Section 1.465  Ethnic School World Language Credit and Program Approval

a)         School boards of unit and secondary school districts may award high school credit for the study of a world language in an ethnic school, provided that the amount of credit to be awarded is determined in accordance with Section 10-22.43a of the Code and that the credit is awarded for the study of a world language in an ethnic school program that has been approved by the State Board in accordance with this Section.

b)         "Ethnic school" means a part time private school which teaches the foreign language of a particular ethnic group as well as the culture, geography, history and other aspects of a particular ethnic group [105 ILCS 5/2-3.44].

c)         The State Superintendent shall approve ethnic schools' world language programs if they meet the following standards:

1)         Each teacher shall possess at least a baccalaureate degree and have completed at least 20 semester hours of credit in the world language taught, both of which shall have been awarded by a regionally accredited college or university.

2)         Each program shall contain at least 120 clock hours of instruction plus outside preparation for each unit of credit issued upon successful completion of the instruction, although less than a full unit of credit may also be awarded in proportion to the amount of instruction received.

d)         Each school shall maintain and make available upon request by the State Superintendent or by officials of school districts to which students seek to transfer world language credit, documentation that verifies compliance with the requirements of subsection (c), including but not limited to informational brochures, course syllabi, class schedules, and teachers' official transcripts.

e)         Annual application by an ethnic school for approval of its world language program shall be made on forms provided by the State Superintendent.

f)         Approval shall be granted on an annual basis provided that a previously approved ethnic school continues to comply with the minimum standards set forth in subsection (c).

(Source:  Amended at 45 Ill. Reg. 5744, effective April 21, 2021)