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World language chairs propose ASL 3 honors to sustain four‑year language sequences
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Summary
World language department chairs told the Academic Committee they plan to add ASL 3 honors and possibly level 4 so students can complete four‑year language sequences after the district expanded ASL offerings and reported strong Seal of Biliteracy participation.
At the March 18 Academic Committee meeting, world language department chairs Jay Lawrence (Hinsdale Central) and Sarah Wanda (Hinsdale South) outlined program changes intended to preserve four‑year language sequences and expand access to advanced study.
"Since 2017 when district 86 has started offering the Seal of Biliteracy testing for students to award the state credential, we've awarded over 1,500 seals of biliteracy to students," Sarah Wanda said, adding that the Class of 2025 earned 231 seals districtwide.
The chairs said the district currently offers French, German, Latin, Spanish and American Sign Language (ASL) and that the district is proposing to add ASL 3 honors — and potentially an ASL level 4 — so students who begin ASL can continue through a four‑year sequence at both campuses. Jay Lawrence described the proposal as an effort to "show equity between the languages and hopefully, potentially level 4 so that whatever language students begin, they do have an opportunity to have 4 years of language in their schedules."
Administrators said test options used to earn the state Seal of Biliteracy include AP exams, the STAMP test and POLTA for less‑common languages; AP scores of 4 or 5 and specified ACT/ACCESS scores can meet the English or language components. The chairs told the committee that state proficiency expectations and the time needed to reach "intermediate high" proficiency in four years are important factors when deciding which languages to offer and whether some programs must be "sunset" — the presentations noted the district is phasing back offerings in German for scheduling and sustainability reasons.
Community members and board members asked whether the district had measured student interest and whether staffing and scheduling would allow new or less‑common languages to run. Public commenter Kim Notaro said she was "a little bit confused as to why the academic committee is hearing a new course proposal when the board said there wouldn't be any for this year" and asked about pilot evaluations and equity across buildings.
Administrators and board members acknowledged staffing challenges and licensing constraints for niche languages and said they regularly consult peer districts and coordinate scheduling to avoid "stacking" students into combined classes that reduce the quality of instruction. They also said ASL enrollment has grown: presenters reported roughly 52 ASL1 students at Central and 48 at South this year and that ASL2 course requests jumped, driving the honors proposal.
The academic committee did not take a vote on the course proposal at the meeting; presenters said the committee's report will be forwarded to the full board and that further planning will include staffing forecasts, course requests and alignment with the district's seal‑of‑biliteracy goals.
