This guide to Spanish language proficiency standards is intended to aid the University of Minnesota's staff in developing curricula and tests for the university's language courses, and to help foreign language teachers outside the university understand the university's language programs. The standards are geared toward the language skills expected of students having completed 3 quarters of university study (for program entrance) or 6 quarters (for graduation). An introductory section outlines the process of developing the standards, the resources necessary for proficiency-oriented programs to bring most students to the levels defined, and notes on interpreting and applying the proficiency guidelines. A section on testing describes the methods and instruments used. For each of the four language skills (listening, speaking, reading, and writing), the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL) Provisional Proficiency Guidelines are presented and the university's program entrance and graduation standards are outlined. (MSE)