ECSheading
From the ECS State Policy Database
Curriculum--Foreign Language/Sign Language


Education Commission of the States • 700 Broadway, Suite 810 • Denver, CO 80203-3442 • 303.299.3600 • fax 303.296.8332 • www.ecs.org

This database is made possible by your state's fiscal support of the Education Commission of the States (ECS). Most entries are legislative, although rules/regulations and executive orders that make substantive changes are included. Every effort is made to collect the latest available version of policies; in some instances, recent changes might not be reflected. For expediency purposes minimal attention has been paid to style (capitalization, punctuation) and format.

Please cite use of the database as: Education Commission of the States (ECS) State Policy Database, retrieved [date].

State Status/Date Level Summary
LAAdopted 09/2012P-12American Sign Language in Foreign Languages Offered in High Schools
LAC 28:CXV.2345
Adds American Sign Language (ASL) III and IV to the list of foreign language courses that may be offered for graduation credit in public hig...

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CASigned into law 08/2012P-12Heritage Schools
S.B. 1137
From bill summary: Requires each heritage school's electronic registration form filed with the superintendent of public instruction to inclu...

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NYSigned into law 07/2012P-12State Seal of Biliteracy
A.B. 10292
Establishes purposes of the state seal of biliteracy. Confers a state seal of biliteracy (district participation is voluntary) to high schoo...

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LASigned into law 06/2012P-12International Language Immersion School at ULL
S.B. 712
Creates an exploratory committee to develop a plan regarding the creation and establishment of an international language immersion school at...

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AKSigned into law 05/2012P-12Alaska Native Language Preservation and Advisory Council
S.B.130
Establishes the Alaska Native Language Preservation and Advisory Council to advise both the governor and legislature on programs, policies, ...

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FLSigned into law 04/2012Community College
Postsec.
Foreign Language in Associate Degree Programs
H.B. 7135 - Foreign Language in Associate Degree Programs
Requires students seeking an associate of arts degree to demonstrate competency in a foreign language.
Page 18 of 31: http://myfloridahouse...

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COSigned into law 04/2012P-12Indigenous Language Instruction
S.B. 57
Indicates the circumstances under which the education department may issue a Native American Language and Cultural instruction authorization...

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CASigned into law 10/2011P-12State Seal of Biliteracy on High School Diplomas and Transcripts
A.B. 815
From bill summary: Establishes the State Seal of Biliteracy to recognize high school graduates who have attained a high level of proficiency...

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CTSigned into law 07/2011P-12Genocide Education/Sign Language is Foreign Language
H.B. 6499 - Sec. 1 and 2
Includes genocide education in the materials provided by the Department of Education to school districts for student curriculum and educator...

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LASigned into law 06/2011P-12Foreign Language Immersion Programs
S.B. 104
Requires the State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education to develop and implement a process to certify foreign language immersion educ...

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VASigned into law 02/2011P-12American Sign Language
H.B. 1435
Provides that if a local school board offers an elective course in American Sign Language, it must grant academic credit for course completi...

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CASigned into law 09/2010P-12Heritage Schools
S.B. 1116
Applies specified background check procedures to heritage schools, which serve children between the ages of 5 and 18 who attend a public or ...

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TNSigned into law 06/2010P-12Foreign Language Proficiency
H.B. 209
Before graduating from high school, students who have completed coursework in a foreign language are required to take a foreign language pro...

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TNSigned into law 05/2010P-12Foreign Language Instruction
S.B. 1075
Requires the state board of education to develop guidelines and criteria for the inclusion of foreign language instruction in grades kinderg...

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ORSigned into law 03/2010P-12Chinese Language
H.B. 3628A
Authorizes Superintendent of Public Instruction to enter into contract for purpose of ensuring that Chinese language is available to public ...

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DESigned into law 02/2010P-12American Sign Language as World Language
H.B. 245
Recognizes American Sign Language as a World Language for purposes of school curriculum.
http://legis.delaware.gov/LIS/lis145.nsf/vwLegislat...

