Spanish only foreign language choice in SL schools, but ... lo están haciendo bien

A national report claims that Iowa is lagging behind much of the U.S. in foreign language instruction for K-12 students, but local school leaders say they are simply concentrating on multiple levels of Spanish teaching.

Only about 15 percent of Iowa's K-12 students were enrolled in a foreign language class as of the 2014-15 academic year, and the state ranked 35th in foreign language instruction offerings. Many schools, especially in rural areas, have had to eliminate classes and staff in languages.

Storm Lake High School currently offers only one foreign language, Spanish. It is popular, with at least seven sections of Spanish I offered, and students can take up to four years of the language. Students occasionally request classes in other languages, but have to take them online or through Iowa Central Community College.

SLHS also offers Spanish Language Arts, designed for native Spanish speakers who may struggle with reading and writing Spanish.

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