Minnesota Legislature
HF 702
as introduced - 89th Legislature (2015 - 2016) Posted on 03/25/2015 01:56pm
Bill Text Versions
| Engrossments | ||
|---|---|---|
| Introduction | Posted on 02/09/2015 |
Current Version - as introduced
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A bill for an act
relating to education; clarifying foreign language proficiency levels required for
proficiency certificates and gold and platinum bilingual and multilingual state
seals; directing Minnesota State Colleges and Universities to award academic
credit for students' demonstrated foreign language proficiency; establishing an
advisory task force on assessing students' proficiency in foreign languages when
ACTFL assessments are unavailable; amending Minnesota Statutes 2014, section
120B.022, subdivisions 1a, 1b.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:
Section 1.
Minnesota Statutes 2014, section 120B.022, subdivision 1a, is amended to
read:
Subd. 1a.
Foreign language and culture; proficiency certificates.
(a) World
languages teachers and other school staff should develop and implement world languages
programs that acknowledge and reinforce the language proficiency and cultural awareness
that non-English language speakers already possess, and encourage students' proficiency
in multiple world languages. Programs under this section must encompass indigenous
American Indian languages and cultures, among other world languages and cultures. The
department shall consult with postsecondary institutions in developing related professional
development opportunities for purposes of this section.
(b) Any Minnesota public, charter, or nonpublic school may award Minnesota
World Language Proficiency Certificates deleted text begin or Minnesota World Language Proficiency High
Achievement Certificates,deleted text end consistent with this subdivision.
(c) The Minnesota World Language Proficiency Certificate recognizes students who
demonstrate listening, speaking, reading, and writing language skills at the American
Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages' Intermediate-Low level on a valid and
reliable assessment tool. For languages listed as Category 3 by the United States Foreign
Service Institute or Category 4 by the United States Defense Language Institute, the
standard is Intermediate-Low for listening and speaking and Novice-High for reading
and writing.
deleted text begin
(d) The Minnesota World Language Proficiency High Achievement Certificate
recognizes students who demonstrate listening, speaking, reading, and writing language
skills at the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages' Pre-Advanced level
for K-12 learners on a valid and reliable assessment tool. For languages listed as Category
3 by the United States Foreign Service Institute or Category 4 by the United States
Defense Language Institute, the standard is Pre-Advanced for listening and speaking and
Intermediate-Mid for reading and writing.
deleted text end
Sec. 2.
Minnesota Statutes 2014, section 120B.022, subdivision 1b, is amended to read:
Subd. 1b.
State bilingual and multilingual seals.
(a) Consistent with efforts to
strive for the world's best workforce under sections 120B.11 and 124D.10, subdivision 8,
paragraph (u), and close the academic achievement and opportunity gap under sections
124D.861 and 124D.862, voluntary state bilingual and multilingual seals are established
to recognize high school graduates who demonstrate deleted text begin level 3deleted text end new text begin an advanced-low level or an
intermediate-high level ofnew text end functional native proficiency in listening, speaking, reading,
and writing on deleted text begin eitherdeleted text end the deleted text begin Foreign Services Institutedeleted text end new text begin American Council on the Teaching
of Foreign Languages' (ACTFL)new text end language proficiency tests or on equivalent valid and
reliable assessments in one or more languages in addition to English. American Sign
Language is a language other than English for purposes of this subdivision and a world
language for purposes of subdivision 1a.
(b) In addition to paragraph (a), to be eligible to receive a seal:
(1) students must satisfactorily complete all required English language arts credits;
and
(2) students whose primary language is other than English must demonstrate mastery
of Minnesota's English language proficiency standards.
(c) Consistent with this subdivision, a high school graduate who demonstrates new text begin an
intermediate-high ACTFL level of new text end functional native proficiency in one language in
addition to English is eligible to receive the state bilingual new text begin gold new text end seal. A high school
graduate who demonstrates new text begin an intermediate-high ACTFL level of new text end functional native
proficiency in more than one language in addition to English is eligible to receive the state
multilingual new text begin gold new text end seal.new text begin A high school graduate who demonstrates an advanced-low ACTFL
level of functional native proficiency in one language in addition to English is eligible to
receive the state bilingual platinum seal. A high school graduate who demonstrates an
advanced-low ACTFL level of functional native proficiency in more than one language in
addition to English is eligible to receive the state multilingual platinum seal.
new text end
(d) School districts and charter schools, in consultation with regional centers
of excellence under section 120B.115, must give students periodic opportunities to
demonstrate their level of proficiency in listening, speaking, reading, and writing in a
language in addition to English. Where valid and reliable assessments are unavailable,
a school district or charter school may rely on a licensed foreign language immersion
teacher or a nonlicensed community expert under section 122A.25 to assess a student's
level of foreign, heritage, or indigenous language proficiency under this section. School
districts and charter schools must maintain appropriate records to identify high school
graduates eligible to receive the state bilingual or multilingual deleted text begin sealdeleted text end new text begin gold and platinum
sealsnew text end . The school district or charter school must affix the appropriate seal to the transcript
of each high school graduate who meets the requirements of this subdivision and may affix
the seal to the student's diploma. A school district or charter school must not charge the
high school graduate a fee for this seal.