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ILSigned into law 12/2009P-12
Postsec.
American Sign Language Courses
H.B. 725
Encourages school boards to include American Sign Language courses in schools' foreign language curricula. Provides that the foreign languag...

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CASigned into law 10/2009P-12American Indian Languages Teaching Credential
A.B. 544
Requires the Commission on Teacher Credentials to issue an American Indian Languages eminence credential to a candidate who has demonstrated...

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WISigned into law 06/2009P-12Tribal Language Revitalization Grants
A.B. 75
Permits a school board or cooperative educational service agency, in conjunction with a tribal education authority, to apply to the state de...

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LASigned into law 07/2008P-12Foreign Language Opportunities
S.B. 549
Requires, by a specified time, that all children attending public schools shall have the opportunity to study the critical languages in addi...

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CTSigned into law 06/2008P-12High School Foreign Language Credit
H.B. 5820
Concerns high school credit for private world language courses; provides that students may earn up to two credits toward high school graduat...

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TNSigned into law 03/2008P-12Guidelines for Foreign Language Fluency
S.B. 2980
Directs the State Board of Education to develop guidelines for Develop guidelines for the use of LEAs to foster foreign language fluency as ...

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CATo governor 09/2007P-12Foreign Language
A.B. 280
Establishes the State Seal of Biliteracy to recognize high school graduates who have mastered languages in addition to English. Requires the...

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LAAdopted 08/2007P-12Duration of Foreign Language Specialist Certificate PK-8
LAC 28:CXXXI.311
Allows the Foreign Language Specialist Certificate PK-8 to be valid for six years due to changes in the visa requirements. Page 10 of 79: ht...

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NCSigned into law 06/2007P-12
Postsec.
Community College
American Sign Language
H.B. 915
Encourages the public schools, the community college system and the University of North Carolina to offer American Sign Language for credit ...

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WVAdopted 06/2007P-12Foreign Language Standards
Title 126, Series 44G
Amends rules regarding foreign language content standards and objectives for West Virginia schools. ...

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GASigned into law 05/2007P-12American Sign Language
S.B. 170
Provides that any student, not just a deaf student, may fulfill the foreign language requirements for a college preparatory curriculum seal ...

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MNSigned into law 05/2007P-12World Languages Pilot Program Grants
H.F. 2245 [World Languages]
Creates a pilot program to award five world languages grants to develop and implement sustainable, high-quality model world languages progra...

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MNSigned into law 05/2007P-12Bilingual/Multilingual Certificates
H.F. 2245 [Multilingual/Bilingual]
Directs the Department of Education to develop and recommend to the legislature by February 15, 2008, the standards and process for awarding...

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IDSigned into law 03/2007P-12Official State Language
S.B. 1172
Amends existing law to declare English to be the official state language. Provides that English is the sole language of government, subject ...

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UTSigned into law 03/2007P-12Critical Languages Program
S.B. 80
Establishes the Critical Languages Program, which includes languages described in the federal National Security Language Initiative, includi...

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WYSigned into law 02/2007Postsec.
Community College
Foreign Language Teacher Loan Repayment Program
H.B. 182
Amends the teacher shortage loan repayment program to include students pursuing degrees to become foreign language teachers; transfers admin...

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MDAdopted 11/2006P-12American Sign Language as Foreign Language Credit
COMAR 13A.03.02.04
Amends rules to the Board of Education. Allows students to use American Sign Language as an alternative to foreign language in fulfilling gr...

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CAVetoed 09/2006P-12Graduates with Multiple Language Skills
A.B. 2445
Establishes the State Seal of Biliteracy to recognize high school graduates who have mastered speaking, reading, and writing skills in one o...

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TXAdopted 07/2006P-12Foreign Language Courses and Tech Prep Progam
19 TAC 2.74.D.74.43, .44
Allows for students who are at higher proficiency levels to meet the graduation requirements by taking higher level language courses. Clarif...

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ILSigned into law 06/2006P-12Arts and Foreign Language Education Grant Program
S.B. 176
Creates an arts and foreign language education grant program to fund arts education and foreign language education programs in the public sc...

