BILL ANALYSIS Ķ
AB 815
Page 1
Date of Hearing: April 27, 2011
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION
Julia Brownley, Chair
AB 815 (Brownley) - As Introduced: February 17, 2011
SUBJECT : Instructional programs: State Seal of Biliteracy
SUMMARY : Establishes the State Seal of Biliteracy to recognize
high school graduates who have attained a high level of
proficiency in speaking, reading, and writing in one or more
languages in addition to English. Specifically, this bill :
1)Expresses the intent of the Legislature that the study of
world languages be encouraged.
2)Specifies that the State Seal of Biliteracy certifies a pupil
meets all of the following criteria:
a) Completes all English language arts requirements for
graduation with an overall grade-point average of 2.0 or
above in those classes;
b) Passes the California Standards Test in English language
arts administered in grade 11 at the proficient level or
above; and,
c) Demonstrates proficiency in one or more languages other
than English through one of the following methods:
i) Passing the Advanced Placement (AP) or International
Baccalaureate (IB) examination with a score of 3 or
higher;
ii) Completing a four-year high school course of study
in a foreign language, and attaining an overall
grade-point average of 3.0 or above in the course of
study;
iii) Passing a district language examination in a
language other than English at a proficient level or
higher;
iv) Passing a foreign government's approved language
examination, and receiving a receipt of a certificate of
competency from the authorizing government agency; or,
v) Passing the SAT II foreign language examination with
a score of 600 or higher.
3)Stipulates that if the primary language of a pupil in any of
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grades 9 to 12, inclusive, is other than English, the pupil is
required to attain the early advanced proficiency level on the
California English Language Development Test (CELDT), in
addition to meeting the criteria in #2 above.
4)States that the purposes of the State Seal of Biliteracy are
to:
a) Encourage pupils to study languages and certify
attainment of biliteracy;
b) Provide employers with a method of identifying people
with language and biliteracy skills;
c) Provide universities with a method to recognize and give
academic credit to applicants seeking admission;
d) Prepare pupils with 21st Century skills;
e) Recognize and promotes foreign language instruction in
public schools; and,
f) Strengthen intergroup relationships, affirm the value of
diversity, and honor the multiple cultures and languages of
a community.
5)Requires the California Department of Education (CDE), under
the direction of the Superintendent of Public Instruction
(SPI) to:
a) Prepare and deliver to participating school districts an
appropriate insignia to be affixed to the diploma or
transcript of the pupil indicating that the pupil has been
awarded a State Seal of Biliteracy; and,
b) Provide other information it deems necessary for school
districts to successfully participate in the program.
6)Requires the SPI to provide a listing of equivalent summative
tests that school districts may use in place of an AP test for
languages in which a test is not available.
7)Requires school districts participating in the program to:
a) Maintain appropriate records in order to identify pupils
who have earned a State Seal of Biliteracy;
b) Affix the appropriate insignia to the diploma or
transcript of each pupil who earns a State Seal of
Biliteracy; and,
c) Develop outreach strategies and an application process
in order to ensure that pupils know about the State Seal of
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Biliteracy.
8)Defines "foreign language" as a language other than English,
and includes American Sign Language.
9)Finds and declares that the study of world languages
contributes to a pupil's cognitive development and to our
national economy and security, that the demand for more
employees to be fluent in more than one language is increasing
both in California and around the globe, and that attainment
of a foreign language allows students to participate
effectively in a global political, social, and economic
context.
EXISTING LAW :
1)Establishes the Golden State Seal Merit Diploma (GSSMD) as an
honors diploma to recognize high school graduates who have
mastered the high school curriculum through completion of all
requirements for a high school diploma and a demonstration of
mastery in at least six subject matter areas including
mathematics, English language arts, science, and United States
history, with the remaining two subject matter areas selected
by the student, and whose mastery of the curriculum is
demonstrated to and determined by the SPI through means that
may include, but are not limited to, any subject matter
examinations deemed appropriately rigorous by the State Board
of Education (SBE).
2)Requires the SPI to ensure that the results of the Golden
State Examination are sent to school districts in a timely
manner and work with providers of other examinations to
provide timely information to school districts on students who
have met the performance standards so that school districts
can efficiently maintain student records and identify pupils
who meet the requirements of the GSSMD.
3)Requires the SPI to prepare and distribute to school districts
an appropriate insignia to be affixed to a student's diploma
and transcript indicating that the student has been awarded a
GSSMD.
4)Requires each school district that confers high school
diplomas shall maintain appropriate records in order to
identify students who have earned a Golden State Seal Merit
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Diploma, and shall affix the appropriate insignia to the
diploma and transcript of each student that earns a GSSMD.
