State Initiatives for Foreign Language Instruction
Vickie Lewelling and Jeanne Rennie
The inclusion of foreign languages in the National Education Goals and the development of national standards for foreign language learning have brought national attention to the importance
of foreign language education. As a result, many initiatives have been put forth at state and local levels by individual state legislatures or state boards of education, and educators and parents alike have worked to encourage support for foreign language education. Several states have passed legislative mandates requiring school districts to implement elementary school foreign language programs, and others are requiring foreign language study at the secondary level. In a 1994 survey of the states (Inman and LaBouve, 1994), the Joint National Committee for Languages and the National Council of State Supervisors of Foreign Languages (NCSSFL) collected information about the status of state education reform and where foreign languages fit into the reform process. They learned the following information:
 | Forty states had some kind of second language mandate (for example, requiring schools to offer at least two years of a foreign language to all students). Some of these states required second language study only for advanced or honors diplomas or for college-bound students. | |
| Despite 40 states having a second language mandate, foreign language supervisors in only 27 states described foreign languages as being part of their state's core curricula--that is, having equal status with the other major disciplines. | |
| Only nine states--Arizona, Arkansas, Florida, Louisiana, Montana, New York, North Carolina, Oklahoma, and Oregon--included second language study in their core curricula at the elementary school level. | |
| Of the 49 states (all but Pennsylvania) that had developed or were developing academic content standards, 40 included content standards or competencies for foreign languages. | |
| Of the 39 states that had developed or were developing academic performance standards, 19 included foreign languages in their standards. | |
| Of the 47 states that offered statewide assessments, only 7--California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, New York, North Carolina, and Texas--had developed assessments for foreign languages, and most of the assessments were voluntary. | |
A 1995 update of the survey (McMillan, 1995) requested additional information from the states regarding their actual or proposed foreign language standards and the relationship of these standards to the national standards. Of the 27 states that responded, 14 reported that they had developed standards simultaneously with the national foreign language standards. This suggests that national standards are an important focus of educational reform and will continue to shape state and local curricula.
State foreign language mandates differ in what they require. This article contains a brief description of what individual states with secondary school mandates require of their schools (NCSSFL, 1994).
Descriptions of Selected State Initiatives
Although some states have mandates that require foreign language instruction, other states are actively working without a mandate to improve and promote foreign language offerings. There is interesting variation in how individual states support foreign language education. Descriptions of several state activities are included below.
Focus on Elementary Schools
| Delaware--Although Delaware has no mandate for foreign language at the elementary school level, there is substantial interest in improving foreign language instruction and encouraging elementary school foreign language programs. Local support for elementary school foreign language instruction has led to the establishment of several foreign language magnet schools and Spanish partial immersion programs. | |
| Florida--Foreign language instruction in prekindergarten through grade 5 is part of the sequential, progressive foreign language program envisioned and outlined in Florida's state standards. As a result of state standards and increasingly vocal parental support, many Florida school districts have implemented pilot, magnet, or dual language programs or are considering ways to offer foreign languages in some form in the near future. In addition, the Florida Department of Education has issued calls for proposals for elementary foreign language materials, including instructional materials for classes in Spanish for Spanish speakers. | |
| Hawaii--In 1986, the Hawaii State Board of Education passed a motion to incorporate second language instruction into the curriculum for grades 3 through 6. Although all elementary schools are expected to comply with this ruling, implementation has been voluntary and there are no consequences for failing to implement the programs. As a result, approximately 86 of 180 elementary schools now have some type of foreign language program. | |
| Louisiana--In 1984, the Louisiana Board of Elementary and Secondary Education mandated that a foreign language be taught to all "academically able" students in grades 4 through 8. Each parish school system selects the language or languages to be taught. A foreign language must be taught for a minimum of 30 minutes per day throughout the entire school year in grades 4, 5, and 6. In grades 7 and 8, foreign languages must be scheduled for 150 minutes per week during the entire school year. FLES programs must be used; rotating or exploratory programs may not be used to meet the mandate. | |
Focus on K-12 Schools
| Montana--Since 1992, all secondary schools have been required to offer two years of a foreign language, and since 1994, schools have been required to offer foreign languages in grades 7 and 8. By 1999, all elementary schools will also be required to offer second language study. | |
| North Carolina--Foreign language instruction is mandated in kindergarten through grade 12 as part of the Basic Education Program. Some of the most successful programs have been those that integrate language instruction with instruction in a content area. In addition, a number of school systems are developing foreign language assessment tools to ease grade-to-grade transitions as well as transitions between school levels. | |
