18A:7C-13 Findings, declarations relative to the State Seal of Biliteracy.

1. The Legislature finds and declares that:

a. It is the intent of the Legislature to encourage excellence for all students, and the Legislature wishes to publicly recognize students for exemplary achievements in academic studies;

b. The study of foreign languages in elementary and secondary schools should be encouraged because it contributes to a student's cognitive development and to the national economy and security;

c. Proficiency in multiple languages is critical in enabling New Jersey to participate more effectively in the current global political, social, and economic context, and in expanding trade with other countries;

d. The demand for employees to be fluent in more than one language is increasing in New Jersey and throughout the world;

e. The benefits to employers in having staff fluent in more than one language are clear: access to expanding markets, allowing business owners to better serve their customers' needs, and the sparking of new marketing ideas that better target a particular audience and open a channel of communication with customers; and

f. It is the intent of the Legislature to promote linguistic proficiency and cultural literacy in one or more foreign languages in addition to English and to provide recognition of the attainment of those needed and important skills through the establishment of the State Seal of Biliteracy. The State Seal of Biliteracy would be affixed on the high school transcripts of graduating students attaining proficiency in one or more foreign languages in addition to English.

L.2015, c.303, s.1.