SENATE DOCKET, NO. 1012        FILED ON: 1/15/2015

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 336

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

_________________

PRESENTED BY:

Karen E. Spilka

_________________

To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
Court assembled:

The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:

An Act to promote global trade and economic development through bi-literacy.

_______________

PETITION OF:

 

Name:

District/Address:

 

Karen E. Spilka

Second Middlesex and Norfolk

 

Angelo J. Puppolo, Jr.

12th Hampden

 

Lori A. Ehrlich

8th Essex

 

Joan B.  Lovely

Second Essex

 

Michael O. Moore

Second Worcester

 

Thomas J. Calter

12th Plymouth

 

Carolyn C. Dykema

8th Middlesex

 

Sonia Chang-Diaz

Second Suffolk

 

Thomas M. McGee

Third Essex

 

Thomas M. Stanley

9th Middlesex

 

Sean Garballey

23rd Middlesex

 

Kathleen O'Connor Ives

First Essex

 

Barbara A. L'Italien

Second Essex and Middlesex

 

Susan Williams Gifford

2nd Plymouth

 

James Arciero

2nd Middlesex

 

Bradley H. Jones, Jr.

20th Middlesex

 

Timothy J. Toomey, Jr.

26th Middlesex

 

Sal N. DiDomenico

Middlesex and Suffolk

 

Thomas P. Kennedy

Second Plymouth and Bristol

3/4/2015

Harriette L. Chandler

First Worcester

9/29/2015


SENATE DOCKET, NO. 1012        FILED ON: 1/15/2015

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 336

By Ms. Spilka, a petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 336) of Karen E. Spilka, Angelo J. Puppolo, Jr., Lori A. Ehrlich, Joan B.  Lovely and other members of the General Court for legislation to promote global trade and economic development through dual language and bi-literacy.  Education.

 

[SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION
SEE SENATE, NO. 270 OF 2013-2014.]

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

 

_______________

In the One Hundred and Eighty-Ninth General Court
(2015-2016)

_______________

 

An Act to promote global trade and economic development through bi-literacy.

 

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:
 

SECTION 1. For purposes of this article, ‘foreign language’ means a language other than English, and includes American Sign Language.

SECTION 2. Chapter 69 of the General Laws as appearing in the 2012 Official Edition is hereby amended by adding after Section 1O a new section:

Section 1P. The board shall establish the State Seal of Biliteracy to recognize high school graduates who have attained a high level of proficiency in speaking, reading, writing and listening in one or more languages in addition to English.

The purposes of the State Seal of Biliteracy are as follows: (1) To encourage students 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 a method to recognize and give academic credit to applicants seeking admission; (5) To prepare pupils with 21st century skills; (6) To recognize and promote foreign language instruction and native and heritage language instruction in public schools; (7) To strengthen intergroup relationships, affirm the value in diversity, and honor the multiple cultures and languages of the Commonwealth.

The Secretary of Education shall be responsible for administering the State Seal of Biliteracy program including preparing and delivering to participating school districts an appropriate insignia to be affixed to the diploma or transcript of the student indicating that the student has been awarded a State Seal of Biliteracy. The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, in consultation with the Massachusetts Foreign Language Association, and in alignment with national trends for existing state Seals in the nation, shall promulgate regulations governing criteria for the awarding of the State Seal of Biliteracy.

A school district that participates in the program under this section shall: maintain appropriate records in order to identify pupils who have earned a State Seal of Biliteracy and affix the appropriate insignia to the diploma or transcript of each pupil who earns a State Seal of Biliteracy. State Seals of Biliteracy shall also be available electronically.