C.R.S. § 22-7-1009.5: Diploma endorsement - biliteracy - bilingualism - definitions.

(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.

(a.3) "Bilingualism" means the ability to speak, actively listen to, and understand English and another world language.

(a.5) "Biliteracy" means the ability to actively listen to, speak, understand, read, and write English and another world language.

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

(b.3) "State institution of higher education" means a state institution of higher education, as defined in section 23-18-102 (10), and a local district college.

(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; or

(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; or

(C) Meeting one of the options for college and career readiness by using any of the reading, writing, and communicating methods and levels indicated on the department's menu of college and career ready demonstrations, as adopted by the state board, or a successor framework and guidelines; or

(D) Meeting requirements for redesignation as described in the Colorado standardized redesignation procedures for multilingual learners; 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 passing a world language course of study that is equivalent in rigor to a world language advanced placement course with an overall grade point average of at least 3.0 in the course of study, passing the summative assessment at the completion of a four-year high school course of study in the world language, or providing a body of evidence that measures speaking, actively listening to, understanding, reading, and writing the language. If providing a body of evidence, the evidence must be of equal rigor to the advanced placement test; or

(III) Achieving a passing score on the world language portion of a nationally recognized test that assesses the student's ability to speak, actively listen to, understand, read, and write and is relied upon by institutions of higher education.

(2.5) A local education provider may grant a diploma endorsement in bilingualism 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 bilingualism, a graduating student must:

(a) Demonstrate oral proficiency or higher in English by:

(I) Meeting one of the options for college and career readiness by using any of the reading, writing, and communicating methods and levels indicated on the department's menu of college and career ready demonstrations, as adopted by the state board, or a successor framework and guidelines; or

(II) Meeting requirements for redesignation as described in the Colorado standardized redesignation procedures for multilingual learners; and

(b) Demonstrate oral proficiency or higher in one or more world languages by achieving a passing score on the world language oral portion of a nationally recognized test that assesses the student's ability to listen, speak, and understand and is relied upon by institutions of higher education; or

(c) Provide a body of evidence that measures speaking, actively listening to, and understanding the language. If providing a body of evidence, the evidence must be of equal rigor to the advanced placement test.

(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) Repealed.

(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.

(5) (a) A high school student who attends a local education provider that does not offer a diploma endorsement of biliteracy, or bilingualism, pursuant to subsections (2) and (2.5) of this section may seek an endorsement of biliteracy or bilingualism from a state institution of higher education or other local education provider that offers the endorsement the student is seeking.

(b) Prior to seeking a diploma endorsement of biliteracy or bilingualism from a state institution of higher education or other local education provider, a high school student must first seek the endorsement from their own local education provider. If the student's local education provider does not offer the endorsement and chooses not to establish a program to offer the endorsement, the student's local education provider may enter into an agreement with another local education provider or state institution of higher education that offers a diploma endorsement of biliteracy or bilingualism, whichever endorsement the student is seeking.

(c) After a student successfully completes the endorsement, the state institution of higher education or other local education provider shall send verification of the completed endorsement to the student and the student's local education provider.

(d) A state institution of higher education or other local education provider may charge a fee to provide the endorsement. The fee must reflect the actual and indirect costs to the state institution of higher education or other local education provider of providing the biliteracy endorsement program. Any fee assessed must be paid by the student's local education provider.