ABSTRACT
The field of Spanish heritage language (SHL) education has experienced tremendous growth since the late 1990s. This chapter briefly describes key issues in language program administration more generally, drawing on decades of experience in basic language programs that teach second languages, in order to highlight what is different about heritage learner (HL) program direction. A summary of publications investigating the existence and growth of SHL programs around the nation is followed by an overview of existing proposals for addressing current issues in SHL program administration. The chapter continues with an overview of several concrete SHL program initiatives, and finally sets an agenda to expand this critical area of practice and research. It focuses on the postsecondary context, but several issues are likely relevant to high school Spanish programs as well. The increasing availability of SHL programs is a key finding in existing research on SHL programs at the university level.
