Section 1. Section 53E-10-307 is amended to read:53E-10-307. Concurrent enrollment courses for accelerated foreign language students.(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 online learning with an element of student control over time, place, path, and pacesynchronous 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.(c)(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)are deliveredthe university delivers:(i)using aan in-person or blended learning delivery model; and(ii)by an eligiblethrough a qualified instructor described in Subsection 53E-10-302(6)(a).(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)In accordance with Title 63G, Chapter 3, Utah Administrative Rulemaking Act, the state board shall make rules to extend the current proficiency assessment for dual immersion students to grades 3 through 12 for each partner language, in accordance with Section 53F-2-502.

Section 2. Section 53F-2-502 is amended to read:53F-2-502. Dual language immersion.(1)As used in this section:(a)"Dual language immersion" means an instructional setting in which a student receives a portion of instruction in English and a portion of instruction exclusively in a partner language.(b)"Local education agency" or "LEA" means a school district or a charter school.(c)"Participating LEA" means an LEA selected by the state board to receive a grant described in this section.(d)"Partner language" means a language other than English in which instruction is provided in dual language immersion.(e)"Restricted foreign entity" means the same as that term is defined in Section 53H-8-501.(2)The state board shall:(a)establish a dual language immersion program;(b)in accordance with Title 63G, Chapter 3, Utah Administrative Rulemaking Act, make rules that establish:(i)a grant program for an LEA to receive funding for dual language immersion;(ii)the required qualifications for an LEA to be a participating LEA;(iii)subject to this section, requirements of a participating LEA;(iv)a proficiency assessment for each partner language; and(v)a progression of how a school in a participating LEA adds grade levels in which the school offers dual language immersion; and(c)subject to legislative appropriations:(i)select participating LEAs; and(ii)award to a participating LEA a grant to support dual language immersion in the LEA.(3)A participating LEA shall:(a)establish in a school a full-day dual language immersion instructional model that provides at least 50% of instruction exclusively in a partner language;(b)in accordance with the state board rules described in Subsection (2)(b), add grades in which dual language immersion is provided in a school; and(c)annually administer to each student in grades 3 through 812 who participates in dual language immersion an assessment described in Subsection (2)(b)(iv).(4)The state board shall:(a)provide support to a participating LEA, including by:(i)offering professional learning for dual language immersion educators;(ii)developing curriculum related to dual language immersion; or(iii)providing instructional support for a partner language;(b)conduct a program evaluation of the dual language immersion program established under Subsection (2)(a); and(c)on or before November 1, 2019, report to the Education Interim Committee and the Public Education Appropriations Subcommittee on the results of the program evaluation described in Subsection (4)(b).(5)The state board may, in accordance with Title 63G, Chapter 6a, Utah Procurement Code, contract with a third party to conduct the program evaluation described in Subsection (4)(b).(6)Regardless of whether an LEA is a participating LEA or provides language instruction through another method, beginning July 1, 2024, an LEA may not seek or accept funding support from a restricted foreign entity or an entity that passes on funding support from a restricted foreign entity.(7)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 dual language immersion in proportion to the percentage increase over the previous school year in the value of the weighted pupil unit.

Section 3. Effective Date.This bill takes effect on July 1, 2026.