101ST GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2019 and 2020
HB0037

 

Introduced 1/9/2019, by Rep. Rita Mayfield

 

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
 
105 ILCS 5/2-3.159

    Amends the State Board of Education - Powers and Duties Article of the School Code. Makes the State Seal of Biliteracy available to both public and non-public high school graduates (rather than public high school graduates only) who have attained a high level of proficiency in one or more language in addition to English and have met the criteria to obtain the State Seal of Biliteracy. Makes conforming changes.


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FISCAL NOTE ACT MAY APPLY

 

 

A BILL FOR

 

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1    AN ACT concerning education.
 
2    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
3represented in the General Assembly:
 
4    Section 5. The School Code is amended by changing Section
52-3.159 as follows:
 
6    (105 ILCS 5/2-3.159)
7    Sec. 2-3.159. State Seal of Biliteracy.
8    (a) In this Section, "foreign language" means any language
9other than English, including all modern languages, Latin,
10American Sign Language, Native American languages, and native
11languages.
12    (b) The State Seal of Biliteracy program is established to
13recognize public and non-public high school graduates who have
14attained a high level of proficiency in one or more languages
15in addition to English. The State Seal of Biliteracy shall be
16awarded beginning with the 2014-2015 school year. School
17district and non-public school participation in this program is
18voluntary.
19    (c) The purposes of the State Seal of Biliteracy are as
20follows:
21        (1) To encourage pupils to study languages.
22        (2) To certify attainment of biliteracy.
23        (3) To provide employers with a method of identifying

 

 

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1    people with language and biliteracy skills.
2        (4) To provide universities with an additional method
3    to recognize applicants seeking admission.
4        (5) To prepare pupils with 21st century skills.
5        (6) To recognize the value of foreign language and
6    native language instruction in public and non-public
7    schools.
8        (7) To strengthen intergroup relationships, affirm the
9    value of diversity, and honor the multiple cultures and
10    languages of a community.
11    (d) The State Seal of Biliteracy certifies attainment of a
12high level of proficiency, sufficient for meaningful use in
13college and a career, by a graduating public or non-public high
14school pupil in one or more languages in addition to English.
15    (e) The State Board of Education shall adopt such rules as
16may be necessary to establish the criteria that pupils must
17achieve to earn a State Seal of Biliteracy, which may include
18without limitation attainment of units of credit in English
19language arts and languages other than English and passage of
20such assessments of foreign language proficiency as may be
21approved by the State Board of Education for this purpose.
22These rules shall ensure that the criteria that pupils must
23achieve to earn a State Seal of Biliteracy meet the course
24credit criteria established under subsection (i) of this
25Section.
26    (f) The State Board of Education shall do both of the

 

 

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1following:
2        (1) Prepare and deliver to participating school
3    districts and non-public schools an appropriate mechanism
4    for designating the State Seal of Biliteracy on the diploma
5    and transcript of the pupil indicating that the pupil has
6    been awarded a State Seal of Biliteracy by the State Board
7    of Education.
8        (2) Provide other information the State Board of
9    Education deems necessary for school districts and
10    non-public schools to successfully participate in the
11    program.
12    (g) A school district or non-public school that
13participates in the program under this Section shall do both of
14the following:
15        (1) Maintain appropriate records in order to identify
16    pupils who have earned a State Seal of Biliteracy.
17        (2) Make the appropriate designation on the diploma and
18    transcript of each pupil who earns a State Seal of
19    Biliteracy.
20    (h) No fee shall be charged to a pupil to receive the
21designation pursuant to this Section. Notwithstanding this
22prohibition, costs may be incurred by the pupil in
23demonstrating proficiency, including without limitation any
24assessments required under subsection (e) of this Section.
25    (i) For admissions purposes, each public university in this
26State shall accept the State Seal of Biliteracy as equivalent

 

 

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1to 2 years of foreign language coursework taken during high
2school if a student's high school transcript indicates that he
3or she will be receiving or has received the State Seal of
4Biliteracy.
5    (j) Each public community college and public university in
6this State shall establish criteria to translate a State Seal
7of Biliteracy into course credit based on foreign language
8course equivalencies identified by the community college's or
9university's faculty and staff and, upon request from an
10enrolled student, the community college or university shall
11award foreign language course credit to a student who has
12received a State Seal of Biliteracy. Students enrolled in a
13public community college or public university who have received
14a State Seal of Biliteracy must request course credit for their
15seal within 3 academic years after graduating from high school.
16(Source: P.A. 98-560, eff. 8-27-13; 98-756, eff. 7-16-14;
1799-600, eff. 1-1-17.)