Minnesota Statutes
Chapter 120B — Curriculum And Assessment
Section 120B.022 — Elective Standards.

Subdivision 1. Elective standards. A district must establish its own standards in career and technical education. A district must use the current world languages standards developed by the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages. A school district must offer courses in all elective subject areas.
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 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.
Subd. 1b. State bilingual and multilingual seals. (a) Consistent with efforts to strive for the world's best workforce under sections 120B.11 and 124E.03, subdivision 2, paragraph (i), 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 students in any school district, charter school, or nonpublic school who demonstrate an advanced-low level or an intermediate high level of functional proficiency in listening, speaking, reading, and writing on either assessments aligned with American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages' (ACTFL) proficiency guidelines 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 must demonstrate mastery of Minnesota's English language proficiency standards.
(c) Consistent with this subdivision, a high school student who demonstrates an intermediate high ACTFL level of functional proficiency in one language in addition to English is eligible to receive the state bilingual gold seal. A high school student who demonstrates an intermediate high ACTFL level of functional native proficiency in more than one language in addition to English is eligible to receive the state multilingual gold seal. A high school student who demonstrates an advanced-low ACTFL level of functional proficiency in one language in addition to English is eligible to receive the state bilingual platinum seal. A high school student who demonstrates an advanced-low ACTFL level of functional proficiency in more than one language in addition to English is eligible to receive the state multilingual platinum seal.
(d) School districts and charter schools may 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 evaluators trained in assessing under ACTFL proficiency guidelines 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 students eligible to receive the state bilingual or multilingual gold and platinum seals. The school district or charter school must affix the appropriate seal to the transcript of each high school student 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 student 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 an intermediate high or advanced-low ACTFL level of functional 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 list on the web page those assessments that are aligned to ACTFL proficiency guidelines.
(h) By August 1, 2015, the colleges and universities of the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities system must establish criteria to translate the seals into college credits based on the world language course equivalencies identified by the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities faculty and staff and, upon request from an enrolled student, the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities may award foreign language credits to a student who receives a Minnesota World Language Proficiency Certificate under subdivision 1a. A student who demonstrated the requisite level of language proficiency in grade 10, 11, or 12 to receive a seal or certificate and is enrolled in a Minnesota State Colleges and Universities institution must request college credits for the student's seal or proficiency certificate within three academic years after graduating from high school. The University of Minnesota is encouraged to award students foreign language academic credits consistent with this paragraph.
Subd. 2. Local assessments. A district must use a locally selected assessment to determine if a student has achieved an elective standard.
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; 2014 c 272 art 1 s 3; 1Sp2015 c 3 art 2 s 2,3; art 3 s 3; art 4 s 10; 1Sp2017 c 5 art 2 s 4