World Languages

In San Juan Unified School District, we offer a dual immersion program at Thomas Edison Language Institute and a variety of world language courses for learners at middle and high school. Languages offered include:

• American Sign Language (ASL), offered at Del Campo and Bella Vista only
• Chinese, offered at Churchill Middle School and Mira Loma only
• French, offered at Churchill, Casa Roble Fundamental High School, Bella Vista High School, Del Campo High School, El Camino Fundamental High School, Mira Loma High School, and Rio Americano High School only
• Japanese, offered at Bella Vista and Mira Loma only
• Spanish, offered at all high schools and also at Gold River, Sierra Oaks, Thomas Edison Language Institute (as an elective for those not in the Dual Immersion program), Churchill Middle School, Arden Middle School, John Barrett Middle School, Katherine Johnson Middle School, Louis Pasteur Middle School, Will Rogers Middle School

Below, you can see information about our World Languages Graduation Requirement and further down the page, you can learn how your student can earn the California Seal of Biliteracy.

Graduation Requirement and the Seal of Biliteracy

Options to meet the world languages graduation requirement

There are many ways that students can meet our world languages graduation requirement. Options for learners are listed below.

1. Coursework: Students successfully complete two years of instruction in the same language. Students can begin world language courses as early as 7th grade in some of our middle schools. Students who successfully complete a 1st and/or 2nd year world language course in middle school earn credit towards the graduation requirement. 
2. Submit verification of world language proficiency from a language or cultural center/school. Please contact your (or your student's) counselor to get more information about how to submit proficiency validation from a language or cultural center/school. 
3. Validate based on English Learner status. NOTE: this option does validate language proficiency for our graduation requirement, but it does not provide A-G credit for admission to CSU and UC universities.
4. Pass an exam demonstrating novice-mid to novice high proficiency (depending on the language). Students will demonstrate proficiency in listening, speaking, reading and writing, except in ASL, where they will demonstrate the ability to comprehend signed content and to participate in a conversation in American Sign Language. Students who demonstrate Intermediate Mid proficiency or higher may also be eligible for the Seal of Biliteracy, if they also met the requirements for English. Because this is a high-stakes test, taking a proficiency exam is always the last option, and not the first option for validating language proficiency. If you or your student are interested in scheduling a proficiency exam, please contact your counselor to start the process.

For more information about any of these options, please contact your counselor or Nicole Naditz, Program Specialist, Instructional Technology and World Languages: nnaditz@sanjuan.edu. 

Earning the California State Seal of Biliteracy

Students with proficiency in both English and a language other than English may be eligible for the California State Seal of Biliteracy. The program and requirements are explained below. 

You can get more information about the California State Seal of Biliteracy by visiting https://www.cde.ca.gov/sp/el/er/sealofbiliteracy.asp.  If you have any questions about the California State Seal of Biliteracy, please contact Nicole Naditz, Program Specialist, Instructional Technology and World Languages at nnaditz@sanjuan.edu.