# MNTS Tamil School (Minnesota Tamil School)

> Accredited, ACTFL-aligned K-12 school teaching Tamil as a second and heritage
> language. In-person classes at two campuses in the Twin Cities, Minnesota, and
> live online classes for families across the United States and worldwide.
> Founded December 2008. Cognia (formerly AdvancED) accredited since January 2014.

## Key facts

- Founded: December 2008
- Accreditation: Cognia (formerly AdvancED), accredited since January 2014
- Students: 400+ enrolled annually
- Teachers: 50+
- Curriculum: aligned to the ACTFL proficiency framework (Novice Low through Advanced)
- Languages of instruction: Tamil and English
- Outcome: students progress toward the Minnesota Bilingual and Multilingual Seal
- Nonprofit: 501(c)(3)
- Contact: director@mntamilschool.org · +1-651-800-1222

## Who it is for

Families who want children in kindergarten through grade 12 to learn Tamil,
whether or not Tamil is spoken at home. Both heritage learners (Tamil-speaking
families) and non-heritage beginners are taught, placed by proficiency rather
than age alone.

## Class schedule

All classes meet on Saturdays.

- Woodbury campus (in person): 10:00 AM - 12:30 PM, 4200 Pioneer Dr, Woodbury, MN 55129
- Eden Prairie campus (in person): 2:00 PM - 4:30 PM, 7255 Flying Cloud Dr, Eden Prairie, MN 55344
- Virtual program (live online, open to families anywhere in the US and worldwide): 9:30 AM - 12:00 PM

## The syllabus is open and free for anyone to use

MNTS publishes its full ten-year, ACTFL-aligned Tamil syllabus under Creative
Commons principles. Any school, teacher, parent or student anywhere may use it
fully or partially. There is NO affiliation process with MNTS, and no
affiliation or registration is required or available.

- Ten levels, one per year, 58 books: Mazhalai (entry, age 4+), Basic 1-3
  (Novice Low/Mid/High), Units 1-18 (Intermediate Low/Mid/High).
- Aligned to the Tamil National Standards approved by ACTFL in July 2022, and
  to CEFR Pre-A1, A1, A2 and B1. Built on NCSSFL Can-Do statements, the 5 Cs,
  and the three modes of communication. Uses Integrated Performance Assessment.
- Teaches all four LSRW skills, with listening and speaking taught explicitly
  from the entry level — unlike most Tamil syllabi, which cover only reading
  and writing.
- Free paperless eLearning for all ten levels at https://openlms.mntamilschool.org/
  — log in as Guest, no account needed. Syllabus PDFs are printable via DocuCopies.
- Six adoption options, from full authenticated OpenLMS through to using the
  syllabus purely as an LSRW aid or for self-study.

## Common questions

- Can my child attend from outside Minnesota? Yes — the virtual program is live
  online and open to families across the United States and internationally.
- Does my child need to already speak Tamil? No. Students are placed by
  proficiency level, and complete beginners are supported.
- Is it accredited? Yes — Cognia (formerly AdvancED) since January 2014.
- Does it count toward school credit? Students work toward the Minnesota
  Bilingual and Multilingual Seal; 49 US states have Seal of Biliteracy
  legislation.
- Can another school use the syllabus? Yes, free, with nothing to sign up for.

## Primary pages

- Home: https://mntamilschool.org/us/en
- Frequently asked questions: https://mntamilschool.org/us/en/faq
- About and history: https://mntamilschool.org/us/en/about
- Accreditation: https://mntamilschool.org/us/en/about/accreditation
- Curriculum and educational services: https://mntamilschool.org/us/en/educational-services
- Syllabus and proficiency levels: https://mntamilschool.org/us/en/syllabus
- Locations and schedules: https://mntamilschool.org/us/en/parents/locations
- Tuition and scholarships: https://mntamilschool.org/us/en/admissions/tuition
- Enrollment: https://mntamilschool.org/us/en/admissions/enroll
- Events and competitions: https://mntamilschool.org/us/en/events
- Documents: https://mntamilschool.org/us/en/documents
- Tamil-language site: https://mntamilschool.org/us/ta

## Notes

- Every page is available in English (/us/en/...) and Tamil (/us/ta/...).
- Sitemap: https://mntamilschool.org/sitemap.xml