Wharton Dual Language Academy

William H. Wharton K-8 Dual Language Academy, formerly William Wharton Elementary School, is a public school in the Neartown area of Houston, Texas and part of the Houston Independent School District. Also known as the Wharton Dual Language Academy, the school serves gifted and talented students in the Language Magnet program from Pre-K through 8th grade.

Within the United States it has one of the oldest dual language bilingual programs that occupy entire campuses. As of 2008^[update] it has the only such program in the City of Houston.

Wharton, located within the East Montrose subdivision, serves a section of the Neartown area, including a section of Montrose, and half of Hyde Park.

The school building was erected in 1929. Prior to its conversion to a K-8 school, it served until grade 6. In the 1998-1999 school year the student population went down by 60 students due to gentrification in the Montrose area.

In the 2008-2009 school year Wharton was scheduled to add the seventh grade. The eighth grade was scheduled to follow shortly afterwards. Therefore the school's name officially changed from Wharton Elementary to its current name.

Imelda Alamia served as the principal for three years. In 2009 she resigned.

As of 2012 the school used temporary buildings to house grades 3-8, as well as the library and technology laboratory, since the original building could not support the entire student body. As part of the 2012 HISD Bond, the school was scheduled to receive a renovation of the original building and a middle school classroom wing. In addition there were plans for updated internet capacity, additional restrooms, an art room, a larger cafeteria, a technology laboratory, a multipurpose area, a science room, and a new library. This would increase the capacity of the school facility to 750 to 900 students. The total cost was $35.6 million. As part of the move plans, in 2016 Wharton was temporarily relocated to "Wharton Village" at the Gregory-Lincoln Education Center in the Fourth Ward.

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