Dual Immersion Academy

What Dual Immersion Academy does

Dual Immersion Academy (DIA) is a free public charter school located at 1155 S. Glendale Dr. in Salt Lake City, Utah, operating as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization since its founding in 2006. The school serves approximately 500 students from preschool through 8th grade, with roughly 90% of students identified as economically disadvantaged. Instruction is delivered in Spanish and English through a 90:10 dual immersion model that begins at 90% Spanish instruction in kindergarten and transitions to a 50:50 split by grades 4-5, with the school claiming research-backed superior Spanish proficiency outcomes compared to starting at 50:50. Faculty are drawn from Spanish-speaking countries including Spain, Mexico, Colombia, Peru, Costa Rica, Puerto Rico, and Uruguay, and the school is a Title I institution receiving federal funding for low-income and English language learner populations.

The school's revenue model is fundamentally that of a public charter school: per-pupil state funding scaled to enrollment, supplemented by federal Title I and Title III grants, USDA National School Lunch Program reimbursements (Provision 2, approved August 2022), and community donations. There is no tuition; the only fees are a $20 per-sport athletic participation fee with waivers available, and $4.00 adult meals. The customer base is families in the Glendale neighborhood and surrounding Salt Lake City communities seeking bilingual education, with marketing conducted through the school's website, organic social media (Facebook, Instagram, X), parent testimonials, and a network of community partnerships including GEAR UP with Utah State University, Latinos in Action, US Dream Academy, AmeriCorps, and the University of Utah MSW program.

The operational technology stack is composed of third-party educational platforms integrated through Clever SSO (Dreambox, McGraw Hill, Newsela, Aleks, Raz-Kids), the Panorama SEL assessment platform, the Aspire Student Information System, and Waterford Upstart for early learning. The school operates sub-brands including DIA X (after-school academic and enrichment programming) and the Outdoor Adventure Club (mountain biking, climbing, skiing, rafting). The school is governed by a Board of Directors led by President Mac Newbold (a board member since 2008), with operational leadership under Principal Angela Fanjul.

Name

Dual Immersion Academy

Legal name

Dual Immersion Academy

Website

https://diacharter.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2006

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Dual Immersion Academy is a free public charter school in Salt Lake City, Utah, serving approximately 500 preschool through 8th-grade students through a Spanish-English 90:10 dual immersion model, funded by per-pupil state allocations, Title I/III grants, and donations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

K-8 Bilingual Charter School Education

NAICS

Language Schools (611630)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Charter Language Immersion & Bilingual Schools (EDAJACAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

English Learner (EL/ESL/ELL) & Bilingual Education Programs (EDAJAGAB), Bilingual/Language-Immersion Preschools (EDACABAH)

Keywords

• Bilingual education
• Dual language immersion
• Charter school education
• Spanish english instruction
• Public school programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Salt Lake City, Utah

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Public Charter School Funding: As a free public charter school, Dual Immersion Academy receives per-pupil state funding based on enrollment. Additional funding comes from federal Title I and Title III grants for serving economically disadvantaged students and English language learners.
2. Donations and Fundraising: The school accepts monetary donations and in-kind contributions from the community. Nearly 90% of students are economically disadvantaged, and donations provide supplemental resources and opportunities.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Dual Immersion Academy provides a free public charter school education in Spanish and English from preschool through 8th grade using a 90:10 dual language immersion model that transitions to a 50:50 split by grades 4-5. The school delivers the Utah State Core Curriculum bilingually, supplemented by a Preschool Program for ages 3-5 and the DIA X afterschool program for academic support and enrichment, with all students receiving free meals via NSLP Provision 2.

Product overview

Dual Immersion Academy operates as a single, unified bilingual educational program offering Spanish-English dual immersion instruction from preschool through 8th grade. The core product is the Dual Immersion Program utilizing a 90:10 model that transitions to 50:50 by grade 4. Supporting offerings include a Preschool Program for ages 3-5 and the DIA X Afterschool Program for PK-8th grade students. The school also participates in the National School Lunch Program providing free meals to all students.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• DIA X: After-school program offering Pk-8th grade students academic support, homework help, and recreational enrichment activities.
• Outdoor Adventure Club

Products and services

• Dual Immersion Program
• Preschool Program
• DIA X Afterschool Program After-school program offering PK-8th grade students academic support, homework help, and recreational enrichment activities in a safe environment.
• Outdoor Adventure Club After-school club providing outdoor activities including mountain biking, climbing, skiing, and rafting for students.

Quantifiable outcome

• Students in 90:10 programs achieve better Spanish proficiency scores than 50:50 programs
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration7 records

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• US Dream AcademycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership providing students with access to dream-building programs and cultural enrichment activities.
• USU STARS / GEAR UPcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration with Utah State University providing regular campus visits, career technical training, financial aid instruction, parent engagement education, and college preparation support.
• AmeriCorpscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational service program providing volunteer support and youth development resources to the school community.
• PlayworksminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProgram supporting recess and play-based learning to promote student well-being and reduce conflict.
• BTS ArtsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerArts education partnership bringing performing arts experiences to students.
• Latinos in ActioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOn-campus program where older students mentor younger students in reading fluency while developing leadership skills. Students work with 1st, 2nd, and 3rd graders.
• Sorenson Unity CenterminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal community center partnership providing access to community resources and facilities.
• Salt Lake County Parks & RecreationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for recreational activities and facilities access for students.
• University of UtahcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUniversity partnership providing MSW intern placements from the College of Social Work and collaboration on educational initiatives.
• Smith's Inspiring DonationsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerGrocery rewards program allowing community members to donate to the school through their Smith's Rewards card. School ID: WH284. Program donates 0.5% of eligible purchases.
• USGBC UtahminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGreen building and sustainability education partnership with the US Green Building Council Utah chapter.
• Project RealityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHealth and wellness education program partnership.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• IDEA Public Schools: Large charter network with explicit Bilingual Academies offering two-way dual language immersion across elementary grades. Directly comparable dual language programming combined with charter-school scale and college-prep mission.
• Rocketship Public Schools: National charter network with an explicit mission of closing the achievement gap for low-income and ELL students through blended learning. Comparable demographic focus and reliance on Title-eligible federal funding streams.
• KIPP Public Schools: Largest U.S. charter network operating K-12 public charter schools primarily serving low-income communities. Comparable as a multi-state charter operator serving economically disadvantaged students, though KIPP's instructional model is not focused on dual language immersion.
• Aspire Public Schools: California-based charter network operating TK-12 schools with a significant share of low-income and ELL students. Comparable as a charter operator serving similar demographics with college-prep focus, though broader portfolio rather than immersion-specialized.
• Success Academy Charter Schools: Large NYC-based charter network known for rigorous academics and data-driven instruction. Comparable as a high-performing urban charter operator, though without a dual language immersion specialization.
• Uncommon Schools: Multi-state charter network serving primarily low-income students with a college-prep mission. Comparable as a high-performing charter operator with rigorous academic programming, though without the bilingual immersion specialization.
• National Heritage Academies: Charter management organization operating schools across multiple states with moral-focus curricula. Comparable as a multi-site charter operator, though serving a different thematic curriculum niche.

Direct peers

• Internationals Network for Public Schools: Operates public charter schools specifically designed for recently arrived immigrant English Language Learners with a multilingual/bilingual education model. Most directly comparable to DIA's mission of bilingual, biliterate, bicultural student development for non-English-dominant populations.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/diacharter1155
• Facebookfacebook.com/diacharter.org/?ref=hl
• Instagraminstagram.com/diacharter
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/dual-immersion-academy

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles13 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Dual Immersion Academy