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SCS is a member of the National Committee for Latin and Greek (NCLG), an organization that promotes the study of classical languages at all levels. Prof. Mary Pendergraft of Wake Forest University, Chair of NCLG, has drawn our attention to a movement to encourage the adoption of “Seals of Biliteracy” for high school graduates. Below she explains this program and efforts by the American Council for the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL), to which SCS also belongs, to encourage the use of Biliteracy Seals throughout the country.

Adam D. Blistein
Executive Director

Across the country, states, school districts, and even individual schools have begun to issue Seals of Biliteracy for high school graduates “who have studied and attained proficiency in two or more languages by high school graduation.” The first state to issue such seals was California, beginning with its 2012 graduates, although over 100 school districts in that state had already made them available. In a state whose students speak over 60 different languages (plus 12000 students whose languages fall under “other”) one primary goal of this designation was to honor achievement both in students’ first languages and in English. As the clearinghouse Seal of Biliteracy says: “Our vision is to help students recognize the value of their academic success and see the tangible benefits of being bilingual.”

Since then, nine other states have established guidelines for seals of biliteracy: Hawaii, Washington, New Mexico, Texas, Louisiana, Minnesota, Illinois, Indiana and New York, as well as Washington D. C. In March 2015 four national organizations (American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages, National Association of Bilingual Education, National Council of State Supervisors for Languages, and TESOL International Association) published recommendations for implementing Seal of Biliteracy. Their guidelines suggest that students demonstrate proficiency on a validated test of proficiency, and suggest some examples that include Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate exams, and ALIRA: the ACTFL Latin Interpretive Reading Exam. At the same time, the guidelines explicitly suggest that testing of Latin and Greek not require listening or conversation. In other words, the official statement clearly intends that the Seal of Biliteracy be available for students of classical languages.

Please investigate the status of a seal of biliteracy in your state or district. Where a seal already exists, find out whether those implementing it understand that Latin and Greek are eligible for inclusion. Similarly, if a plan is on the horizon, encourage its backers to include Latin (or even Greek) as an eligible language. If no one in your state is discussing it, you can contact your state foreign language supervisor or your representative in state government. Here are ways for discovering discovering who they are: The National Council of State Supervisors for Languages has a list of members, and ACTFL offers a way to identify your state legislators.

ACTFL has also set up an action alert for language advocates to support an amendment to H.R. 5, the “Student Success Act” that would encourage the growth of Biliteracy Seals throughout the United States. Congresswoman Julia Brownley (D-CA) offered this amendment to establish a grant program at the Department of Education that would recognize high-level student proficiency in speaking, reading, and writing in both English and a second language. Under this program, which the Congressional Budget Office estimates would not increase direct spending and is 100% voluntary, interested states would be able to establish or improve their own Biliteracy Seal programs to award state seals to high school seniors. You can urge your Member of Congress to support this amendment to H.R. 5 using this template provided by ACTFL.

Mary Pendergraft