Colorado schools may award graduates two language endorsements

A local education provider may grant a biliteracy endorsement to a graduating student who meets the English and world language standards. This endorsement is for graduating high school students who demonstrate proficiency in English and one or more world languages. Students must meet an English proficiency option listed in the law, including specified coursework or assessments, college and career readiness options, or multilingual learner redesignation requirements. Students must show proficiency in at least one world language through qualifying coursework, a summative assessment, a nationally recognized test, or equally rigorous evidence.

A local education provider may grant a bilingualism endorsement to a graduating student who meets the oral proficiency standards. This endorsement is for graduating high school students who demonstrate oral proficiency in English and one or more world languages. Students must show oral proficiency in English through a listed college and career readiness option or multilingual learner redesignation requirements. Students must show oral proficiency in at least one world language through a qualifying test or equally rigorous evidence.

Students may seek an endorsement from another local education provider or state institution of higher education if their own provider does not offer it. This applies to high school students seeking a biliteracy or bilingualism endorsement that their own local education provider does not offer. Students must first seek the endorsement from their own local education provider. If that provider does not offer the endorsement and chooses not to establish a program, it may make an agreement with another provider or state institution of higher education. After a student completes the endorsement, the outside provider must verify it to the student and the student’s provider. It may charge a fee based on its actual and indirect program costs, and the student’s provider must pay any fee.