5)Encourages the establishment of programs of instruction in
foreign language, with instruction beginning as early as
feasible for each school district.
6)Requires the adopted course of study for grades 7-12 to offer
courses in foreign language or languages, beginning no later
than grade 7, that are designed to develop a facility for
understanding, speaking, reading, and writing the particular
language.
7)Requires a pupil in grades 9 to 12 to complete one course in
visual or performing arts or foreign language in order to
receive a diploma of graduation from high school.
FISCAL EFFECT : Unknown
COMMENTS : This bill establishes the State Seal of Biliteracy
to recognize high school graduates who have attained a high
level of proficiency in one or more languages in addition to
English and makes school district participation in the program
voluntary.
Attaining proficiency in multiple languages can have economic
and national security benefits. The Center for Applied
Linguistics found that Americans fluent in foreign languages, in
addition to English, can help improve global communication,
enhance our economic competitiveness abroad, and maintain our
political and security interests. The State Seal of Biliteracy
has the potential to encourage pupils to acquire other languages
which can in turn provide pupils a competitive edge to
contribute and participate in expanding global markets,
communications, and security needs. According to the Committee
for Economic Development, federal agencies such as the Federal
Bureau of Investigation, the Central Intelligence Agency, and
the National Security Agency face severe shortages of employees
with the necessary language skills most needed for translation
work. Furthermore, the National Education Association states
that the expanding globally connected United States economy has
meant an increased need for individuals who can communicate in
multiple languages in order to meet the increased demand in jobs
tied to international trade. For example, the California
Chamber of Commerce reports that over one million high-paying
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jobs depend on California's connections to 220 foreign markets.
Pupils who earn the State Seal of Biliteracy will have
demonstrated proficiency in a foreign language in addition to
English, potentially making them more competent for the demands
of an increasingly globally connected job market.
A wide range of languages are spoken in California, indicating
the diverse population of students across the state.
Encouraging pupils to obtain the State Seal of Biliteracy and to
learn and acquire other languages may have the effect of
creating school environments that welcome, accept, and value the
cultural and linguistic diversity of California schools and the
state. According to a California State Board of Equalization
report, teaching the benefits of multiculturalism and providing
students with world languages and cultural competencies will
allow them to participate in their communities and to live
harmoniously with their neighbors.
An argument can be made that recognizing biliteracy through an
award such as the State Seal of Biliteracy can encourage
students to go beyond the minimum requirements for graduation
and to excel in their post-graduation pursuits; academic,
professional, or both. Studying and acquiring proficiency in
foreign languages may also benefit students in meeting the
minimum eligibility requirements for the University of
California or California State University system, which include
two years of foreign language courses. In addition, as the bill
finds and declares, the study of world languages contributes to
a pupil's cognitive development and adds to pupil's
achievements, making them more attractive to employers.
Multiple studies, for example the College Board's Office of
International Education's report measured the effect of foreign
language study in high school and found that students who
studied a foreign language for at least one year outscored those
who did not on the SAT Reasoning Test, and the longer the
duration of students' foreign language study, the greater the
improvement in their SAT scores.
According to the author, approximately 34 districts have
implemented programs that recognize biliteracy; however, each
district has a different seal design and different requirements
for awarding a seal of biliteracy. This bill creates a uniform
seal design and a uniform statewide set of criteria for awarding
the State Seal of Biliteracy. This uniformity would allow
employers and college admission counselors in search of
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qualified candidates to rely on the State Seal of Biliteracy as
a valid indicator of bilingual proficiency, and gives pupils the
opportunity to receive state-level recognition for mastering a
second language.
The State Seal of Biliteracy criterion includes the option of
passing a rigorous, standardized examination such as the AP, IB,
or SAT II exam. Available SAT Subject Tests (SAT IIs) include
French, German, Spanish, Modern Hebrew, Italian, Latin,
Mandarin, Japanese, and Korean, and available AP exams in world
languages include Chinese, French, German, Japanese, Latin:
Vergil, and Spanish Language, and the IB has over 45 language
exams available. This bill allows the use of district and
foreign government assessments to allow pupils to demonstrate
proficiency in a language or languages for which a standardized
test is not available. For example, languages not currently
assessed through IB, SAT II or AP exams include: Vietnamese,
Tagalog, Arabic, Armenian, and Russian, and according to
information provided by one of the co-sponsors, Californians
Together, some districts have developed assessments in these
languages. Additionally, Californians Together points out that
some of the existing district and foreign government language
exams assess the four language skill areas of listening,
speaking, reading, and writing; however, it is not clear that
all district tests do. In order to ensure a level of
consistency, uniformity and rigor within district assessments,
staff recommends an amendment to specify that district exams
should assess, at a minimum, the domains of speaking, reading
and writing.
