BEST Act

Summary: Biliteracy Education Seal and Teaching Act or the BEST Act - Directs the Secretary of Education to award renewable two-year grants to states to establish or improve a Seal of Biliteracy program to recognize student proficiency in speaking, reading, and writing in both English and a second language. Requires students who wish to participate in such a program to submit an application to their state that includes assurances that they: (1) will receive a secondary school diploma or its equivalent in the year they apply; and (2) have met the state's criteria for demonstrating proficiency in speaking, reading, and writing in both English and a second language. Requires states to provide participating students who demonstrate that proficiency: (1) a permanent seal or other marker on their secondary school diploma or its equivalent, and (2) documentation of that proficiency on their official academic transcript. Allows students who gain proficiency in a second language outside of school to participate in such programs. Prohibits states from charging students an application fee.

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Biliteracy Education Seal and 
Teaching Act'' or the ``BEST Act''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    Congress finds the following:
            (1) The people of the United States celebrate cultural and 
        linguistic diversity and seek to prepare students with skills 
        to succeed in the 21st century.
            (2) It is fitting to commend the dedication of students who 
        have achieved proficiency in multiple languages and to 
        encourage their peers to follow in their footsteps.
            (3) The study of world languages in elementary and 
        secondary schools should be encouraged because it contributes 
        to a student's cognitive development and to the national 
        economy and security.
            (4) Recognition of student achievement in language 
        proficiency will enable institutions of higher education and 
        employers to readily recognize and acknowledge the valuable 
        expertise of bilingual students in academia and the workplace.
            (5) California has pioneered the first State system in the 
        Nation to recognize students for achieving proficiency in 
        multiple languages. In 2012, California awarded a Seal of 
        Biliteracy to over 10,000 graduating high school seniors in 37 
        school districts.
            (6) Students in every State should be able to benefit from 
        a Seal of Biliteracy program.

SEC. 3. STATE SEAL OF BILITERACY PROGRAM.

    (a) Establishment.--The Secretary of Education shall award grants 
to States to establish or improve a Seal of Biliteracy program to 
recognize student proficiency in speaking, reading, and writing in both 
English and a second language.
    (b) Grant Application.--In order to receive a grant under this 
section, a State shall submit an application to the Secretary at such 
time, in such manner, and containing such information and assurances as 
the Secretary may require, including--
            (1) a description of the criteria a student must meet to 
        demonstrate proficiency in speaking, reading, and writing in 
        both English and a second language;
            (2) assurances that a student who meets the requirements 
        under paragraph (1)--
                    (A) receives a permanent seal or other marker on 
                the student's secondary school diploma or its 
                equivalent; and
                    (B) receives documentation of proficiency in the 
                student's official academic transcript; and
            (3) assurances that a student is not charged a fee for 
        submitting an application under subsection (c).
    (c) Student Participation in a Seal of Biliteracy Program.--To 
participate in a Seal of Biliteracy program, a student must submit an 
application to the State that serves the student at such time, in such 
manner, and containing such information and assurances as the State may 
require, including assurances that the student--
            (1) will receive a secondary school diploma or its 
        equivalent in the year the student submits an application; and
            (2) has met the criteria established by the State under 
        subsection (b)(1).
    (d) Student Eligibility for Application.--A student who gained 
proficiency in a second language outside of school may apply to 
participate in a Seal of Biliteracy program under subsection (c).
    (e) Use of Funds.--Grant funds made available under this section 
shall be used for administrative costs of establishing or improving and 
carrying out a Seal of Biliteracy program and for public outreach and 
education about that program.
    (f) Grant Terms.--
            (1) Duration.--A grant awarded under this section shall be 
        for a period of 2 years, and may be renewed at the discretion 
        of the Secretary.
            (2) Renewal.--At the end of a grant term, the recipient of 
        such grant may reapply for a grant under this section.
            (3) Limitations.--A grant recipient under this section 
        shall not have more than 1 grant under this section at anytime.
            (4) Return of unspent grant funds.--Not later than 6 months 
        after the date on which a grant term ends, a recipient of a 
        grant under this section shall return any unspent grant funds 
        to the Secretary.
    (g) Report.--Not later than 9 months after receiving a grant under 
this section, a grant recipient shall issue a report to the Secretary 
describing the implementation of the Seal of Biliteracy program.
    (h) Definitions.--In this section:
            (1) ESEA definitions.--The terms ``secondary school'', 
        ``Secretary'', and ``State'' have the meanings given those 
        terms in section 9101 of the Elementary and Secondary Education 
        Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7801).
            (2) Second language.--The term ``second language'' means 
        any language other than English, including Braille and American 
        Sign Language.
            (3) Seal of biliteracy program.--The term ``Seal of 
        Biliteracy program'' means any program established under 
        section 3 of this Act.
    (i) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be 
appropriated to the Secretary $10,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2015 
through 2019 to carry out this section.