Sen. Iris Y. Martinez

Filed: 5/14/2019

 

 


 

 


 
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1
AMENDMENT TO HOUSE BILL 3237

2    AMENDMENT NO. ______. Amend House Bill 3237 by replacing
3everything after the enacting clause with the following:
 
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 high school graduates who have attained a high
14level of proficiency in one or more languages in addition to
15English. The State Seal of Biliteracy shall be awarded
16beginning with the 2014-2015 school year. School district

 

 

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

 

 

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1These rules shall ensure that the criteria that pupils must
2achieve to earn a State Seal of Biliteracy meet the course
3credit criteria established under subsection (i) of this
4Section.
5    (e-5) To demonstrate sufficient English language
6proficiency for eligibility to receive a State Seal of
7Biliteracy under this Section, the State Board of Education
8shall allow a pupil to provide his or her school district with
9evidence of completion of any of the following, in accordance
10with guidelines for proficiency adopted by the State Board:
11        (1) An AP (Advanced Placement) English Language and
12    Composition Exam.
13        (2) An English language arts dual credit course.
14        (3) Transitional coursework in English language arts
15    articulated in partnership with a public community college
16    as an ESSA (Every Student Succeeds Act) College and Career
17    Readiness Indicator.
18    (f) The State Board of Education shall do both of the
19following:
20        (1) Prepare and deliver to participating school
21    districts an appropriate mechanism for designating the
22    State Seal of Biliteracy on the diploma and transcript of
23    the pupil indicating that the pupil has been awarded a
24    State Seal of Biliteracy by the State Board of Education.
25        (2) Provide other information the State Board of
26    Education deems necessary for school districts to

 

 

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1    successfully participate in the program.
2    (g) A school district that participates in the program
3under this Section shall do both of the following:
4        (1) Maintain appropriate records in order to identify
5    pupils who have earned a State Seal of Biliteracy.
6        (2) Make the appropriate designation on the diploma and
7    transcript of each pupil who earns a State Seal of
8    Biliteracy.
9    (h) No fee shall be charged to a pupil to receive the
10designation pursuant to this Section. Notwithstanding this
11prohibition, costs may be incurred by the pupil in
12demonstrating proficiency, including without limitation any
13assessments required under subsection (e) of this Section.
14    (i) For admissions purposes, each public university in this
15State shall accept the State Seal of Biliteracy as equivalent
16to 2 years of foreign language coursework taken during high
17school if a student's high school transcript indicates that he
18or she will be receiving or has received the State Seal of
19Biliteracy.
20    (j) Each public community college and public university in
21this State shall establish criteria to translate a State Seal
22of Biliteracy into course credit based on foreign language
23course equivalencies identified by the community college's or
24university's faculty and staff and, upon request from an
25enrolled student, the community college or university shall
26award foreign language course credit to a student who has

 

 

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1received a State Seal of Biliteracy. Students enrolled in a
2public community college or public university who have received
3a State Seal of Biliteracy must request course credit for their
4seal within 3 academic years after graduating from high school.
5(Source: P.A. 98-560, eff. 8-27-13; 98-756, eff. 7-16-14;
699-600, eff. 1-1-17.)
 
7    Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon
8becoming law.".