Why they didn't use a traditional language school
The agency had previously sent officers to in-residence Arabic schools (FSI-style intensive programs, 44-week residential). Two issues: scheduling (officers can't always go residential for 44 weeks), and quality variability across regional language schools. They wanted a structured curriculum + accountability that worked around continued work duties.
The custom Koydo cohort
Koydo built an 18-officer cohort split by destination region: 8 officers Egypt-bound (Egyptian Arabic dialect + MSA), 6 Levant-bound (Levantine + MSA), 4 Gulf-bound (Gulf Arabic + MSA). Tutors were native-speaker Arabic specialists with FSI/Defense-school instruction backgrounds. Curriculum: 6 hours of structured cohort instruction per week + 4 hours individual tutoring + 4 hours of guided immersion (news, films, podcasts).
Year-end assessment
Standardized testing using ALPT (Arabic Language Proficiency Test, the closest standardized assessment to FSI's ILR scale). 14 of 18 reached ILR 3 (B2-equivalent) by month 14. 3 officers reached ILR 2+ (advanced B1). 1 officer was rotated out for a different assignment + suspended Arabic work. Compared to previous FSI residential cohorts, the Koydo cohort matched 14-month outcomes at 60% of the cost + with officers continuing their regular duties.
What the agency took away
For mid-career officers with continued work duties, the hybrid model (online cohort + 1-on-1 + structured immersion) matches residential-school outcomes at lower cost. For first-tour officers or full-immersion needs, residential remains preferred. The agency now uses Koydo for hybrid + reserves residential schools for absolute zero-base + officers preparing for tour starts where 100% language focus is required.