| Oklahoma--According to a language mandate in the state education reform bill, all school districts must implement a study program in at least one language other than English. In kindergarten through grade 3, language awareness is encouraged through programs where children learn about other languages. The programs emphasize enrichment rather than language proficiency. In grades 4 through 6, a sequential language program is implemented so that students can begin to develop actual communication skills in a particular language. In grades 7 through 12, continuing sequences of instruction must be provided to help students develop indepth language competence. | |
States With Secondary School Foreign Language Mandates
| Arizona--By 1998, all middle and junior high schools must offer foreign language instruction through grade 8. | Louisiana--All academically able students are required to study a foreign language in grades 4 through 8. | Oklahoma--All middle and junior high schools must offer sequential foreign language courses that build on elementary coursework. |
| Arkansas--All middle and junior high schools are strongly encouraged to offer foreign language instruction, and all high schools must offer two years of one foreign language. | Maine--All senior high schools must offer two years of one foreign language. | Oregon--Beginning in 2002, foreign language study will be a graduation requirement for all high school students. |
| California--Foreign languages must be offered in grades 7 through 12 at all middle, junior, and senior high schools. | Maryland--Two years of foreign language study are required for high school graduation for most students. | Pennsylvania--All senior high schools must offer two foreign languages, one of which must be a modern language. One of the foreign languages must have a four-year sequence. |
| Connecticut--Schools other than state regional vocational technical schools must offer one or more foreign languages at least at the secondary level. | Michigan--To receive extra funding, school districts are required to provide an uninterrupted sequence of foreign language study from elementary school to high school. | South Carolina--All senior high schools must offer two years of one foreign language. |
| Delaware--All senior high schools must offer at least two foreign languages. | Minnesota--Three years of one foreign language must be provided in grades 7 through 12. | South Dakota--All senior high schools must offer two years of one foreign language. |
| District of Columbia--All high school students must study one year of a foreign language. | Missouri--For senior high schools, three units of foreign language must be offered in AAA (large) schools; two units must be offered in AA (small) schools. A minimum of two units must be offered for schools to receive accreditation. | Texas--All high schools must offer two years of one foreign language. Students who wish to complete the State Board of Education's recommended high school plan will be required to complete three credits of the same foreign language or to demonstrate equivalent proficiency. |
| Idaho--All senior high schools must offer foreign languages. | Montana--All middle and junior high schools must offer a foreign language program in grades 7 and 8, and all high schools must offer at least two years of a foreign language. | Utah--Foreign language instruction must be offered in all senior high schools. |
| Illinois--All senior high schools must offer two years of one foreign language. | Nebraska--All senior high schools must offer two years of one foreign language. | Vermont--All high schools must offer at least three years of one foreign language. |
| Indiana--All senior high schools must offer two years of one foreign language. | New Hampshire--All high schools must offer three years of one foreign language and two years of a second foreign language. Schools with fewer than 300 students must offer four years of one foreign language. | Virginia--Foreign language instruction must be offered in grade 8. All high schools must offer three years of one foreign language. |
| Iowa--Middle and junior high schools are encouraged to offer foreign language instruction, and all high schools must offer four years of one foreign language. | New York--One foreign language must be offered in grades 8 through 12, and all high school students must study a foreign language for two years. | West Virginia--All high schools must offer at least two years of one foreign language. |
| Kansas--All senior high schools must offer two years of one foreign language. | North Carolina--Foreign language study is required to be available to all middle, junior high, and high school students (grades 6 through 12). | Wisconsin--All high schools must offer foreign language instruction in grades 9 through 12. |
| Kentucky--All senior high schools must offer three years of one foreign language. | Ohio--All high schools must offer three years of one foreign language or two years of two foreign languages. | |
References
Inman, J. E., and R. LaBouve. 1994. The Impact of Education Reform: A Survey of State Activities. Washington, DC: Joint National Committee for Languages. ERIC Document Reproduction Service No. ED 383 187.
McMillan, C. 1995. Language Education at the State Level: An Update of Activities. Washington, DC: Joint National Committee for Languages. ERIC Document Reproduction Service No. ED 392 253.
National Council of State Supervisors of Foreign Languages. 1994. "State Requirements for Foreign Language Instruction." Foreign Language Annals 27: 63-68.
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Vickie Lewelling is Assistant Director of the ERIC Clearinghouse on Languages and Linguistics at the Center for Applied Linguistics (CAL) in Washington, D.C. She is Editor of the ERIC/CLL News Bulletin and coordinates the development and publication of ERIC Digests. She is a fluent speaker of Danish and can also communicate in Norwegian and Swedish.
Jeanne Rennie is Associate Director of the ERIC Clearinghouse on Languages and Linguistics at CAL in Washington, D.C. She is also Codirector of CAL's Foreign Language Education division and Editor for the Center for Research on Education, Diversity, and Excellence. She is a fluent speaker of French and can also communicate in Spanish. |
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