BILL ANALYSIS Ó
AB 815
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ASSEMBLY THIRD READING
AB 815 (Brownley)
As Amended May 27, 2011
Majority vote
EDUCATION 7-2 APPROPRIATIONS 12-5
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|Ayes:|Brownley, Ammiano, |Ayes:|Fuentes, Blumenfield, |
| |Buchanan, Butler, Carter, | |Bradford, Charles |
| |Eng, Williams | |Calderon, Campos, Davis, |
| | | |Gatto, Hall, Hill, Lara, |
| | | |Mitchell, Solorio |
| | | | |
|-----+--------------------------+-----+--------------------------|
|Nays:|Halderman, Wagner |Nays:|Harkey, Donnelly, |
| | | |Nielsen, Norby, Wagner |
| | | | |
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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)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 in
addition to English through one of the following methods:
i) Passing a foreign language Advanced Placement (AP)
examination with a score of three or higher, or an
International Baccalaureate (IB) examination with a score
of four or higher;
ii) Completing a four-year high school course of study
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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 an SAT II foreign language examination with
a score of 600 or higher.
2)Stipulates that if the primary language of a pupil in any of
grades 9 to 12, inclusive, is other than English, the pupil is
required to attain the early advanced proficiency level on the
English language development test, in addition to meeting the
criteria in 2) above.
3)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.
4)Requires the Superintendent of Public Instruction (SPI) to:
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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;
b) Provide other information it deems necessary for school
districts to successfully participate in the program; and,
c) 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.
5)Requires school districts participating in the program to
maintain appropriate records in order to identify pupils who
have earned a State Seal of Biliteracy, and to affix the
appropriate insignia to the diploma or transcript of each
pupil who earns a State Seal of Biliteracy.
6)Defines "foreign language" as a language other than English,
and includes American Sign Language.
7)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.
FISCAL EFFECT : According to the Assembly Appropriations
Committee, unknown General Fund administrative costs to the
California Department of Education, likely less than $125,000
annually.
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. According to the Committee for
Economic Development, federal agencies such as the Federal
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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. 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.
In addition, as this bill finds and declares, the study of world
languages contributes to a pupil's cognitive development. 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
Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT), and the longer the duration of
students' foreign language study, the greater the improvement in
their SAT scores. 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.
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
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.
Analysis Prepared by : Tania Herrera and Marisol Avina / ED. /
(916) 319-2087
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FN: 0001132