Advocacy
KYTESOL supports the purpose of the Seal of Biliteracy and encourages all school districts in the Commonwealth of Kentucky to include this award as a statement of their students’ accomplishment to signal evidence of their readiness for career and college, and for engagement as global citizens.
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The Seal of Biliteracy is an award made by a state department of education or local district to recognize a student who has attained proficiency in English and one or more other world languages by high school graduation. The recognition of attaining biliteracy becomes part of the high school transcript and diploma for these students. The Seal serves to certify attainment of biliteracy for students, employers, and universities.
Seal of Biliteracy Award Process
Each state may determine the process for awarding the Seal of Biliteracy, including the following:
• The Seal may be added to the high school diploma or transcript as well as displayed on a certificate or medal awarded to the student
• The Seal may be noted on the high school transcript as this is the credential that is viewed by colleges and universities and future employers
• States may wish to encourage local districts and schools to make the awarding of the Seal of Biliteracy visible at graduation and any senior award ceremonies
• States may set up their own process for collecting, recording, and maintaining the data on students receiving the Seal of Biliteracy and the evidence upon which it is based including the languages other than English in which students earned the Seal and the number of students earning the Seal who are former English learners
• States may provide a process that determines how a learner under certain circumstances could complete the requirements to demonstrate proficiency up to one year following high school graduation.
The American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL), the National Association of Bilingual Education (NABE), the National Council of State Supervisors for Languages (NCSSFL), and TESOL International Association, have officially drafted recommendations for the implementation of the Seal of Biliteracy.