(e) A school district or charter school may award elective course credits in world
languages to a student who demonstrates the requisite proficiency in a language other
than English under this section.
(f) A school district or charter school may award community service credit to a
student who demonstrates deleted text begin level 3deleted text end new text begin an intermediate-high or advanced-low ACTFL level of new text end
functional native proficiency in listening, speaking, reading, and writing in a language
other than English and who participates in community service activities that are integrated
into the curriculum, involve the participation of teachers, and support biliteracy in the
school or local community.
(g) The commissioner must develop a Web page for the electronic delivery of these
seals. The commissioner must list on the Web page those assessments that are equivalent
to the deleted text begin Foreign Services Institutedeleted text end new text begin ACTFL new text end language proficiency tests.
(h) The colleges and universities of the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities
system must new text begin recognize a student who receives a state bilingual or multilingual gold seal
as meeting one-half of the system's foreign language requirements and a student who
receives a state bilingual or multilingual platinum seal as meeting all the system's foreign
language requirements. These colleges and universities must new text end award deleted text begin foreign languagedeleted text end
new text begin academic new text end credits deleted text begin todeleted text end new text begin commensurate to the foreign language proficiency demonstrated by new text end a
student who receives a state bilingual deleted text begin sealdeleted text end or deleted text begin a statedeleted text end multilingual new text begin gold or platinum new text end seal
under this subdivision and may award foreign language new text begin academic new text end credits to a student
who receives a Minnesota World Language Proficiency Certificate deleted text begin or a Minnesota
World Language Proficiency High Achievement Certificatedeleted text end under subdivision 1a.new text begin The
University of Minnesota is encouraged to award students foreign language academic
credits consistent with this paragraph.
new text end
new text begin EFFECTIVE DATE. new text end
new text begin
This section is effective for the 2015-2016 school year and
later.
new text end
Sec. 3. new text begin ADVISORY TASK FORCE ON ASSESSING STUDENTS'
PROFICIENCY IN FOREIGN LANGUAGES FOR WHICH ACTFL
ASSESSMENTS ARE NOT AVAILABLE.
new text end
new text begin
(a) An advisory task force on assessing students' proficiency in foreign languages for
which American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL) assessments
are not available is established to consider and recommend to the education committees of
the legislature:
new text end
new text begin
(1) assessing students' foreign language proficiency when ACTFL assessments
are available;
new text end
new text begin
(2) assessing students' foreign language proficiency when ACTFL assessments are
not available;
new text end
new text begin
(3) creating guidelines for curriculum, instruction, and assessments for foreign
languages for which no written forms exist so students may earn state seals in these
languages;
new text end
new text begin
(4) training a corps of individuals qualified to assess students' foreign language
proficiency; and
new text end
new text begin
(5) developing curriculum, instruction, and assessments for heritage and indigenous
languages and less commonly taught foreign languages.
new text end
new text begin
(b) Each of the following entities shall appoint a member to the advisory task
force: the Minnesota Council on the Teaching of Languages and Cultures; the Center
for Advanced Research on Language Acquisition at the University of Minnesota; the
Minnesota Advocates for Immersion Network; the Minnesota Teachers of English to
Speakers of Other Languages; the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities foreign
language faculty; the Chicano Latino Affairs Council; the Council on Asian-Pacific
Minnesotans; the Council on Black Minnesotans; the Minnesota Indian Affairs Council;
and the Minnesota Department of Education. Task force members may appoint additional
advisory task force members. Task force members may seek advice from recognized
and qualified experts.
new text end
new text begin
(c) Upon request, the commissioner of education must provide task force members
with technical, fiscal, and other support services.
new text end
new text begin
(d) Task force members' terms and other task force matters are subject to Minnesota
Statutes, section 15.059. The commissioner may reimburse task force members from the
Department of Education's current operating budget but may not compensate task force
members for task force activities.
new text end
new text begin
(e) The commissioner of education, on behalf of the advisory task force, must submit
to the education committees of the legislature by February 1, 2016, recommendations for
foreign language assessment and instruction, consistent with paragraph (a).
new text end
new text begin EFFECTIVE DATE. new text end
new text begin
This section is effective the day following final enactment.
new text end