Ohio Rev Code § 3313.6111 (2021)
2021 Ohio Revised Code|Title 33 | Education-Libraries|Chapter 3313 | Boards of Education|Section 3313.6111 | State Seal of Biliteracy.

Effective: March 16, 2017|Latest Legislation:  Senate Bill 3 - 131st General Assembly|(A) The state board of education shall establish the state seal of biliteracy, which may be attached or affixed to the high school transcript of a student enrolled in a public or chartered nonpublic school. The state seal of biliteracy shall demonstrate the attainment of a high level of proficiency by a graduate of a public or chartered nonpublic high school in one or more languages in addition to English, sufficient for meaningful use in college and a career. The purpose of the state seal of biliteracy shall be to: (1) Encourage students to study languages; (2) Certify the attainment of biliteracy;  (3) Provide employers with a method of identifying individuals with language and biliteracy skills; (4) Provide institutions of higher education with an additional method to recognize applicants for admission; (5) Prepare students with twenty-first century skills; ( 6) Recognize the value of foreign language and native language instruction in public schools; and (7) Strengthen inter-group relationships, affirm the value of diversity, and honor the multiple cultures and languages of a community. (B)(1) A school district, community school established under Chapter 3314. of the Revised Code, STEM school established under Chapter 3326. of the Revised Code, college-preparatory boarding school established under Chapter 3328. of the Revised Code, or chartered nonpublic school may attach or affix the state seal of biliteracy to the transcript of a student enrolled in the school who meets the requirements prescribed under division (C)(1) of this section. A district or school shall not be required to attach or affix the state seal of biliteracy on the transcript of a student enrolled in the school. (2) Each school district, community school, STEM school, college-preparatory boarding school, and chartered nonpublic school shall maintain appropriate records to identify students who have completed the requirements for earning a state seal of biliteracy as prescribed under division (C)(1) of this section, and if the district or school has a policy of attaching or affixing the state seal of biliteracy to student transcripts, the district or school shall make the appropriate designation on the transcript of a student who completes the requirements. (C) The state board of education shall do the following: (1) Establish the requirements and criteria for earning a state seal of biliteracy, including assessments of foreign language and English proficiency. (2) Direct the department of education to prepare and d eliver to participating school districts, community schools, STEM schools, college-preparatory boarding schools, and chartered nonpublic schools an appropriate mechanism for assigning a state seal of biliteracy on a student's transcript indicating that the student has been assigned the seal; (3) Direct the department to provide any other information the state board considers necessary for school districts, community schools, STEM schools, college-preparatory boarding schools, and chartered nonpublic schools to participate in the assigning of a state seal of biliteracy; (4) Adopt rules in accordance with Chapter 119. of the Revised Code to implement the provisions of this section. (D) A student shall not be charged a fee to be assigned a state seal of biliteracy on their transcript. A student may be required to pay a fee to demonstrate proficiency in a language, including the cost of a standardized test to determine proficiency in a language. (E) As used in this section, "foreign language" refers to any language other than English, including modern languages, Latin, American sign language, native American languages, and native languages.