Existing law establishes the Golden State Seal Merit Diploma
(GSSMD) as an honors diploma to recognize high school graduates
who have demonstrated mastery in at least six subject matter
areas, four of which must include mathematics, English language
arts, science, and U.S. history. The remaining two subject
areas to qualify for the GSSMD are left up to the student to
choose. The two qualifying subject areas remaining do not
include foreign languages. Given the importance and benefits of
learning one or more languages in addition to English, one can
argue it is equally important to recognize student achievement
in attaining proficiency in a foreign language, and the State
Seal of Biliteracy provides the means for doing so.
Committee Amendments : Staff recommends the following technical
amendments:
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1)Clarify that a graduating high school pupil would need to
attain a high level of proficiency in one or more languages in
addition to English. Currently the bill reads that the pupil
would need to attain a high level of proficiency in one or
more languages, including English, which may be interpreted to
mean that only one language need be acquired, and that the one
language may be English.
2)The bill allows a pupil to demonstrate proficiency in a
foreign language by passing an AP or IB test. However, the
bill does not specify that the AP or IB test should be for a
foreign language, and since these tests are offered in other
subjects, staff recommends an amendment to specify that
passing a foreign language AP or IB exam satisfies the
pertinent criteria.
3)Change the required minimum IB examination score to a 4 or
higher to align with the exam's scoring range. The bill
currently states that proficiency in one or more languages,
other than English, may be demonstrated through passing the AP
or IB exam with a score of 3 or higher. While the scoring
range for AP is 1 to 5, the range for IB is 1 to 7.
4)Substitute references to the California English Language
Development Test or CELDT with English language development
test to ensure consistency in the Education Code.
5)The bill currently requires the CDE under the direction of the
SPI to carry out specified responsibilities. Since the CDE
can include the SBE, the SPI, or both, for purposes of
clarifying roles, staff recommends an amendment to specify
that the SPI shall carry out the outlined responsibilities.
Arguments in Support : The Alliance for a Better Community
writes, "Biliteracy is not only valued in academic circles, it
is increasingly required for employment in the private, public,
and nonprofit sectors. It has become indispensable in the
healthcare industry, the world of sales and financial services,
the many service sectors, as well as nearly every aspect of
media and marketing."
The Los Angeles Unified School District writes, "In addition to
growing California's economic capacity as an international
business-friendly state, multiple language acquisition and
fluency also promotes the recognition and sensitivity of other
cultures in our increasingly shrinking world."
The Santa Clara County Office of Education writes, "A State Seal
would establish a common criteria and standard for proficiency
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across the state, and be an important statement of the value our
state places upon high academic levels of language proficiency
as a 21st century skill for our diverse and global world."
Previous Legislation : AB 280 (Coto), of 2007, would have
established the State Seal of Biliteracy. The Governor vetoed
AB 280 with the following message:
While I support the attainment of literacy in foreign
languages, I am concerned that this bill could create a
precedent for providing special recognition for one
specific subject area. Students taking four years of math
or science, for example, would not receive special
recognition, therefore creating a bias of value toward
foreign language above other core curricula areas.
Students should be encouraged to strive for, and value high
achievement in all of their academic pursuits.
AB 2445 (Salinas), of 2006, would have established the State
Seal of Biliteracy. The Governor vetoed AB 2445 with the
following message:
While I recognize the importance of learning a foreign
language, this bill would create a State Seal of Biliteracy
for which there would be no uniform, statewide standards to
determine if a student had earned this recognition.
Without uniform, consistent standards, employers and
college admission counselors in search of qualified
candidates would not be able to rely on the State Seal as a
valid indicator of bilingual proficiency.
Instead, standards of achievement would be set locally and
would vary from district to district. As a result, the
State Seal would not signify anything substantial. Local
districts that would like to offer their students a seal of
recognition based on their own standards may do so under
current law without this bill.
REGISTERED SUPPORT / OPPOSITION :
Support
Californians Together (Co-Sponsor)
California Federation of Teachers (Co-Sponsor)
Alliance for a Better Community
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Asian Pacific American Legal Center
Association of California School Administrators
California Association for Bilingual Education
California Language Teachers Association
California Teachers Association
California Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages
Ceres Unified School District
Los Angeles Unified School District
Parent Institute for Quality Education
Public Advocates
San Diego County Office of Education
San Diego Unified School District
Santa Clara County Office of Education
Sweetwater Union High School District Board of Trustees
Transforming Education for English Learners Consultants
Several individuals
Opposition
None on file.
Analysis Prepared by : Tania Herrera and Marisol Aviņa / ED. /
(916) 319-2087