Statement from the Washington Association for Language Teaching (WAFLT)

The Washington Association for Language Teaching (WAFLT) strongly believes that all students deserve equal and sustained access to world language education. The Washington FutureReady State Graduation Requirement Framework proposes to remove World Languages from the core graduation requirements and place them into the Personalized Pathway, sending the message that language learning is optional rather than essential.

World Languages are vital for preparing students to succeed in a global society. They build communication skills, cultural competence, and cognitive flexibility; promote empathy and tolerance; and provide access to diverse career opportunities. In other words, develop both hard and soft skills. While the students who come from a non-English-speaking household are required to take the same four credits of English Language Arts, non-native speakers of English will remain at a big disadvantage in an even more interconnected, multicultural world of the future. 

Designating World Languages optional will further solidify their perception as a skill reserved for particular populations, such as those coming from already diverse backgrounds and college-bound students. At the same time, it will make it harder for those students who might decide to go to college in their senior or junior year but have not considered taking any world language classes until then, as they would not be able to meet college admission requirements.

The benefits of world language learning extend far beyond utilitarian considerations and should be recognized as we work not only to ensure that all students can graduate through pathways that reflect their strengths and aspirations but also to preserve the breadth and intellectual rigor that define a high-quality education. National research from ACTFL, MLA, and NHLRC shows that language proficiency improves academic achievement, strengthens critical thinking and collaboration, and increases workforce competitiveness.

Research consistently identifies time, sustained exposure, and continuity of instruction as critical to language acquisition. Washington schools should ensure that every student receives this foundation needed to develop a meaningful command of another language and continue building proficiency beyond high school. Without this requirement, language learning risks becoming a choice only for students who already understand its value and the commitment needed to achieve proficiency.

WAFLT urges the Washington State Board of Education to maintain two credits of World Languages as a core graduation requirement. Doing so protects educational equity and ensures students are prepared for success in an interconnected world, that students have the opportunity to build lasting language skills, open their future possibilities to a global scale, and develop the competencies needed to engage in a diverse world.

Stand with us. Sign this petition to keep World Languages in Washington’s core graduation requirements.

— Washington Association for Language Teaching (WAFLT) Board