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| Public Act 101-0222 | ||||
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AN ACT concerning education.
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Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
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represented in the General Assembly:
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Section 5. The School Code is amended by changing Section | ||||
2-3.159 as follows: | ||||
(105 ILCS 5/2-3.159) | ||||
Sec. 2-3.159. State Seal of Biliteracy. | ||||
(a) In this Section, "foreign language" means any language | ||||
other than English, including all modern languages, Latin, | ||||
American Sign Language, Native American languages, and native | ||||
languages. | ||||
(b) The State Seal of Biliteracy program is established to | ||||
recognize public and non-public high school graduates who have | ||||
attained a high level of proficiency in one or more languages | ||||
in addition to English. The State Seal of Biliteracy shall be | ||||
awarded beginning with the 2014-2015 school year. School | ||||
district and non-public school participation in this program is | ||||
voluntary. | ||||
(c) The purposes of the State Seal of Biliteracy are as | ||||
follows: | ||||
(1) To encourage pupils to study languages. | ||||
(2) To certify attainment of biliteracy. | ||||
(3) To provide employers with a method of identifying | ||||
people with language and biliteracy skills. | ||
(4) To provide universities with an additional method | ||
to recognize applicants seeking admission. | ||
(5) To prepare pupils with 21st century skills. | ||
(6) To recognize the value of foreign language and | ||
native language instruction in public and non-public | ||
schools. | ||
(7) To strengthen intergroup relationships, affirm the | ||
value of diversity, and honor the multiple cultures and | ||
languages of a community. | ||
(d) The State Seal of Biliteracy certifies attainment of a | ||
high
level of proficiency, sufficient for meaningful use in | ||
college and a career, by a graduating public or non-public high | ||
school pupil in one or more
languages in addition to English. | ||
(e) The State Board of Education shall adopt such rules as | ||
may be necessary to establish the criteria that pupils must | ||
achieve to earn a State Seal of Biliteracy, which may include | ||
without limitation attainment of units of credit in English | ||
language arts and languages other than English and passage of | ||
such assessments of foreign language proficiency as may be | ||
approved by the State Board of Education for this purpose. | ||
These rules shall ensure that the criteria that pupils must | ||
achieve to earn a State Seal of Biliteracy meet the course | ||
credit criteria established under subsection (i) of this | ||
Section. | ||
(f) The State Board of Education shall do both of the | ||
following: | ||
(1) Prepare and deliver to participating school | ||
districts and non-public schools an appropriate mechanism | ||
for designating the State Seal of Biliteracy on the diploma | ||
and transcript of the pupil indicating that the pupil has | ||
been awarded a State Seal of Biliteracy by the State Board | ||
of Education. | ||
(2) Provide other information the State Board of | ||
Education deems necessary for school districts and | ||
non-public schools to successfully participate in the | ||
program. | ||
(g) A school district or non-public school that | ||
participates in the program under this
Section shall do both of | ||
the following: | ||
(1) Maintain appropriate records in order to identify | ||
pupils who have earned a State Seal of Biliteracy. | ||
(2) Make the appropriate designation on the diploma and | ||
transcript of each pupil who earns a State Seal of | ||
Biliteracy. | ||
(h) No fee shall be charged to a pupil to receive the | ||
designation pursuant to this Section. Notwithstanding this | ||
prohibition, costs may be incurred by the pupil in | ||
demonstrating proficiency, including without limitation any | ||
assessments required under subsection (e) of this Section.
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(i) For admissions purposes, each public university in this | ||
State shall accept the State Seal of Biliteracy as equivalent | ||
to 2 years of foreign language coursework taken during high | ||
school if a student's high school transcript indicates that he | ||
or she will be receiving or has received the State Seal of | ||
Biliteracy. | ||
(j) Each public community college and public university in | ||
this State shall establish criteria to translate a State Seal | ||
of Biliteracy into course credit based on foreign language | ||
course equivalencies identified by the community college's or | ||
university's faculty and staff and, upon request from an | ||
enrolled student, the community college or university shall | ||
award foreign language course credit to a student who has | ||
received a State Seal of Biliteracy. Students enrolled in a | ||
public community college or public university who have received | ||
a State Seal of Biliteracy must request course credit for their | ||
seal within 3 academic years after graduating from high school. | ||
(Source: P.A. 98-560, eff. 8-27-13; 98-756, eff. 7-16-14; | ||
99-600, eff. 1-1-17.)
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