I 

116TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 3119 

To award grants to States to establish or improve, and carry out a Seal 

of Biliteracy program to recognize high-level student proficiency in speaking, reading, and writing in both English and a second language. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

JUNE 5, 2019 

Ms. BROWNLEY of California (for herself, Mr. CARBAJAL, Mrs. NAPOLITANO, 

Mr. CA ́RDENAS, and Mr. LANGEVIN) introduced the following bill; which 

was referred to the Committee on Education and Labor 

A BILL 

To award grants to States to establish or improve, and 

carry out a Seal of Biliteracy program to recognize highlevel student proficiency in speaking, reading, and writing in both English and a second language. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Biliteracy Education 

5 Seal and Teaching Act’’ or the ‘‘BEST Act’’. 

6 SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 

7 Congress finds the following: 


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1 (1) The people of the United States celebrate 

2 cultural and linguistic diversity and seek to prepare 

3 students with skills to succeed in the 21st century. 

4 (2) It is fitting to commend the dedication of 

5 students who have achieved proficiency in multiple 

6 languages and to encourage their peers to follow in 

7 their footsteps. 

8 (3) The study of world languages in elementary 

9 and secondary schools should be encouraged because 

10 it contributes to a student’s cognitive development 

11 and to the national economy and security. 

12 (4) The congressionally requested Commission 

13 on Language Learning, in its 2017 report ‘‘Amer14 ica’s Languages: Investing in Language Education 

15 for the 21st Century,’’ notes the pressing national 

16 need for more Americans proficient in two or more 

17 languages, for national security, economic growth, 

18 and the fulfillment of the potential of all Americans. 

19 (5) Recognition of student achievement in lan20 guage proficiency will enable institutions of higher 

21 education and employers to readily recognize and ac22 knowledge the valuable expertise of bilingual stu23 dents in academia and the workplace. 

24 (6) California has pioneered the first State sys25 tem in the Nation to recognize students for achievVerDate Sep 11 2014 05:12 Jun 12, 2019 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H3119.IH H3119

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1 ing proficiency in multiple languages. In 2012, Cali2 fornia awarded a Seal of Biliteracy to over 10,000 

3 graduating high school seniors in 37 school districts. 

4 By 2019, 35 States and the District of Columbia 

5 will have adopted the Seal of Biliteracy. 

6 (7) Students in every State should be able to 

7 benefit from a Seal of Biliteracy program. 

8 SEC. 3. STATE SEAL OF BILITERACY PROGRAM. 

9 (a) ESTABLISHMENT.—The Secretary of Education 

10 shall award grants to States to establish or improve, and 

11 carry out a Seal of Biliteracy program to recognize stu12 dent proficiency in speaking, reading, and writing in both 

13 English and a second language. 

14 (b) GRANT APPLICATION.—In order to receive a 

15 grant under this section, a State shall submit an applica16 tion to the Secretary at such time, in such manner, and 

17 containing such information and assurances as the Sec18 retary may require, including— 

19 (1) a description of the criteria a student must 

20 meet to demonstrate proficiency in speaking, read21 ing, and writing in both English and a second lan22 guage; 

23 (2) assurances that a student who meets the re24 quirements under paragraph (1)— 


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1 (A) receives a permanent seal or other 

2 marker on the student’s secondary school di3 ploma or its equivalent; and 

4 (B) receives documentation of proficiency 

5 in the student’s official academic transcript; 

6 and 

7 (3) assurances that a student is not charged a 

8 fee for submitting an application under subsection 

9 (c). 

10 (c) STUDENT PARTICIPATION IN A SEAL OF

11 BILITERACY PROGRAM.—To participate in a Seal of 

12 Biliteracy program, a student must submit an application 

13 to the State that serves the student at such time, in such 

14 manner, and containing such information and assurances 

15 as the State may require, including assurances that the 

16 student— 

17 (1) will receive a secondary school diploma or 

18 its equivalent in the year the student submits an ap19 plication; and 

20 (2) has met the criteria established by the State 

21 under subsection (b)(1). 

22 (d) STUDENT ELIGIBILITY FOR APPLICATION.—A 

23 student who gained proficiency in a second language out24 side of school may apply to participate in a Seal of 

25 Biliteracy program under subsection (c). 


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1 (e) USE OF FUNDS.—Grant funds made available 

2 under this section shall be used for— 

3 (1) the administrative costs of establishing or 

4 improving, and carrying out a Seal of Biliteracy pro5 gram; and 

6 (2) public outreach and education about such 

7 program. 

8 (f) GRANT TERMS.— 

9 (1) DURATION.—A grant awarded under this 

10 section shall be for a period of 2 years, and may be 

11 renewed at the discretion of the Secretary. 

12 (2) RENEWAL.—At the end of a grant term, the 

13 recipient of such grant may reapply for a grant 

14 under this section. 

15 (3) LIMITATIONS.—A grant recipient under this 

16 section shall not have more than 1 grant under this 

17 section at anytime. 

18 (4) RETURN OF UNSPENT GRANT FUNDS.—Not 

19 later than 6 months after the date on which a grant 

20 term ends, a recipient of a grant under this section 

21 shall return any unspent grant funds to the Sec22 retary. 

23 (g) REPORT.—Not later than 9 months after receiv24 ing a grant under this section, a grant recipient shall issue 

25 a report to the Secretary describing the implementation 


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1 of the Seal of Biliteracy program for which the State re2 ceived such grant. 

3 (h) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 

4 (1) ESEA DEFINITIONS.—The terms ‘‘sec5 ondary school’’, ‘‘Secretary’’, and ‘‘State’’ have the 

6 meanings given those terms in section 8101 of the 

7 Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 

8 (20 U.S.C. 7801). 

9 (2) SECOND LANGUAGE.—The term ‘‘second 

10 language’’ means any language other than English, 

11 including Braille and American Sign Language. 

12 (3) SEAL OF BILITERACY PROGRAM.—The term 

13 ‘‘Seal of Biliteracy program’’ means any program es14 tablished or improved, and carried out with funds 

15 received under this section. 

16 (i) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There is 

17 authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary 

18 $10,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2020 through 2024 

19 to carry out this section. 

Æ 


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