Oyster-Adams Bilingual School

At a Glance

Oyster-Adams Bilingual School is a public dual-language school serving students from pre-K through eighth grade across two campuses in Ward 3. For more than 40 years, this DCPS school has provided a rigorous bilingual education model where children learn half their academic content in English and half in Spanish. The school operates with the Oyster campus in Woodley Park housing the younger grades and the Adams campus serving upper elementary and middle school students.

The school draws families from across the District who are committed to bilingual education, creating a culturally and linguistically diverse community. Students from different backgrounds, nationalities, and socioeconomic circumstances learn together, developing academic knowledge and intellectual skills in two languages while building cross-cultural friendships that often last well beyond their school years.

What Parents Should Know

Oyster-Adams admits students through the My School DC lottery system, which opens each fall for the following school year. As a public school, there is no tuition, though families should understand that the dual-language model requires commitment from both students and parents regardless of their home language. The school welcomes both native English speakers and native Spanish speakers, as well as students who speak other languages at home.

The two-campus configuration means families should plan for a transition between buildings as their children progress through grade levels. The Oyster campus is located at 2801 Calvert Street NW in Woodley Park, while the Adams campus sits at 2020 19th Street NW. Parents need to factor in the specific campus location when considering commute times and neighborhood fit for their family.

Because Oyster-Adams is a dual-language immersion program rather than a traditional English-only school, students receive instruction in both languages throughout their day. This approach differs significantly from schools offering Spanish as a foreign language class. Parents should recognize that children will be learning math, science, social studies, and language arts in Spanish for half of their instructional time, which requires adjustment and patience as students develop fluency.

The school's long-standing reputation as a model for dual-language education in DC means it tends to be in high demand during the lottery. Families interested in this approach should list Oyster-Adams on their My School DC application and attend information sessions to understand whether the bilingual commitment aligns with their educational goals.

Programs and Approach

As a DCPS school, Oyster-Adams follows the district's academic calendar and policies while maintaining its distinctive dual-language model. The school's mission centers on the belief that cultural diversity strengthens the learning community, bringing together students and families from different backgrounds to learn alongside one another. This diversity is intentional and integral to the educational experience, not incidental.

The 50-50 language split means that students develop literacy, numeracy, and content knowledge in both English and Spanish simultaneously. This dual-language immersion model has been refined over more than four decades, making Oyster-Adams not only a fixture in DC's educational landscape but also a reference point for bilingual programs nationwide.

Enrollment for all DCPS schools, including Oyster-Adams, happens through the My School DC unified lottery system. Families create an application, rank their school preferences, and submit during the annual lottery window. The lottery algorithm then matches students to schools based on preferences and available seats. Families can find complete lottery information, timelines, and details about sibling and boundary preferences through the My School DC website.

Visiting and Contact

Oyster-Adams Bilingual School operates at two locations: 2801 Calvert Street NW (Oyster campus in Woodley Park) and 2020 19th Street NW (Adams campus). Families interested in learning more about the dual-language program, touring the campuses, or understanding the school community should visit http://oysteradamsbilingual.org/ or call 202-671-6130 for current information about open houses and enrollment events.