To assist districts and agencies in implementing the State  Seal of Biliteracy  Recognition, we have scheduled a workshop in Southern California on February 28, 2012. We encourage district teams with an English Learner coordinator, curriculum specialist, board members, site administrators and teacher leaders to register. Teams will leave the workshop with a draft implementation plan and many resources.  An overview of the awards, criteria for granting, and district step by step process for adopting the Seal of Biliteracy and/or local Biliteracy Pathway Awards will be presented.  Register early online http://tinyurl.com/7s4gkct or download the registration form!

California Seal of Biliteracy - The First in the Nation
On October 8, 2011, Governor Jerry Brown signed AB 815 (Brownley) creating the State Seal of Biliteracy making California the first state in the nation to honor high school seniors who are proficient in English and one or more languages.  Californians Together has worked for two years with schools districts across the state to develop local Seal of Biliteracy programs.  To date 64 schools, districts and county offices of education have formally adopted a Seal of Biliteracy program.  Last June over 6,000 students were awarded the Seal and marched at graduation with a medallion, stole or cord indicating their achievement in multiple languages

The California Department of Education (CDE) is in the process of implementing AB 815,  the State Seal of Biliteracy.  It will be available for this June’s graduates.  With the support of Superintendent of Public Instruction, Tom Torklakson, a special design for the State Seal has been commissioned.   It will be a self-adhesive seal that can be affixed to a student’s diploma or transcript.  Information on how to request the newly designed seal for 2012 will be forthcoming in a letter to the field and a new CDE Web page to be posted soon at: http://www.cde.ca.gov/sp/el/er/sealofbiliteracy.asp

Please read the text of the legislation (attachment below), which contains all of the criteria for eligibility at: http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/pub/11-12/bill/asm/ab_0801-0850/ab_815_bill_20111008_chaptered.pdf . You may contact the CDE by email at: SEAL@cde.ca.gov regarding this program.

Revising, Updating and Aligning the English Language Development Standards (ELD) to California's English Language Arts (ELA) Standards
AB 124 (Fuentes) became law this month.  The California Department of Education has the responsibility for revising, updating and aligning the current ELD Standards to the ELA Common Core Standards by grade level.  Two steps have begun that will involve the field in this important work.  The Department will conduct four focus groups in different areas of the state to receive input from the field as to what would be most helpful for students and teachers in these new standards.  They have released an application for interested educators to complete in order to participate in the focus groups.  This information is contained on this website.  http://www.cde.ca.gov/sp/el/er/index.asp.  The law requires that the Department appoint an Expert Panel to consult on the development of the new standards.  An additional application will be made available for appointment to this panel.  Consult the website for updates on this critical work. 

Californians Together Announces the Release of a New Film“The Seal of Biliteracy – Celebrating Students of the 21st Century”


What does it mean to be a student of the 21st century? High school seniors graduating in this global era need to have skills to be able to communicate across national borders and languages. They need to be prepared to enter into the global world that they will inherit upon graduation. Being proficient in English and one or more other world languages is a strong indicator that they are not only college and career ready but prepared to contribute to the prosperity of their local community, and our diverse state and nation as bilingual professionals, social service providers, and international diplomats.


The film, The Seal of Biliteracy – Celebrating Students of the 21st Century, presents the journey and voices of three students:Richard Robles, Sierra Vista High School graduate from Baldwin Park Unified School District, You Li and Elizabeth Paiva, graduates from Modesto City Schools who have all earned the Seal of Biliteracy. The Seal of Biliteracy is a seal affixed to the transcript or diploma of a graduating senior who has meet internationally benchmarked criteria to demonstrate proficiency in English and one or more world languages. The goal is biliteracy at a high level for graduating high schools seniors.


Richard, who began school as a Spanish speaker, has reached his goal of proficiency in English and Spanish and has been accepted to UC San Diego. You Li began school as a Mandarin speaker. She is now proficient in English and Mandarin and is proud of her bilingualism and biliteracy achievements. Elizabeth Paiva began school as an English speaker. She is now proficient in English and Spanish and feels accomplished with her ability to speak, read and write in two languages.


Californians Together has worked with schools districts across the state of California establishing this biliteracy recognition program. Fifty-eight schools, districts and county offices of education implemented the Seal of Biliteracy in June, 2011 and over 6,000 students were awarded the Seal of Biliteracy. The film presents the voices and perspective of parents, school administrators, school board members and business leaders who acknowledge and understand that their students need to be prepared for their role in our 21st century global society in awarding them a Seal of Biliteracy.


The film also presents elementary school students in Hoover Community School in Redwood City Schools who receive a biliteracy pathway award documenting their proficiency in English and Spanish. The students, their parents, and teachers celebrate their achievements at a school-wide biliteracy award ceremony that sets the students’ sights on pursuing a seal on their high school diploma.


The simple concept and low cost education reform of the Seal of Biliteracy is now driving curricular change. It is changing attitudes that the students, parents and education community have about language, themselves and each other. These students will enter into an interconnected world prepared and motivated to be responsible citizens of the 21st century.


For further information about implementing the Seal of Biliteracy, purchasing the DVD or viewing it on Facebook, YouTube or our website, www.californianstogether.org, contact:


Californians Together
525 E. 7th St.
Long Beach, CA 90803
562-983-1333 Shelly@californianstogether.org

Graduation celebrations this year will be greatly enhanced in fifty-seven school districts in California where thousands of these high school graduates will don special medals that recognize them for achieving a high degree of literacy in English and one or more world languages. These California school districts, including some of the largest districts in the state, will award the Seal of Biliteracy, a statewide recognition that honors students who have attained proficiency in English and one or more world languages. 

Seal of Bliteracy Medallions are available to be awarded for graduating high school seniors  meeting the district criteria for the Seal of Biliteracy.  In addition, the self-adhesive seals that can be affixed to diplomas, certificates and/or transcripts are also available.  Feel free to download the order forms for one or both of these items and place your orders. 

Californians Together is pleased to announce the availability of exciting research-based publications and tools to help develop and improve policy and practice for school and district reform targeting English learners. We are grateful to the staff and talent from California Tomorrow that has trusted us to distribute their materials to keep their visions for equity in our schools alive.

This the second edition of our Seal of Biliteracy Information and Implementation Booklet.  We hope you find this updated booklet helpful when planning to adopt and implement the Seal of Biliteracy and pathway awards. 

Systemic issues in California’s public education have created a majority of high school English Learners who despite many years in our schools are still not English proficient and have developed major academic deficits, according to a recent study authored by Californians Together and funded by the California Community Foundation.

The report, Reparable Harm: Fulfilling the Unkept Promise of Educational Opportunity for California’s Long Term English Learners, calls upon state policymakers and leaders to provide solutions and outlines basic principles and promising approaches for school districts to meet the needs of English Learners more effectively.

Watch "Immersion Film" Directed By Richard Levien, Produced By Richard Levien