Established in California on January 1, 2012, the State Seal of Biliteracy (SSB) is awarded to students who successfully complete four years of a foreign language or make their way up to level four of the language, indicating the ability to read, write, and speak bilingually at a high level. The SSB aims to celebrate linguistic and cultural diversity. Since its approval, the program has acquired national recognition and has been adopted by 44 other states in the U.S.
Since the SSB’s implementation in 2012, the number of students who receive certificates continues to rise across the nation. According to a study, almost 70,000 students were given the SSB in 2021, which was 50,000 more students than in 2013.
However, at M-A, out of the 553 students who graduated in the 2021-2022 school year, only 125 students completed their seal of biliteracy––23% of the graduating class. Many world language teachers are concerned that students may be hesitant to try to obtain the SSB, a certificate that they think comes with tremendous value.
Spanish I and III teacher Michael Mueller explained, “Some students don’t try to get the SSB because they get very overworked with their load of classes. A lot of students have told me that they don’t feel like taking a fourth year of Spanish or any language, generally because they are fearful of taking an AP language class or attempting the AP test. ”
In the Sequoia Union High School District, once a student completes the requirements needed to earn the seal, it shows up on their official transcript and the student is given an honorary medal at graduation.
Universities around the world are the hotspot of bringing together students from different viewpoints, different languages, and different cultures. When applying to colleges, the seal of biliteracy shows universities that you are able to understand and speak to others proficiently, and that could ultimately help your chances of getting admitted.
Wilona Chen
Senior Wilona Chen, who is about to receive her SSB, said, “Universities around the world are the hotspot of bringing together students from different viewpoints, different languages, and different cultures. When applying to colleges, the seal of biliteracy shows universities that you are able to understand and speak to others proficiently, and that could ultimately help your chances of getting admitted.”
In order to receive the SSB, students must successfully complete four years of English with a GPA of 2.0 or higher and an equivalent of four years in a language other than English with a GPA of 3.0 or higher. Alternatively, they can take the AP exam in a language other than English and pass with a 3 or higher.
Furthermore, students don’t even have to work their way up from level one in a language to earn the seal. Students who start at level four in a language still get the certificate of biliteracy, even though they only took one year of a language course.
In her junior year, Chen found a close community of Chinese students. She said, “That was rare to me because the Asian population at M-A is small. From my experience, knowing a foreign language is a great way to meet new people and creates a really tight bond with others.”
The seal of biliteracy also helps bring M-A’s diverse communities together. Senior Julianna Maldonado, one of the leaders of the Intercambio Club, explains that the club helps to eliminate a language barrier between native English and Spanish-speaking students.
“Intercambio really bridges the gap between Latin American students and American students, allowing them to come together and communicate with one another, and it’s especially important because I feel like our communities don’t interact enough, so it gives each student in the conversation a glimpse into the other person’s culture,” she said.
Another leader of Intercambio, senior Joanna Maldonado, said, “It’s really nice to see students coming together by language, something that isn’t usually done nowadays where everyone just sticks to the people they know.”
Bilingual resource teacher Stephen Ready believes that being bilingual is something that has lacked celebration. He said, “As someone who works with bilingual students, I recognize that many students arrive to U.S. schools within kindergarten and sometimes in high school but are often treated poorly and ignored while additionally not being honored or recognized for their bilingualism, a positive asset that is needed in order for society to thrive.”
He added, “45% of M-A students bring the intellectual asset of a second language to school every day. There are entire dimensions of vocabulary and cultural knowledge and understanding within students that our school rarely connects to.”
Joanna Maldonado also commented on the importance of being bilingual in the workplace. She said, “Having another language is really important after college. All types of industries currently or in the future have international communications and exchanges. If someone applying for the job is able to speak more languages other than English, it increases their chances of being hired by that company.”
Being bilingual ultimately allows a student to feel a sense of accomplishment and significantly betters their chances of doing well in college and beyond.
Maldonado said, “I think the feeling after obtaining the seal of biliteracy is the best. If you push yourself to work hard in your language classes and fulfill those requirements, the end result is an ‘I did it’ moment. Other people recognize you for your accomplishments in biliteracy, and it’s just so rewarding.”
