Hoboken’s HoLa School Designated a Model Dual Language Program for 4th Time in a Row

Hola's First Full Graduating Class 

The Hoboken Dual Language Charter School (HoLa) was designated a Model Dual Language Program by the New Jersey Department of Education after a rigorous application process. It is the 4th consecutive award of the 2-year designation for HoLa. HoLa is the only charter school this year to win the designation.

The NJ DOE’s application process for the designation includes a full-day site visit with interviews with students, parents, teachers, and administrators.

HoLa’s immersion program means that students starting in Kindergarten spend almost their entire day learning in Spanish, even though the majority of the school’s students do not have any Spanish-language background. The program transitions to a 50 percent Spanish, 50 percent English curriculum by middle school. Students graduate 8th grade with high levels of Spanish proficiency.

HoLa is also working with the City of Hoboken during the pandemic crisis, partnering with the City to have members of the school community call vulnerable Spanish speaking seniors to ensure they have all the information and resources they need.

Note: The Hola Dual Language Program was originally designed for the Hoboken Public School system but the program was rejected by the 2009 reform Hoboken Board of Education by a contentious 4-3 vote in April of 2009. Since then, HoLa has gone on to be a model program for the rest of the state and country.  During the same period, the Hoboken Public Schools under the leadership of the Hoboken Board of Education continues to be among the worst performing public school districts in the country.