Many educational institutions have already determined that American Sign Language (ASL) is indeed a language, that it has a culture, and it is sufficiently foreign to fulfill a foreign language requirement. Consequently, schools and universities struggle to place ASL in the context of academic foreign language programs. The challenge is to develop state curriculum frameworks, local curricula, and teacher licensure requirements that establish ASL as a viable contender among its academic counterparts. This article describes the steps that have been taken in Virginia to allow ASL to fulfill the foreign language requirement for an advanced studies diploma, including the development of state curriculum framework and teacher licensure requirements. The article provides a historical background of ASL in American education, including a summary of ASL and the foreign language model, ASL and the national standards for foreign language learning, applying national standards to ASL instruction, the Virginia framework for instruction of ASL, and teacher licensure requirements in Virginia. Twelve references are included, as are two appendices, Framework for Instruction of American Sign Language in Virginia Public Schools, March 1998 and Proposed Amendment to Licensure Regulations for School Personnel. (KFT)