HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 2855        FILED ON: 1/20/2017

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 2045

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

_________________

PRESENTED BY:

Bradley H. Jones, Jr.

_________________

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 relative to the state seal of biliteracy.

_______________

PETITION OF:

 

Name:

District/Address:

Date Added:

Bradley H. Jones, Jr.

20th Middlesex

1/20/2017

Bradford R. Hill

4th Essex

2/3/2017

Susan Williams Gifford

2nd Plymouth

 

Paul K. Frost

7th Worcester

 

Mathew Muratore

1st Plymouth

 

Steven S. Howitt

4th Bristol

 

Kimberly N. Ferguson

1st Worcester

 

Hannah Kane

11th Worcester

 

Todd M. Smola

1st Hampden

2/3/2017

F. Jay Barrows

1st Bristol

 

Nicholas A. Boldyga

3rd Hampden

 

David K. Muradian, Jr.

9th Worcester

 

David T. Vieira

3rd Barnstable

 

Sheila C. Harrington

1st Middlesex

 


HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 2855        FILED ON: 1/20/2017

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 2045

By Mr. Jones of North Reading, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 2045) of Bradley H. Jones, Jr., and others relative to establishing a foreign language education seal of biliteracy for students.  Education.

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

 

_______________

In the One Hundred and Ninetieth General Court
(2017-2018)

_______________

 

An Act relative to the state seal of biliteracy.

 

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. Chapter 69 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2014 Official Edition, is hereby amended by adding after section 1P a new section:

Section 1Q. The commissioner shall develop criteria and guidelines for a State Seal of Biliteracy to be awarded by school districts to recognize high school graduates who have met academic benchmarks, to be determined by the department, 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 department shall be responsible for developing 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, and making said insignia available to school districts for the preparation of diplomas. In developing the guidelines for the State Seal of Biliteracy, the department shall consider the recommendations of the Massachusetts Foreign Language Association. 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 be available electronically. The department shall issue regulations or guidelines as necessary to implement the provisions of this act.