15-258. State seal of biliteracy program; requirements; diploma; program termination

A. The superintendent of public instruction shall establish a state seal of biliteracy program to recognize students who graduate from a school operated by a school district or a charter school located in this state and who have attained a high level of proficiency in one or more languages in addition to English.

B. The superintendent of public instruction shall:

1. Create a state seal of biliteracy that shall be affixed to the diploma and noted on the transcript of a student to recognize that the student has met the requirements prescribed in this section.

2. Deliver the state seal of biliteracy to each public school district or charter school that participates in the program.

C. Any school district or charter school may voluntarily participate in the state seal of biliteracy program by notifying the superintendent of public instruction of the school district's or charter school's intent to participate in the program.

D. Each school district governing board or charter school governing body that participates in the state seal of biliteracy program shall:

1. Identify the students who have met the requirements to be awarded the state seal of biliteracy.

2. Affix the state seal of biliteracy to the diploma and note the receipt of the state seal of biliteracy on the transcript of each student who meets those requirements.

E. The state board of education, in collaboration with the department of education, shall adopt a list of assessments using researched-based methodology to determine a student's proficiency in a language other than English and may adopt rules as necessary to carry out the purposes of this section.

F. A school district or charter school that participates in the state seal of biliteracy program established pursuant to this section shall award a student, on graduation from high school, a high school diploma with a state seal of biliteracy if the student meets all of the following requirements:

1. Successfully completes all English language arts requirements for graduation with an overall grade point average in those classes of 2.0 or higher on a 4.0 scale, or the equivalent.

2. Passes the end-of-course examinations in English language arts required pursuant to section 15-755.

3. Demonstrates proficiency in one or more languages other than English by meeting the requirements adopted pursuant to subsection E of this section.

4. If the student has a primary language other than English, obtains a score of proficient or higher based on the English language proficiency standards, pursuant to section 15-756.

G. The program established pursuant to this section ends on July 1, 2026 pursuant to section 41-3102.