BILL ANALYSIS Ó Senate Appropriations Committee Fiscal Summary Senator Christine Kehoe, Chair AB 815 (Brownley) Hearing Date: 08/25/2011 Amended: 07/11/2011 Consultant: Jacqueline Wong-HernandezPolicy Vote: Education 8-0 _________________________________________________________________ ____ BILL SUMMARY: AB 815 establishes the State Seal of Biliteracy to be voluntarily affixed to the diploma or transcript of a high school graduate who has attained functional proficiency in speaking, reading, and writing skills in one or more languages, in addition to English. This bill requires the Superintendent of Public Instruction (SPI) to prepare and deliver to participating school districts the seal insignia. Participating school districts are required to maintain records in order to identify pupils who have earned a State Seal of Biliteracy. _________________________________________________________________ ____ Fiscal Impact (in thousands) Major Provisions 2011-12 2012-13 2013-14 Fund State Seal of Biliteracy program $43-63 $42 $42 General $50 Special* Likely minor local costs, if elect to participate Local/Gen** * Golden State Merit Diploma program **Counts toward meeting the Proposition 98 minimum funding guarantee _________________________________________________________________ ____ STAFF COMMENTS: SUSPENSE FILE. AS PROPOSED TO BE AMENDED. This bill establishes the State Seal of Biliteracy, to be awarded by the SPI, to recognize high school graduates who have attained functional proficiency in speaking, reading, and writing skills in one or more languages, in addition to English, and specifies participation and award requirements. School AB 815 (Brownley) Page 1 district participation would be voluntary. Any expenses incurred by school districts would likely be minor, and only to the extent they choose to participate. Several school districts currently have their own biliteracy recognition awards. The Department of Education (CDE), under the direction of the SPI, is required to administer the program. Specifically, the CDE must: a) Prepare and deliver to school districts the insignia to be affixed to the diploma or transcript of the student; and b) provide other necessary information for school districts to successfully participate in the program. The CDE will incur one-time costs to develop program regulations, to create and print the seal, and to reach out to districts about the new program. The CDE indicates it will also require a .5 PY to distribute information (and the actual seal) to districts, and to coordinate with districts offering their own tests in lieu of the Advanced Placement or off-the-shelf language test. The State Seal of Biliteracy could be awarded for biliteracy in languages for which courses and assessments are not offered in district schools, and the CDE would be tasked with certifying them, should a school decide to use other tests for less common languages. Administrative costs would likely diminish over time, as programs become established and need only to be maintained. AS PROPOSED TO BE AMENDED: Proposed amendments would develop an electronic distribution system for Golden State Seal and the State Seal of Biliteracy, and specify that the seals be transmitted electronically.