Families with students in Bartholomew Consolidated Schools will have a new choice for a pathway for their children — one that includes classes taught mostly in Spanish.

The school board approved the new Two-Way Immersion program last night.

Dr. Laura Hack, Director of Elementary Education for the school district explains that young minds are more easily able to learn two languages. The program would launch next year at Clifty Creek Elementary with two pre-k classes and two kindergarten classes.

Each class would be a 50/50 split between native Spanish speakers and English-speaking students.

In the early years, 80 percent of the day would be taught in Spanish and 20 percent in English. But as students progressed through grade levels that would increase to a 50/50 ratio, Hack said.

Although the program will start at the very lowest grade levels in its first year, the plan is for it to expand with its first students, eventually offering an entire 12-year-education within the immersion program.

To get into the program, there will likely be a lottery system for applicants much like the school district does with the Columbus Signature Academy programs.

School officials said Clifty Creek was chosen because it had room for the classes. The district would work to provide transportation for families who want to participate but who live outside of the Clifty Creek Elementary zoning.

Hack said that the program would be entirely voluntary. It also will not replace the existing English as a Second Language classes.