AB 370: Pupil instruction: State Seal of Biliteracy.

Existing law 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. Existing law requires the State Seal of Biliteracy to be awarded by the Superintendent of Public Instruction to a pupil who completes all English language arts requirements for graduation with an overall grade point average of 2.0 or above in those classes, passes the California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress for English language arts, as provided, and demonstrates proficiency in one or more languages other than English through at least one method, as specified.

This bill would change the criteria needed to be met by a pupil to be awarded the State Seal of Biliteracy by requiring the pupil to both demonstrate proficiency in English by meeting one of 4 specified requirements and demonstrate proficiency in one or more languages other than English by meeting one of 3 specified requirements.

Existing law requires the State Seal of Biliteracy to be awarded to a pupil whose primary language is other than English if the pupil meets the above-specified requirements and additionally attains a level demonstrating English language proficiency on the English Language Proficiency Assessments for California, as provided.

The bill would instead require a pupil who is an English learner to achieve an Oral Language composite score of level 4 on the English Language Proficiency Assessments for California rather than attain a level demonstrating English language proficiency on those assessments to be awarded the State Seal of Biliteracy.