Anonymous wrote:I have always heard that colleges don’t penalize a kid for not taking a course that is not offered. Out of their control.

If she loves it, I would look into further study. But I wouldn’t sweat it for the admissions process.

You're assuming that the course is dropped from the catalog. There are plenty of courses listed that haven't been taught in years

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Anonymous wrote:You have to pay for a private tutor, OP. In the DC area, I hope you can find someone who can teach that language. If this is important for your daughter and her college and career prospects, you need to make that happen.

This happened to my friend's kids - the language they had started to study was canceled. They were furious but in public school, there's nothing you can do. There are staffing shortages, budget issues and, for some schools, no available classrooms because they're so overcrowded - and it doesn't make sense to hire a teacher if the demand is low.

I would bite the bullet and do this, but how would credit work in that situation? Don't the colleges need to see it on a transcript somewhere?

You have to go with a certified program such as Language bird that I posted earlier, that’s accredited and offers online language instruction. It’s one on one, and it costs something like 1000 or $2000. But some school districts might help you pay for it especially if they only have three or four students who are still taking that language. It’s an awful lot cheaper than hiring a teacher and anyway the Italian teachers apparently are not existent right now. You have to check that the school district will except the credit and put it on the students transcript, but there’s no reason they shouldn’t if the online instruction is accredited.

I have always heard that colleges don’t penalize a kid for not taking a course that is not offered. Out of their control.

If she loves it, I would look into further study. But I wouldn’t sweat it for the admissions process.

If the school is retaining the teacher of Italian, try to arrange private tutoring with that teacher.

I would have a plan a/plan b approach. First, I would lean on the HS not to cancel the class (or at least give the kids a chance to take it online). I have trouble believing they'd really cancel it in the middle of the year; there are probably seniors in the class who will be impacted if they lose the credit.

If that doesn't pan out, I'd look into taking it through a local college or CC.

What I would not do is give up the language entirely.

Let's face reality...you're just going to have to send your kid to Italy for the summer. (Now if he could just get them to cancel French & Spanish....)

A pp suggested Language Bird. Upon completion of the online course (higher level) she receives a certificate for high school credit. Get approval from HS powers that be. Plenty of time before college apps. In the additional info section of college app, she can explain that the course was cancelled due to staff shortage and budget. She should mention how she was proactive at finding a solution because she loves the language so much and “plans” to take it in said college (if offered). Not sure why there wouldn’t be an AP exam for Italian. You’ll cross that bridge if that’s the case. Link to Italian for HS credit. https://www.languagebird.com/courses/italian-courses-for-credit/

We were in the same situation with the fourth year to be cancelled. I wrote both the principal and college counselor and explained how this would harm all of the students’ chances for college, and linked in the expectations of the Ivies and UVA, where my DC planned on applying. The school resurrected the fourth year. In the meantime we did find foreign language classes that were suitable at NVCC and GMU. One student decided to do that anyhow to demonstrate they could handle a college foreign language class . Summer foreign language courses at any college is also an option. Usually you apply as a non-degree student and your high school principal has to sign off on it.

I'm surprised a college would ding a student for this when the high school caused the issue by not offering the language. My DC is taking a STEM program and doesn't have room for a language.

Could you spin the situation in a way that shows favorably on your child? I like the idea of starting a club or maybe working/volunteering with people using that language? Might that help your student stand out even more?

Anonymous wrote:Another option, a dual enrollment course at your local community college, perhaps over the summer if fitting it in during the semester doesn't work.

I don't blame you for being annoyed OP. For others reading this thread, who have their kids learning anything other than french and spanish in MCPS, depending on what school you are at, I would ask pointed questions about whether they actually have 4 years of instruction and how much they combine upper and lower level classes.

OP, if there is an AP class for Italian, I would engage a private tutor (or do online classes) to work toward self-studying for the italian AP exam. If there is no AP exam, I'd look into dual enrollment. I also think that this is something your kid can mention in their letter to their college counselor writing a recommendation so it can be mentioned by the counselor that the school stopped offering the language midway.

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Anonymous wrote:Oooh, care to share what language is being offered? Good for your kid for taking a less commonly taught language!

It's Italian. There are staffing shortages for another language at a lower (county required) tier, so the teacher is saying they have to teach the other class because no one is staffed in it. So, the program isn't ending, they just don't have the staffing to offer everything slated it seems. But, the other class is Spanish. I struggle to see how a Spanish teacher for level 1 can't be found.

Which options remain for FL study if Spanish is not offered ?

Spanish is offered. There is just a teacher shortage. Not enough teachers for the sections.

Reminds me of Henry Ford and the Model T when he said: "You can have it in any color you want so long as it is black."

My question was inquiring about which language options are being offered which your student can take in lieu of Italian ?

Nothing really. Colleges want 3+ years of the same language.

Colleges want a lot of things. I just find it really sad that instead of enjoying the richness of language study OP is fixated on checking boxes and likely communicating that freakout to her daughter. Sh*t happens in life, including bureaucratic decisions that don’t go your way.

Your judgments are way off base, so consider before making them. Kid does not want to take another language. Kid wants to go to schools that require 3+ years of language. Why do some people feel the need to try to blame the parent? I don't get this.

Thanks to those with helpful suggestions.

I'm blaming you because YOU are "freaking out" about what is likely a minor glitch, and communicating to your daughter that the only thing that matters is maximizing her "rank," and a black & white viewpoint that having one semester less of a langauge spells doom on college applications. It's unfortunate this happens - but you have an apparently smart daughter in a STEM magnet. She's going to do FINE. Do what you can to advocate with the school, but you need to roll with this. And you need to be less enmeshed with your daughter's achievement. You should communicate a more flexible attitude that focuses on what you can do given the circumstances, ie, life. If she has the time and energy to continue with Italian and self-study for the AP - great. If not, also great. She is going to be FINE.

Don't sweat it. Your DD can explain in an essay or some place on the application. Colleges understand that stuff happens.

Another option, a dual enrollment course at your local community college, perhaps over the summer if fitting it in during the semester doesn't work.

Is this Latin?

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Anonymous wrote:Oooh, care to share what language is being offered? Good for your kid for taking a less commonly taught language!

It's Italian. There are staffing shortages for another language at a lower (county required) tier, so the teacher is saying they have to teach the other class because no one is staffed in it. So, the program isn't ending, they just don't have the staffing to offer everything slated it seems. But, the other class is Spanish. I struggle to see how a Spanish teacher for level 1 can't be found.

Which options remain for FL study if Spanish is not offered ?

Spanish is offered. There is just a teacher shortage. Not enough teachers for the sections.

Reminds me of Henry Ford and the Model T when he said: "You can have it in any color you want so long as it is black."

My question was inquiring about which language options are being offered which your student can take in lieu of Italian ?

Nothing really. Colleges want 3+ years of the same language.

Colleges want a lot of things. I just find it really sad that instead of enjoying the richness of language study OP is fixated on checking boxes and likely communicating that freakout to her daughter. Sh*t happens in life, including bureaucratic decisions that don’t go your way.

Your judgments are way off base, so consider before making them. Kid does not want to take another language. Kid wants to go to schools that require 3+ years of language. Why do some people feel the need to try to blame the parent? I don't get this.

Thanks to those with helpful suggestions.