Section 680.20 State Seal of Biliteracy

In accordance with Section 2-3.159 of the School Code, a school district or nonpublic school may establish a program to recognize public and nonpublic high school graduates who have attained a high level of proficiency in one or more languages in addition to English, by designating on a student's transcript and high school diploma the student's receipt of the State Seal of Biliteracy, provided that all the conditions of this Section are met.

a) Proficiency in a language other than English

A school district or nonpublic school may award the State Seal to any high school graduate who attains a high level of proficiency, sufficient for meaningful use in college and a career (Section 2-3.159 of the Code), in a language other than English, as evidenced by attainment of an "intermediate high" score, or its equivalent, on an approved assessment. Proficiency may be shown using one of the methods outlined in this subsection.

1) Assessment Method

A) For purposes of using an assessment to determine proficiency:

i) "Intermediate high" is defined in the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL) Proficiency Guidelines 2024, published by ACTFL, 1001 North Fairfax Street, Suite 200, Alexandria VA 22314 and available at https://www.isbe.net/Documents/ACTFL-Proficiency-Guidelines-2024.pdf. (No later amendments to or editions of these guidelines are incorporated.) Measurement may assess tasks across the modes of communication that characterize a language, as defined by the World-Readiness Standards for Learning Languages available at https://www.isbe.net/Documents/World-Languages-Standards.pdf.

ii) For students learning American Sign Language as a heritage or first language, "intermediate high" is equivalent to meeting progress indicators for grade 12 set forth in the Standards for Learning American Sign Language (2014), published by the ASLTA Treasurer, P.O. Box 64801, Rochester, NY 14624 and available at http://www.interpretereducation.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/National_ASL_Standards_approved.pdf. (No later amendments to or editions of these guidelines are incorporated.)

iii) For students learning American Sign Language as a targeted language, "intermediate high" is defined in the Communication Proficiency Performance Indicators in the Fourth Edition World-Readiness Standards for Learning Languages published by the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages, 1001 North Fairfax Street, Suite 200, Alexandria VA 22314 and available at https://www.isbe.net/Documents/World-Languages-Standards.pdf. (No later amendments to or editions of these guidelines are incorporated).

iv) "Approved assessment" is one that is available for use on a statewide or national basis, has been approved by the Program, and meets generally accepted standards of fairness, validity, and reliability as stated in "Standards for Educational and Psychological Testing" (2013), published by the American Educational Research Association, 1430 K Street, N.W., Suite 1200, Washington DC 20005. (No later amendments to or editions of these standards are incorporated.)

2) The State Superintendent shall post on the State Board of Education's website, by July 1 of each year, a list of approved language assessments and the score to be achieved on each assessment that qualifies the student as meeting the criteria set forth in subsection (a)(1)(A)(i), (ii), or (iii), as applicable. A school district or nonpublic school that chooses to use an assessment to measure targeted language proficiency that is not included on the list shall maintain evidence that the assessment meets the criteria specified in subsection (a)(1)(A)(iv) and either subsection (a)(1)(A)(i), (ii), or (iii), as applicable, and make that evidence available to the State Superintendent upon request.

3) Alternative Evidence Method

A school district or nonpublic school may choose to award the State Seal through an alternative evidence method in accordance with this subsection (a)(3).

A) The alternative evidence method may be used when:

i) a student attains an "intermediate mid" score, as defined in the ACTFL guidelines set forth in subsection (a)(1), or its equivalent, on an approved assessment in the targeted language;

ii) no standardized assessment has been approved for the targeted language; or

iii) evaluating the language proficiency of a student with disabilities for whom the approved assessment in its original form is inappropriate.

B) Any alternative evidence method used shall consist of a student portfolio that contains evidence of the components set forth in subsections (a)(3)(C) and (D) that demonstrates communicative competence equivalent to an "intermediate high", as defined in the ACTFL Proficiency Guidelines 2024 referenced in subsection (a)(1).

C) Experience in the Targeted Language

i) the extent to which the student's language background enables the student to gain communicative competence in the targeted language;

ii) the extent to which the student's participation in intercultural activities provided opportunities to gain communicative competence in the targeted language;

iii) the courses taken in the targeted language and the grades received; or

iv) the extent to which any time spent in countries or communities where the targeted language is used contributed to the student's opportunities to gain communicative competence in the targeted language.

D) Work Samples

i) formal presentations in the targeted language;

ii) student-produced compositions, articles, papers, and other formal documents in the targeted language; or

iii) certificates, diplomas, results from tests or assessments other than those identified under subsection (a), and additional achievements that demonstrate sufficient proficiency in the targeted language.

b) English Proficiency

1) To be eligible to be awarded the State Seal, each student must also demonstrate proficiency in English through:

A) attainment of college and career benchmarks for English language arts on the State assessments administered at the secondary level, as authorized in Section 2-3.64a-5 of the Code, or any other nationally normed assessment of English language arts;

B) attainment of a "proficient" score on the English language proficiency assessment, as defined under 23 Ill. Adm. Code 228.10, administered at the secondary level;

C) attainment of an "intermediate high" score on an assessment in English identified under subsection (a)(1);

D) attainment of a "qualifying" score on an Advanced Placement English Language and Composition Exam; or

E) transitional or dual credit coursework in English language arts, completed with a "qualifying" grade point average, articulated in partnership with a public community college as an Every Student Succeeds Act College and Career Readiness Indicator. (See Section 2-3.159(e-5) of the Code.)

