§ 22-7-1009.5 — Diploma endorsement - biliteracy - definitions

Colorado § 22-7-1009.5

• Jurisdiction: Colorado
• Title 22: Education
• Art.: Educational Accountability

Text

(1) As used in
this section, unless the context otherwise requires:

(a) Advanced placement test means the final test administered at the
completion of a course that delivers a college-level curriculum in a particular world
language and that may result in the awarding of college credit based on the score
achieved on the final test.

(b) International baccalaureate means a program of international
education offered through a local education provider by a nonprofit educational
foundation.

(c) World language means a language other than English and includes
American sign language.

(2) A local education provider may grant a diploma endorsement in biliteracy
to a graduating high school student who attains proficiency or higher in one or more
world languages in addition to attaining proficiency or higher in English. To obtain
an endorsement in biliteracy, a graduating student must:

(a) Demonstrate proficiency or higher in English by:

(I) Completing all of the English language arts course requirements for
graduation from high school with an overall grade point average of at least 3.0 in
the required English language arts courses; and

(II) (A) Achieving a score that indicates proficiency or higher on the English
language arts portion of the curriculum-based, achievement college entrance exam
administered to eleventh-grade students pursuant to section 22-7-1006.3 (2); or

(B) Passing the English language arts advanced placement test with a score
of three or higher or passing the English language arts portion of an international
baccalaureate test with a score of four or higher; and

(b) Demonstrate proficiency or higher in one or more world languages by:

(I) Passing a world language advanced placement test with a score of three
or higher or passing the world language portion of an international baccalaureate
test with a score of four or higher;

(II) Successfully completing a four-year high school course of study in the
world language and attaining an overall grade point average of at least 3.0 in the
course of study; or

(III) Achieving a passing score on the world language portion of a nationally
recognized test that is relied upon by institutions of higher education.

(3) (a) For each world language for which an advanced placement test is not
available, the department of education may identify one or more summative tests in
the world language that are comparable in rigor to an advanced placement test.
The department may include in the list a summative test created or identified by a
local education provider.

(b) Notwithstanding any provision of subsection (2)(b)(I) of this section to the
contrary:

(I) A local education provider may use a test identified by the department of
education in place of an advanced placement test for purposes of subsection
(2)(b)(I) of this section;

(II) If an advanced placement test does not exist and the department has not
identified a comparable test for the world language a student studies, the local
education provider may create a test to administer to the student in place of an
advanced placement test for purposes of subsection (2)(b)(I) of this section or may
allow a student to submit a body of evidence that demonstrates the student's
knowledge of the world language. If the local education provider chooses to create
a test, it must certify to the department that the test assesses speaking, reading,
and writing in the world language at a level that is comparable in rigor to an
advanced placement test in a world language or comparable to the level of a
summative assessment administered at the completion of a four-year high school
course of study in the world language. The student must pass the test at the
proficient level or higher. If the local education provider allows a student to submit
a body of evidence, it must certify to the department that the evidence presented
demonstrates the student's ability to speak, understand, read, and write the world
language with a level of rigor that is comparable to an advanced placement test in a
world language or comparable to the level of a summative assessment
administered at the completion of a four-year high school course of study in the
world language.

(III) If an advanced placement test exists or the department has identified a
comparable test for a world language, and the local education provider creates and
uses an alternative test for that world language, the department must approve the
local education provider's test before the local education provider may use the test
to determine a student's level of proficiency in the world language in place of an
advanced placement test for purposes of subsection (2)(b)(I) of this section.

(4) Each local education provider that creates a test for a world language or
accepts a body of evidence to demonstrate the ability to speak, understand, read,
and write a world language shall provide a copy of the test and a description of the
body of evidence to the department of education. The department shall make the
tests and descriptions available to local education providers upon request.

Legislative History

Source: L. 2017: Entire section added, (SB 17-123), ch. 84, p. 259, � 1, effective August 9.