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OHSigned into law 06/2006P-12
Postsec.
Community College
Ohio Core Support
H.B. 115
Appropriates funds for support of the Ohio Core Program. Funds will be used to:
(1) Support the participation of teachers licensed in Ohio a...

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SCSigned into law 06/2006P-12American Sign Language
S.B. 1107
Relates to high school courses in American sign language; provides that a school district may give credit as a foreign language to a pupil w...

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MNSigned into law 05/2006P-12Chinese Language Program
H.B. 4162
Authorizes the commissioner of education to contract with the Board of Regents of the University of Minnesota or other Minnesota public enti...

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ALSigned into law 07/2005P-12American Sign Language
S.B. 94
Amends Section 16-6B-2 to specify that American Sign Language is a foreign language for purposes of satisfying certain curriculum requiremen...

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MODELIVERED TO GOVERNOR 05/2005P-12American Sign Language
H.B. 530
This bill treats American Sign Language (ASL) as a foreign language for the granting of academic credit at public schools and public higher ...

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MSSigned into law 03/2005P-12Italian language classes
H.B. 1163
Italian language classes; establish a pilot program to offer to students in grades K-12.

http://billstatus.ls.state.ms.us/documents/2005/ht...

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DERule Adoption 06/2004P-12Foreign Language and Bilingual Teacher Regulations
14 DAC 1528, 1529, 1533, 1537, and 1558
Amends regulations that apply to the requirements for Standard Certificates for Foreign Language and Bilingual Teachers. These amendments re...

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COSigned into law 04/2004P-12
Postsec.
Community College
American Sign Language
H.B. 1037
Concerns the treatment of American Sign Language as a foreign language in education that counts toward graduation requirements. http://www.s...

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WYSigned into law 03/2004P-12Public Schools Foreign Language Pilot Project
H.B. 170
Relates to public schools; establishes a pilot project for expansion of foreign language instruction through grade six; imposes requirements...

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CASigned into law 10/2003P-12
Postsec.
Curriculum: Foreign Languages
S.B. 5
Requires the department of education, by June 1, 2009, to adopt content standards for teaching foreign languages in grades K-12 pursuant to...

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HISigned into law 07/2003P-12Education
S.B. 1326
Allows the Department of Education to adopt a program for grades 3- 12 which provides opportunities for competency in a second language. htt...

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FLSigned into law 06/2003P-12
Postsec.
American Sign Language
S.B. 162
Requires school boards to advise students taking American Sign Language as a foreign language that post-secondary schools outside of Florida...

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KYSigned into law 03/2003P-12Integration of Arts and Foreign Languages into Elementary School Curriculum
S.B. 154
Requires the department to create a program to promote the integration of the arts and foreign languages into the elementary school program....

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MASigned into law 08/2002P-12Foreign Language Instruction to Be Required in Elementary Schools
H.B. 5010
"[W]ithin five years of the effective date of this act, any foreign language classes required by the department [...] or by a school distric...

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FLSigned into law 05/2002P-12Education Code Re-Write: District K-12 Foreign Language Curriculum Required
S.B. 20E
Requires every local board to create a plan for a K-12 foreign language curriculum, to be submitted to the commissioner by June 30, 2004. Se...

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ORSigned into law 06/2001P-12Student Bill of Rights, Dual Enrollment
S.B. 65
Eliminates the 2-year second language requirement for students who have completed grade 12; requires all students who have met the requireme...

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VTSigned into law 05/2001P-12American Sign Language
S.B. 25
Authorizes schools to offer American Sign Language (ASL) as a course of foreign language credit; directs the Board of Education to establish...

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UTSigned into law 03/2001P-12
Postsec.
Mandarin Chinese Course
S.B. 57
Modifies provisions related to the State System of Public Education by requiring the State Board of Education to develop and implement a con...

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CASigned into law 07/2000P-12Language Education and Testing
S.B. 1667
Relates to existing law which requires a school district with pupils who are English learners to conduct annual assessments on the pupils En...

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