Spanish Language Development Standards
The Spanish Language Development Standards are the Spanish translation of the California English Language Development Standards with linguistic augmentations.
Spanish Language Development Standards
(PDF)
Purpose
The purpose of the Spanish Language Development Standards (SLD Standards) is to assist teachers to design instruction for students developing linguistic proficiency in listening, speaking, reading, and writing in Spanish. The SLD Standards do not replace the California Common Core State Standards in Spanish Language Arts, also known as the Common Core en Español.
Using the SLD Standards
The SLD Standards may be used as a resource to compliment and inform the instruction of content area subjects taught in Spanish. The SLD standards provide a continuum of developmental skills across the levels of language acquisition that enable teachers to plan instruction. Local educational agencies (LEAs) that offer bilingual and biliteracy language programs may decide locally how and when to use the SLD Standards to design instructional lessons that support student’s development of Spanish proficiency. The SLD Standards do not replace the Common Core en Español and are not required.
Frequently Asked Questions
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What are the SLD Standards?
The SLD Standards are the Spanish translation of the California English Language Development Standards with linguistic augmentations.
What is the purpose of the SLD Standards?
The purpose of the SLD Standards is to assist teachers to design instruction for students developing linguistic proficiency in listening, speaking, reading, and writing in Spanish. The SLD Standards may be used as a resource to compliment and inform the instruction of content area subjects taught in Spanish.
The SLD standards provide a continuum of developmental skills across the levels of language acquisition. This enables teachers to plan instruction and appropriately support students at their zone of proximal development for attaining native language proficiency in Spanish. An LEA may decide locally how and when to use the SLD Standards.
Do the SLD Standards replace the California Common Core State Standards in Spanish Language Arts, also known as the Common Core en Español?
The SLD Standards do not replace the Common Core en Español. The SLD Standards are designed to work in tandem with the Common Core en Español. They were developed to be used as a resource to compliment and inform the instruction of content area subjects taught in Spanish.
Are LEAs required to use the SLD Standards in bilingual/biliteracy language programs, such as two-way bilingual immersion, dual language, developmental bilingual, transitional, heritage language, etc.?
No. The SLD Standards are not required. Each LEA may decide locally how and when to use the SLD Standards.
LEAs take into consideration the type of bilingual/biliteracy language program, student populations, and desired language proficiency objectives and goals. Teachers in bilingual and biliteracy language programs may use the SLD Standards to design instructional lessons that support students’ development of Spanish proficiency.
Are LEAs required to have a dedicated time for Spanish language development instruction?
No. LEAs are not required to have a dedicated time for Spanish language development. Each LEA may determine how to design instruction of Spanish language acquisition. How and when an LEA uses the SLD Standards to compliment and inform instruction of content area subjects taught in Spanish is a local decision.
Are LEAs required to use the SLD Standards in Spanish world language programs?
No. Each LEA may determine how and when to use the SLD Standards. The SLD Standards are not required.
Last Reviewed: Tuesday, June 3, 2025
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