CHEYENNE, Wyo. (AP) — The House Education Committee has endorsed a bill that would give Wyoming school districts the option of providing foreign language instruction in kindergarten through second grade.

The unanimous endorsement Friday of House Bill 126 sends the bill to the House floor for debate.

Currently, districts are required to provide the foreign language instruction to the young students.

Republican Rep. Garry Piiparinen, of Evanston, is a teacher who is sponsoring the proposal.

He says it should be up to districts to decide whether to offer the foreign language in the early grades. He says current law is an unfunded mandate on the districts.

Others testified that providing foreign language instruction in the first three grades doesn't do much good if it isn't continued as the student progresses through higher grade levels.

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