(1) As used in this section: (a) "Accelerated foreign language student" means an eligible student who has passed a world language Advanced Placement exam. (b) "Blended learning delivery model" means an education delivery model in which a student learns, at least in part: (i) through synchronous online learning; and (ii) in the physical presence of an instructor. (c) "Partner language" means the same as that term is defined in Section 53F-2-502. (d) "Program" means the Utah Language Bridge Program, the foreign language concurrent enrollment program described in this section. (e) (i) "Qualified instructor" means: (A) a university instructor of record: (I) who holds a master's degree or higher or has at least 18 completed credit hours of graduate course work in an academic field related to the program; (II) who demonstrates language proficiency of advanced-high or higher on a verbal and written exam using a nationally recognized assessment that assesses an instructor's language proficiency or holds a bachelor's degree from a relevant country of origin of the target language; and (III) whom an institution hires according to the standards of the institution; (B) an LEA employee teaching the course individually who: (I) holds a master's degree or higher, has at least 18 completed credit hours of graduate work in an academic field related to the program, or acquires exception for approval without a master's degree from the partnering institution and the LEA; and (II) demonstrates language proficiency of advanced-high or higher on a verbal and written exam from a nationally recognized assessment used that measures an instructor's language proficiency or holds a bachelor's degree from a relevant country of origin of the target language; or (C) an LEA employee co-teaching with a Utah System of Higher Education faculty member who: (I) has qualifying experience, including demonstrated language proficiency of advanced-mid or higher on a verbal and written exam using nationally recognized standards to assess an instructor's language proficiency; or (II) holds a bachelor's degree from a relevant country of origin in the target language. (ii) "Qualified instructor" does not include an instructor with qualifications based on years of experience alone. (f) "Service area" means the geographic area, as board policy determines, where a state university has primary responsibility for providing educational programs and services. (g) "State university" means an institution of higher education that offers courses leading to a bachelor's degree. (2) The University of Utah shall partner with all state universities to develop and maintain, as part of the concurrent enrollment program described in this part, concurrent enrollment courses that: (a) are age-appropriate foreign language courses for accelerated foreign language students participating in the program; (b) count toward a foreign language degree offered by an institution of higher education; and (c) the university delivers: (i) using an in-person or blended learning delivery model; and (ii) through a qualified instructor. (3) Subject to budget constraints, in addition to the base increases described in Section 53F-2-208, the Legislature shall annually increase the money appropriated for concurrent enrollment courses for accelerated foreign language students participating in the program in proportion to the percentage increase over the previous school year in the value of the weighted pupil unit. (4) (a) A state university that offers an upper-division course under the program shall ensure that a qualified instructor teaches or co-teaches the upper-division course. (b) If a state university cannot provide a qualified instructor to an LEA in the state university's service area before April 1 of each year, in accordance with Subsection (4)(a), an LEA shall: (i) partner with a state institution from outside the service area that contains the LEA to provide an upper-division course under this program; and (ii) enter into a contract with a state institution from outside the service area that contains the LEA, in accordance with Section 53E-10-303, to provide the program at the LEA. (5) A state university that offers an upper-division course under this section shall ensure the course counts toward a foreign language degree an institution of higher education offers. (6) The state board shall: (a) identify the estimated cost to extend the dual language immersion proficiency assessments described in Section 53F-2-502 from grades 3 through 8 to grades 3 through 12 in the following four skills: (i) speaking; (ii) listening; (iii) reading; and (iv) writing; and (b) submit a report to the Public Education Appropriations Subcommittee detailing the estimated costs described in Subsection (6)(a) before the subcommittee's October 2026 interim meeting.
‹ Prev All Utah sections Next ›
Lexace provides legal information, not legal advice, and no attorney–client relationship is created. Statute text is provided for general information and may not reflect the most recent amendments; verify against the official state code.