students’ native language until they reach second grade.
They want the kids in their program to be developmentally on target in their native languages. They also learn about different people and places, in addition to learning Spanish and English. Just like they have conditions for the students, they also have high expectations for the parents. Families are expected to be open-minded about different kinds of cultures and support their kids in their language learning process. They also understand that this is a six-year commitment for their child since that is how long the program lasts.
Hodge Elementary school has a family resources page on its website. There, you’ll find different online recommendations for your kids to keep practicing their second language.
The application form is here and acceptance is done by lottery.
It is the 16th best Denton ISD elementary school, according to U.S. News & World Report. And they have 79.1% of minority enrollment, of which 68.7% is Hispanic/Latino population, as also stated by U.S. News and World Report. This is a great opportunity for your kids to make Spanish-speaking friends.
It has 4.9 stars on Facebook, 3.7 stars on GreatSchools, 4.5 on Niche, and 4.4 stars on Google.
More Outstanding Denton ISD Schools
Denton ISD has so many academic options that it’s hard to choose one. Even though some schools don’t have Spanish classes, they do have other classes and clubs where kids can develop all kinds of skills. Here are some of the best Denton ISD non-dual language schools where your kids will still enjoy a high-level education.
Hawk Elementary School
Hawk Elementary school was the first Denton ISD campus to have special education services. They want all their students to be emotionally, socially, and academically successful.
They believe in being a community. That’s why they encourage parents to be involved in their children’s academic experiences. To achieve this, they host science nights and summer reading initiatives. They also have the Watch D.O.G.S. Program, in which fathers volunteer at the school. They keep the students safe, helping during the whole day, from arrival to dismissal. Some of their duties are delivering mail, watching out in the school hallways and perimeter, and reading with some students.
Their classes are math, science, language arts, and social studies. And depending on the kids’ grades, they also have other classes. For example, first graders also take a reader’s workshop, a writer’s workshop, and a phonics class. Second graders have “tutorial” classes in order to work on each student’s individual needs with any teacher. And fifth-grade students can join the Hawk Orchestra.
Check out the academic section for more detailed information about each grade level.
The school is the best Denton ISD elementary school, according to U.S. News & World Report. There, it also says that 73% of their student population is proficient in math, and 68% is proficient in reading.
It has a 4.4 star rating on GreatSchools and 4.9 stars on Google.
Austin Middle School
E.P. Rayzor Elementary school has the mission to promote learning in a safe environment, so children can be successful students and citizens.
They have a WOLF Morning News Program, where students create a newscast for each day. They also have other activities for students to interact with each other, such as an art club, running club, an Orchestra, and more. They also encourage parents to be involved in the school community, especially through the PTA.
It is the 2nd best Denton ISD elementary school, with 72% of its student population proficient in math, and 71% proficient in reading, according to a U.S. News & World Report. It’s also number 536 in the U.S. News & World Report’s “Best Texas Elementary Schools” list.
It has 3.3 stars on GreatSchools and 3.5 stars on Google.
Private Schools, Preschool, and After-School Programs for Spanish Learning
Every child has different needs, and every family has different budgets and schedules. That’s why we’ve included some private Spanish preschools and after-schools too. Just in case you want your kids to learn Spanish from a very young age. Or if you want them to keep practicing their Spanish after school hours.
Maple Bear University Drive
Maple Bear is a bilingual early learning center with schools around the world, including one in Denton. Their education system is based on the Canadian methodology and curriculum, rated as it is one of the best educational systems in the world.
Maple Bear University Drive has infant care from six weeks to twenty-four months, and toddler, preschool, and junior kindergarten programs. They also offer Spanish Language Immersion classes for three to five-year-old kids.
They organize spring, summer, and winter camps for infants to twelve-year-old kids. They have many different activities in their camps, like cooking, dancing, science, virtual field trips, and more. They also have Spanish immersion lessons, where kids will acquire the language through songs, crafts, stories, and more.
It has 4.1 stars on Google. Here’s a review from a Google user:
“My favorite thing about the Maple Bear community is the amount of kindness they share. No matter what, the teachers at maple bear have always been kind to my son and I. It’s comforting knowing my child is being taught to spread love and kindness. The curriculum at Maple Bear is amazing. I feel as if my son has learned and grown so much because of the actual schooling Maple Bear offers…”
Adventureland Early Learning Center
Adventureland Early Learning Center is a preschool, daycare, and pre-kindergarten. They want to be like a second family to their students, and to inspire them to enjoy learning. In addition to the academic education, they also work on the children’s self-esteem, social skills, and respect.
They have Spanish, science, technology, art, engineering, and math classes. In their pre-kindergarten program, they teach Spanish through fun activities. They want the kids to be able to communicate in Spanish and develop Spanish literacy skills. They also teach sign language through all grade levels.
It has an average 4.7 star rating on Google from over a hundred reviews.
Maple Bear University Drive
Alphabet Academy is a childcare and preschool. They have toddler care, early preschool, preschool, pre-kindergarten, and summer camps. Its mission is to provide a caring, safe, and encouraging environment so kids can have a great educational experience. They help their students to develop emotionally, physically, and cognitively.
The Spanish classes begin at the preschool level, where the teachers introduce and teach the Spanish language to the children.
The enrollment form for this Denton pre-school is found conveniently online.
TruFluency Kids Spanish Immersion Program
Kids are full of energy and curiosity, so the best way for them to learn a new language is while having fun. That’s what TruFluency Kids’ Spanish Immersion Program aims to do.
The environment is kind and the classes are very dynamic. We have the kids singing Spanish songs, making food, playing word games, and speaking Spanish phrases to achieve fluency.
We don’t teach the regular way because we don’t want your kids to memorize a couple of rules, and then forget them. We want them to become truly fluent in Spanish; understand it, and be able to communicate in Spanish. The process is the same as when they first learn their native language: by being immersed in it.
We also think about our parents. Since we know that every family has different schedules and needs, all of our classes are online and with flexible schedules. So, if you missed a class, you can take another one to make it up. Plus, our classes are seven days a week from 9 am-9 pm (CST). So kids all around the world can study with us!
Oh, and our students will receive two subscriptions to online Spanish learning videos for one year! That way they can keep practicing their Spanish.
You can check our testimonials and our blog to read more about how we work. If you have any questions, send us a message. You’ll see that TruFluency Kids is as fun as it sounds!
Try a Class!
Ready for the next step in helping your child learn Spanish in a natural and conversation-based atmosphere? Join a small online LIVE session at TruFluency Kids Spanish today!