2011 Minnesota Statutes

120B.022 ELECTIVE STANDARDS.

Subdivision 1.Elective standards.

(a) A district must establish its own standards in the following subject areas:

(1) career and technical education; and

(2) world languages.

A school district must offer courses in all elective subject areas.

(b) 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 paragraph 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.

(c) Any Minnesota public, charter, or nonpublic school may award Minnesota World Language Proficiency Certificates or Minnesota World Language Proficiency High Achievement Certificates, consistent with this subdivision.

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.

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.

Subd. 2.Local assessments.

A district must use a locally selected assessment to determine if a student has achieved an elective standard.

History:

2003 c 129 art 1 s 4; 2004 c 294 art 2 s 3; 2007 c 146 art 2 s 4; 2009 c 96 art 2 s 4; 2011 c 76 art 1 s 11