• Philosophy

    Wharton K-8 Dual Language Academy (WDLA) is a school-wide Houston ISD Dual Language Magnet and International Baccalaureate (IB) Primary Years Program (PYP) World School.  Wharton earned an “A” rating from the 2022 Texas Education Agency Accountability Rating System. 

    Wharton serves approximately 655 culturally and economically diverse neighborhood and magnet students in grades PK through 8th.  Wharton strives to enroll a diverse student body.  In 2022-23 enrollment included 67% Hispanic, 11% African American, 17% White, 3% Asian, and 2% two or more ethnic groups. Of these students, 44% were English Language Learners, 47% economically disadvantaged, 59% at risk, 25% Gifted & Talented, 4% were special education and 2% dyslexic students.  The 2022-2023 attendance rate was 98.5% and mobility rate was 1.8%. 

    As evidenced by the student body, Wharton's community is diverse and includes families from diverse socioeconomic, racial, linguistic and cultural backgrounds. Our students learn in a multicultural community where each person is respected regardless of nationality, race, or religion. As the only PK-8th grade Spanish/English dual language school in the district, we offer the Primary Years Programme (PYP) of the International Baccalaureate to our PK through 5th grade classes. Our students may continue IB learning in the Middle Years Programme and the Diploma Programme (DP) at other neighboring HISD secondary schools. 

    Wharton’s Admissions Rights and Responsibilities aligns with the policies and procedures of the HISD Office of School Choice and HISD Multilingual Department’s vision and goals for dual language programs.  Our dual language program is a well-researched approach for promoting bi-literacy, bilingualism and cross-culturalism for students.  Our dual language program promotes instruction in two languages as equally important, giving English speakers the gift of bilingualism and allowing English-as-a-second language students to retain their own language while mastering English.  The admissions process is open to all students in the Houston Independent School District and includes two blind lotteries run by the HISD Office of School Choice.  This lottery process enables Wharton to meet the goal of 50% of our students as dominant English speakers and 50% of the students as native speakers of Spanish at the beginning of the program. This balance of language speakers supports our 80/20 two-way instructional model.

    Rights and Responsibilities

    Students 

    School Leadership

    Teachers

    Families 

    Receive a quality education as a human right. 

    Secures access to an IB education for the broadest possible range of students 

    Welcome and include all students into their class community.

    Follow HISD guidelines and procedures for application to our school. 

    Are treated with dignity and respect in the admission process. 

    Promotes learning diversity as a valued and rich resource for building inclusive communities

    Ensure open communication with all families. 

    Provide the school with all required information to enable timely responses and adequate preparation to ensure continuity of learning and inclusion 

    Are included in the admissions process.

    Communicates with families in a timely manner by providing guidelines, information about processes and procedures.

    Provide families with all the guidelines and necessary information.

    The school receives complete and accurate information from families about the students. 

     

    At Wharton, we seek opportunities to recruit diverse students to our school, rather than reasons to prohibit entry. We aim to ensure a diversity of gender, language, culture, socio-economic status and nationality. 

     

     

     

     

     

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    *Policy Review: We will review our academic and/or admission policy at least every year. In collaboration with the faculty and community, this policy was reviewed in August/September 2023.