Seven D.C. public schools and six charters teach children in two languages, not one. It’s an approach that helps native and non-native English speakers and poor and affluent children alike, the latest research shows. But 13 schools are far from enough to meet the demand.

Children pick up languages very quickly. When you think about it, it’s quite an amazing feat to learn one language when you know zero. Their brains can easily pick up languages in the early years. In much of the world, children learn multiple languages.

Traditionally, U.S. education doesn’t start other languages until middle school, when the window of best opportunity has closed. A once-a-week Spanish lesson isn’t enough either. But a few D.C. schools offer true immersion, where many lessons are in a language other than English.

Unfortunately, those programs are so successful that some boast among the longest waiting lists in the District. With few programs concentrated in even fewer neighborhoods, it’s not an option open to everyone.

To be an “immersion,” “dual language,” or “bilingual” school, at least half of the instructional time has to happen in a language other than English, even for kids who are native English speakers. This isn’t the same as teaching “foreign language” or “world language” as a separate subject; instead, students might have their math or history lessons in Spanish, or Chinese or another language depending on the school.

Read more here.