Application Process / Frequent Questions
Who Can Participate?: Admittance into the immersion program here at Lone Peak and throughout Canyons District is done through a lottery system managed by Canyons School District. Students enter into the immersion program in 1st grade and remain in the program here at Lone Peak through 5th grade. Your child will then continue participating in the dual language program in middle school.
Application Process and District Website: Each year, the application window typically opens at the end of September and typically closes the third week of November. After the application window closes, Canyons School District will continue to accept late applications which will be placed on a wait list. Please visit https://dual.canyonsdistrict.org/ for the most up-to-date information or to apply for the program.
Lottery: School and district personnel will determine the number of spaces that will be available for in-boundary students, as well as spaces for out-of-boundary students. The number of spaces available in each category is based on the school’s enrollment capacity and may be different at each school, depending on the needs of the school to maintain the traditional and dual immersion programs. In the lottery process, special consideration will be given to:
- Students with a sibling already in the DI program.
- Students with parents that work on staff at the DI school.
- Students that speak, read and write the target language at an appropriate level of proficiency (as determined by a proficiency screening).
- Students who are transferring from an out-of-district comparable dual language immersion program.
Right for My Child?: This is a decision that needs to be made within your family and done for each child. Although this program may be perfect for one of your children, it may not be the best for your other child. Consider each child individually and speak to his/her kindergarten teacher. However, dual language immersion programs may not be an appropriate educational option for children experiencing significant communication delays in their primary language.
Typical Immersion Day:
Grades 1 – 3:
- Students in grades 1-3 spend half of their day studying math, Chinese literacy and other content areas in their target language of Chinese. They spend the other half of their day studying language arts, and receiving math reinforcement, as well as studying the other content areas listed above in English.
Grades 4 & 5:
- Students in grades 4 and 5 spend half of their day studying Chinese literacy, science, and receive math reinforcement, as well as studying the other content areas in their target language of Chinese. They spend the other half of their day studying math, language arts, and social studies in English and also receive instruction in other content areas.
Visit http://www.utahdli.org/ for more information about curriculum and the Dual Language Immersion learning model.
你好！ Welcome to Chinese Dual Language
Discover the possibilities of learning in two languages!
Our Mandarin Chinese Dual Language cohort gives students the opportunity to build Chinese language skills while learning, connecting with others, and experiencing new cultures.
Apply for First-Grade Enrollment in 2027–2028
September 30 – December 15, 2026
All Utah students are welcome to apply. Late applicants are added to the waitlists of their top three choices.
Build Language Skills
学习
xuéxí
Connect with Others
交流
jiāoliú
Experience New Cultures
发现
fāxiàn
Watch the video below to get a glimpse of Chinese Dual Language in action.
How the Program Works
Students enter the program in first grade and spend half of their day learning in English and the other half learning in Mandarin Chinese. The program continues through high school, where students have the opportunity to take Advanced Placement (AP) and college-level language courses.
Canyons School District Mandarin Chinese Dual Language Immersion schools:
- Draper
- Lone Peak
- Ridgecrest
Why Immersion?
Higher academic achievement. A culturally-enriched life. Global career opportunities, and a competitive edge in college and beyond. Give your child the lifelong advantage of learning in two languages from an early age.
More than 70 years of research consistently documents the power of immersion programs to help students attain high levels of second language proficiency. No other type of instruction, short of living in a second-language environment, is as successful.
Proven Benefits
Academic
- Perform at or above their non-immersion peers on standardized tests administered in English
- Achieve high levels of functional proficiency in the immersion language, displaying fluency, confidence, and native-like levels of comprehension
Cognitive
- Achieve metalinguistic awareness
- Attain greater cognitive flexibility and better nonverbal problem-solving abilities
- Outperform monolinguals in divergent thinking, pattern recognition, and problem solving
Sociocultural
- Opens students to a rich world of media, history, literature, and art
- Helps students understand, navigate, and appreciate cultural differences
- Helps students better understand their own culture
Economic
- World language abilities are increasingly important to national security, delivery of health care, economic competitiveness, and law enforcement in the United States
- Future high-level, high-paying jobs will require competence in more than one language
Parent Information Nights
New to Dual Language Immersion?
Learn how DLI works, explore the benefits of bilingual learning, understand the application process, and hear what to expect as students progress through the program.
Wednesday, October 7
6:30–8 p.m.
PEAKS room, Canyons District Offices
9361 S. 300 East, Sandy
Already at a Chinese DLI school?
School nights focused on enrollment targets, cohort planning, and important timelines:
- Ridgecrest Elementary Oct. 13, 5:30–6:30 p.m.
- Lone Peak Elementary Oct. 21, 5:30–6:30 p.m.
- Draper Elementary Nov. 10, 6–7 p.m.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who can participate?
The dual immersion program seeks to enroll students of all backgrounds and abilities. Initial enrollment is open to all students entering 1st grade.
How do I apply?
Applications for first-grade enrollment in 2027–2028 are open September 30 – December 15, 2026, and are submitted during a child's kindergarten year. Applications may still be submitted after the lottery window; late applicants are added to the waitlists of their top three choices, and may be added to a program if seats are open.
How are students selected for the program?
An annual lottery determines initial entrance to each program for entering first graders. Applicants are only entered into the lottery for their first-choice school. Applicants not selected for their first choice will be considered for their second and third choices if there is space available.
All DLI classrooms are capped at 28 - 30 students. To accommodate building capacity and other school programming, each school determines how many out-of-boundary students it can accept through the lottery.
Preference is given to:
- Students with siblings currently enrolled in a dual immersion program
- Students who proficiently speak the target language
- Students whose parents are full-time employees of Canyons District
How does the waitlist work?
If a student exits a dual language immersion program in first or second grade, students on the waitlist are invited to enroll. For Chinese, the waitlist stays active through December of 2nd grade. After that, only students who can demonstrate a comparable level of language proficiency will be added to the program.
Can my child enroll after the waitlist is deactivated?
Yes. If a student can demonstrate a comparable level of language proficiency for their current grade level and there is space available, they will be considered for late enrollment. Proficiency must be verified with a language assessment. To arrange one, contact the Instructional Supports Department at 801-826-5026.
Parent Responsibilities
- Commit to long-term participation in the dual immersion program.
- Develop an understanding of dual immersion education.
- Read with your child (in your home language) 20–30 minutes daily.
- Encourage the use of the target language outside of school.
- Provide community support and, when possible, volunteer.
- Enjoy the challenges; celebrate the results!
Ready to Join Us?
Apply by December 15, 2026