Modern languages are truly one of those things that either you learn as a child (best), or you can learn at any time in your life. It is probably the easiest subject to learn outside of a school environment as there are lots of immersion programs or abroad programs or extension classes or private tutors. This is not by any means you kid’s last chance to become proficient in Spanish.
My D will be taking AP Latin as a junior next year. Latin can be a fabulous experience. At least in her program, it is part grammar, part history. part textual analysis and part literature. It’s one thing to take World History and learn about Julius Caesar or read the Illiad in English. It’s another to read it in the original. Latin s not “utilitarian” in the sense that a modern language is, but it is still “useful.”
I live in the Bay area and work in Health Care. Spanish is useful. So is Tagalog, Cantonese, Vietnamese and Mien. But in the end, most MD’s use a translator
Spanish is a great language and IMO everyone should know a little. However, as I said, if you don’t learn it in 9th grade that doesn’t mean you’ll never learn it. 9th grade is really too early to plan out a career path. Let her explore a bit if she’s at all curious.