2) The State Superintendent shall post on the State Board of Education's website, by July 1 of each year, a list of acceptable English language assessments and the score to be achieved on each assessment that qualifies the student as meeting one of the sets of criteria for proficiency set forth in this subsection (b). A school district or nonpublic school that chooses to use an assessment to measure English language proficiency that is not included on the list shall maintain evidence that the assessment meets the criteria specified in subsection (a)(1)(A)(iv) and one of the sets of criteria for proficiency set forth in subsection (b)(1) and must make that evidence available to the State Superintendent upon request.

c) The State Seal Program may offer a State Commendation to any student who fails to meet the requirements of subsection (a) but attains a score of "intermediate low", or its equivalent, in the targeted language using the method set forth in subsection (a)(1) or (a)(3).

1) "Intermediate low" is defined in the ACTFL Proficiency Guidelines 2024 referenced in subsection (a)(1).

2) Each student must also demonstrate a level of proficiency in English through:

A) a "qualifying" score for English language arts on the State assessments administered at the secondary level, as authorized in Section 2-3.64a-5 of the Code, or any other nationally normed assessment of English language arts;

B) attainment of a score established for part-time placement in a transitional bilingual education program (23 Ill. Adm. Code 228.30(c)) on the English language proficiency assessment, as defined under 23 Ill. Adm. Code 228.10, that is administered at the secondary level;

C) attainment of an "intermediate low" on an assessment in English identified under subsection (b);

D) attainment of a "qualifying" score on an Advanced Placement English Language and Composition Exam; or

3) The State Superintendent shall post on the State Board of Education's website, by July 1 of each year, a list of approved assessments and the score to be achieved on each assessment that qualifies the student as meeting the criteria set forth in this subsection (c) for LOTE and English language proficiency. A school district or nonpublic school that chooses to use an assessment that is not included on the list shall maintain evidence that the assessment meets the criteria specified in subsection (a)(1)(A)(iv) and the applicable criteria set forth in this subsection (c) and make that evidence available to the State Superintendent upon request.

d) In accordance with Section 2-3.159(g) of the Code, the school district or nonpublic school shall place a designation of a qualifying student's receipt of the State Seal in the student's permanent record on the academic transcript, as defined in 23 Ill. Adm. Code 375, and include the designation on the student's diploma. A school district or nonpublic school must also place a designation of a qualifying student's receipt of the State Commendation both in the permanent record on the academic transcript and on the student's diploma. The designations shall list each of the targeted languages for which the Seal or Commendation is being awarded. The State Board of Education shall make an electronic facsimile of the Seal and the Commendation available to school districts and nonpublic schools for this purpose.

e) A school district or nonpublic school that chooses to participate in the Program shall meet the requirements of this subsection (e).

1) A participating school district or nonpublic school shall notify the State Board of its participation by October 1 of each year. A district or nonpublic school that elects to participate after October 1 shall notify the State Board of its participation no later than 45 calendar days before the issuance of any Seals or Commendations.

A) A school district or nonpublic school electing to participate after October 1 shall include in its notification to the State Board evidence that the district or nonpublic school has met all of the requirements of this subsection (e).

B) A district or nonpublic school that fails to submit the proper notification within the timeframes provided shall be prohibited from awarding the Seal and Commendation for that school year.

2) A participating district shall designate at least one individual to serve as a coordinator of the Program and include the individual's name and contact information in the notice required by subsection (e)(1). The individual assigned to serve as the coordinator of the program under this subsection (e)(2) shall:

A) hold a Professional Educator License endorsed in an administrative area issued pursuant to 23 Ill. Adm. Code 25; and

B) participate in training approved by the State Board before awarding the Seal and the Commendation.

3) A participating nonpublic school shall designate at least one individual to serve as coordinator of the Program and include the individual's name and contact information in the notice required by subsection (e)(1). The individual assigned to serve as the coordinator of the Program shall:

A) be an active administrator at the nonpublic school awarding the Seal; and

B) participate in the training approved by the State Board before awarding the Seal and the Commendation.

4) Using a format prescribed by the State Superintendent, a participating school district or nonpublic school shall submit an annual report to the State Board no later than September 15 of each year that includes, but is not limited to, identification of each student awarded the Seal or Commendation, targeted world language or languages for which Seal or Commendation was awarded to the student, and the method the student used to demonstrate proficiency.

5) A participating school district or nonpublic school shall make available information about the Program to parents and students by posting on the district's or nonpublic school's website, if the district or nonpublic school maintains a website, and in the student handbook the following information:

A) general information about the Program and the opportunity for students to participate;

B) a description of the process a student would use to demonstrate proficiency in the targeted language, including details about any alternative evidence that may be required by subsection (a)(3), if applicable;

C) an estimate of the costs, if known, that students might incur to demonstrate proficiency using the methods under subsection (a); and

D) the name and contact information for any individuals designated to serve as the coordinator of the Program.

(Source: Amended at 49 Ill. Reg. 9500, effective July 1, 2025)