In california, do you have to?

Question

learn a second language in school for credits even if you are fluent in more than 1 language

is there any way to avoid this?

Answer 1

It is not a statewide requirement. Some districts require a year of foreign language to graduate. All colleges require at least two years of foreign language to be admitted.

Being fluent in a language is not the same thing as being literate in a language. Even if you can speak it, they would like you to take a class to prove you can read and write it.

Most schools will have you take a test to evaluate your literacy level, and will place you in the highest class appropriate for you. If you are fully literate in another language, and they offer AP classes in that language, you may be placed there. Then you take the AP test and possibly earn college credit for it, so it wouldn't necessarily be a waste of time for you.

They may even let you take the AP test without taking a class. Several foreign exchange students have taken that option at my school (a German student did not take the German language class, but took the German AP test, for example).

Hope that helps!