I 
117TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 1731 
To award grants to States to establish or improve, and carry out, Seal 
of Biliteracy programs to recognize high-level student proficiency in 
speaking, reading, and writing in both English and a second language. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
MARCH 10, 2021 
Ms. BROWNLEY (for herself, Mrs. AXNE, Mr. VARGAS, Mr. PANETTA, Mr. 
GRIJALVA, Mr. LANGEVIN, Mr. CARBAJAL, Mr. LOWENTHAL, Mr. PRICE 
of North Carolina, Ms. NORTON, Ms. TITUS, Ms. CHU, Ms. LEGER 
FERNANDEZ, Mrs. NAPOLITANO, Ms. JACKSON LEE, Mr. CA´RDENAS, Mr. 
SAN NICOLAS, and Mr. SOTO) 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, Seal of Biliteracy programs to recognize high- 
level student proficiency in speaking, reading, and writ-
ing in both English and a second language. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Biliteracy Education 
Seal and Teaching Act’’ or the ‘‘BEST Act’’. 
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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 congressionally requested Commission 
on Language Learning, in its 2017 report ‘‘Amer-
ica’s Languages: Investing in Language Education 
for the 21st Century’’, notes the pressing national 
need for more people of the United States who are 
proficient in two or more languages for national se-
curity, economic growth, and the fulfillment of the 
potential of all people of the United States. 
(4) The Commission on Language Learning 
also notes the extensive cognitive, educational, and 
employment benefits deriving from biliteracy. 
(5) Biliteracy in general correlates with higher 
graduation rates, higher grade point averages, high-
er rates of matriculation into higher education, and 
higher earnings for all students, regardless of back-
ground. 
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(6) The study of America’s languages in ele-
mentary and secondary schools should be encouraged 
because it contributes to a student’s cognitive devel-
opment and to the national economy and security. 
(7) Recognition of student achievement in lan-
guage proficiency will enable institutions of higher 
education and employers to readily recognize and ac-
knowledge the valuable expertise of bilingual stu-
dents in academia and the workplace. 
(8) States such as Utah, Arizona, Washington, 
and New Mexico have developed innovative testing 
methods for languages, including Native American 
languages, where no formal proficiency test currently 
exists. 
(9) The use of proficiency in a government-rec-
ognized official Native American language as the 
base language for a Seal of Biliteracy, with pro-
ficiency in any additional partner language dem-
onstrated through tested proficiency, has been suc-
cessfully demonstrated in Hawaii. 
(10) Students in every State and every school 
should be able to benefit from a Seal of Biliteracy 
program. 
SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS. 
In this Act: 
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(1) ESEA DEFINITIONS.—The terms ‘‘English 
learner’’, ‘‘secondary school’’, and ‘‘State’’ have the 
meanings given those terms in section 8101 of the 
Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 
(20 U.S.C. 7801). 
(2) NATIVE AMERICAN LANGUAGES.—The term 
‘‘Native American languages’’ has the meaning given 
the term in section 103 of the Native American Lan-
guages Act (25 U.S.C. 2902). 
(3) SEAL OF BILITERACY PROGRAM.—The term 
‘‘Seal of Biliteracy program’’ means any program 
described in section 4(a) that is established or im-
proved, and carried out, with funds received under 
this Act. 
(4) SECOND
LANGUAGE.—The term ‘‘second 
language’’ means any language other than English 
(or a Native American language, pursuant to section 
4(a)(2)), including Braille, American Sign Lan-
guage, or a Classical language. 
(5) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means 
the Secretary of Education. 
SEC. 4. GRANTS FOR STATE SEAL OF BILITERACY PRO-
GRAMS. 
(a) ESTABLISHMENT OF PROGRAM.— 
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(1) IN GENERAL.—From amounts made avail-
able under subsection (f), the Secretary shall award 
grants, on a competitive basis, to States to enable 
the States to establish or improve, and carry out, 
Seal of Biliteracy programs to recognize student 
proficiency in speaking, reading, and writing in both 
English and a second language. 
(2) INCLUSION
OF
NATIVE
AMERICAN
LAN-
GUAGES.—Notwithstanding paragraph (1), each Seal 
of Biliteracy program shall contain provisions allow-
ing the use of Native American languages, including 
allowing speakers of any Native American language 
recognized as official by any American government, 
including any Tribal government, to use equivalent 
proficiency in speaking, reading, and writing in the 
Native American language in lieu of proficiency in 
speaking, reading, and writing in English. 
(3) 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. 
(4) RENEWAL.—At the end of a grant term, a 
State that receives a grant under this section may 
reapply for a grant under this section. 
(5) LIMITATIONS.—A State shall not receive 
more than 1 grant under this section at any time. 
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(6) RETURN
OF
UNSPENT
GRANT
FUNDS.— 
Each State that receives a grant under this section 
shall return any unspent grant funds not later than 
6 months after the date on which the term for the 
grant ends. 
(b) GRANT APPLICATION.—A State that desires a 
grant under this section shall submit an application to the 
Secretary at such time, in such manner, and containing 
such information and assurances as the Secretary may re-
quire, including— 
(1) a description of the criteria a student must 
meet to demonstrate the proficiency in speaking, 
reading, and writing in both languages necessary for 
the State Seal of Biliteracy program; 
(2) a detailed description of the State’s plan— 
(A) to ensure that English learners and 
former English learners are included in the 
State Seal of Biliteracy program; 
(B) to ensure that— 
(i) all languages, including Native 
American languages, can be tested for the 
State Seal of Biliteracy program; and 
(ii) Native American language speak-
ers and learners are included in the State 
Seal of Biliteracy program, including stu-
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dents at tribally controlled schools and at 
schools funded by the Bureau of Indian 
Education; and 
(C) to reach students, including eligible 
students described in subsection (c)(2) and 
English learners, their parents, and schools 
with information regarding the State Seal of 
Biliteracy program; 
(3) an assurance that a student who meets the 
requirements under paragraph (1) and subsection 
(c) receives— 
(A) a permanent seal or other marker on 
the student’s secondary school diploma or its 
equivalent; and 
(B) documentation of proficiency on the 
student’s official academic transcript; and 
(4) an assurance that a student is not charged 
a fee for providing information under subsection 
(c)(1). 
(c) STUDENT
PARTICIPATION
IN
A
SEAL
OF 
BILITERACY PROGRAM.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—To participate in a Seal of 
Biliteracy program, a student shall provide informa-
tion to the State that serves the student at such 
time, in such manner, and including such informa-
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tion and assurances as the State may require, in-
cluding an assurance that the student has met the 
criteria established by the State under subsection 
(b)(1). 
(2) STUDENT
ELIGIBILITY
FOR
PARTICIPA-
TION.—A student who gained proficiency in a second 
language outside of school may apply under para-
graph (1) to participate in a Seal of Biliteracy pro-
gram. 
(d) USE OF FUNDS.—Grant funds made available 
under this section shall be used for— 
(1) the administrative costs of establishing or 
improving, and carrying out, a Seal of Biliteracy 
program that meets the requirements of subsection 
(b); and 
(2) public outreach and education about the 
Seal of Biliteracy program. 
(e) REPORT.—Not later than 18 months after receiv-
ing a grant under this section, a State shall issue a report 
to the Secretary describing the implementation of the Seal 
of Biliteracy program for which the State received the 
grant. 
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(f) AUTHORIZATION
OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There 
are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section 
$10,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2022 through 2026. 
Æ 
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