DLI High School Class Pathways 2024-25

How to earn the recognition to be a graduate of our DLI program?

Students qualifying for the FCPS DLI Program Certificate will be recognized by receiving a district certificate of completion, an invitation to the BSHS Senior Awards and a DLI Program cord to wear at graduation. Requirements include:

1. Earn a passing grade in ALL of the required courses that are part of either DLI/SIP high school pathways (including any Spanish dual credit classes). Students MUST be enrolled in the minimum expected quantity of DLI/SIP classes each year of high school. [Aligned to the DLI pillar of Academic Content]. 

2. Engage in the community using language/cultural knowledge through completion of 20 volunteer hours (5 hours per year starting with class of 2025) by May 1 of their senior year. See DLI/SIP Program Information for more details about it. [Aligned to the DLI pillar of Global Competence]. 

These requirements are in place to recognize students that satisfactorily complete the program. Students that do not complete these requirements will not receive a graduation recognition (a DLI chord).

DLI Spanish Language Pathways (A and B)

Following are the recommended Spanish Language pathways available to students. Notations for each pathway are listed below. 

*1 Incoming Freshmen that earned a high school credit for Spanish 3 in middle school, will be placed in Spanish 4. Students that did not earn a high school credit for Spanish 3, will retake it at the HS, unless they met all benchmark for 8th grade on their STAMP test. Students that met all benchmarks on the STAMP 8th grade test will enter Spanish 4, regardless if they did not earn a high school credit in Spanish 3.

*2 The DLI at Bryan Station High School has approved the following Guidelines for incoming Sophomore students who qualifies to enter Pathway A, AP Spanish Language in 10th grade. These guidelines meet the requirements established by the International Spanish Academy (ISA) that is sponsored by the Embassy of Spain and the Spanish Ministry of Education.

For a student to qualify for Pathway A, both of the following guidelines must be met: 

I. Student must earn above B average in DLI Spanish 4 for the 2024-25 year. Second semester grades obtained by the end of April will determine if a student qualifies.

II. Spring/Summer STAMP Test - students who meet requirement 1 must take the STAMP test by the end of their Spring term. They have to show Spanish language proficiency at the 10th grade level, in the range of Intermediate High to Advanced Low. Students must meet all four proficiency scores listed below **

Interpersonal Speaking/Listening - Intermediate High

Interpretive Listening -- Advanced Low 

Interpretive Reading  -  Advanced Low

Presentational Writing  -  Intermediate High

** If a student misses 1 of the 4 proficiency scores by 1 level, special consideration will be given if there is space available. The student and the DLI facilitator will have a conference to plan how to improve the deficient area. These guidelines will also apply to current sophomores in determining if their next class is Spanish 5 or AP Spanish Language

*3 Student meeting the following requirements can take just 1 DLI class during their senior year: 

-- score a 4 or 5 on the AP Spanish Lang test or have passing grade of a 3 in the AP Lit exam. If either of  those conditions are not met, the student must take 2 classes (if available) their Senior year. Students qualifying to take just 1 class are recommended to take Dual Credit or AP Literature, otherwise they can take the Spanish Film class (regardless of their AP exam results).

Students not on track to meet completion requirements 

Students not meeting early pacing requirements (because of failing classes, not completing volunteer hours, etc) toward graduating from this program will be immediately evaluated. A parent conference will take place in order to determine the appropriate plan to make sure the student is successful in recovering the failed class. At this time, all failed DLI classes must be retaken in person (there is no online credit recovery).

DLI students attending vocational/OMC schools

1. Students attending Locust Trace or other vocational schools must complete the same requirements as everyone else. Spanish 3 or 4 could be taken at the vocational school if it is offered. Teachers at the vocational school must arrange PLC time in order to establish common goals.

2. If a student finish high school at OMC (during their senior year), he/she must take a 200 or 300 level Spanish class during that year. They also need to complete the required volunteer hours in order to earn the recognition of graduating from the DLI program and earn the  ISA diploma.

Volunteer Hours Requirement- Utilization of the Spanish Language - to earn the DLI chord

Every graduate of the DLI high school program must complete 20 volunteer hours (5 per year) in experiences speaking the Spanish Language. Several opportunities will be available throughout the year, but students are encouraged to find opportunities on their own. 

Students are encouraged to go on and beyond from the 5 hour/year requirement, but they will only be able to carry forward 2 extra hours a year (unless you are making up hours from the prior year). Students and parents will be notified twice a year (beginnign of Fall and Spring semester) with an update of how many hours have been completed. 

NO Acceptable activities 

• Yearly hours cannot be earned doing the same activity. You must have a minimum of 2 different activities every year.

• No sibling tutoring. Any tutoring opportunity must be approved and performed with the presence of a school adult supervisor. Although we encourage such opportunities, this is very hard to monitor.

• Translation of documents. We will no longer accept these hours since the main purpose of this experience is to communicate orally. Also, the use of translation programs are readily available and widely used.

• Hours from prior year from the current one. All hours earned must be recorded and turned in by the end of each school year. We do not accept hours from the prior year. If you earned hours during the summer, turn it in when you return to school.

Acceptable

• Any activity posted on our DLI website

• Vacation trips to Spanish speaking countries (5 hours max per year). Must submit paperwork with description of experience and supervising adult

• EHO days working at middle or elementary spanish classes. Must submit paperwork with description of experience and supervising adult name (max 7 hours)

• Tutoring after school in ESS. Details on which hours will count are determined by the ESS teacher and the type of work performed during ESS. You must help someone to earn the hours.

Volunteer Hours Requirement to the earn the ISA diploma

The same criteria than above, but students must earn 10 hours a year, for a total of 40 hours at graduation. Students not meeting this criteria, will not recieve the ISA diploma, nor can participate in the in house ISA graduation ceremony.

Early Graduates

Students graduating at the end of their Junior year, through OMC or at the end of the Fall semester of their Senior year have to to complete the same requirements that everyone else (volunteer hours will be prorated).

Students participating in other special programs (beside their academy assignment)

Although we encourage students participating in different programs, parents and students must know that conflicts in scheduling can appear and choices must be made. The DLI program will continue to try to accommodate all student’s schedule. However, all program requirements must be completed in order to earn the recognition to be a graduate of this prestigious program, no exceptions.