C-G-D High School offers students Seal of Biliteracy
Award signifies proficiency in two languages
By Bridget Shileny, editor
Wrightcomonitor@gmail.com
At a school board meeting recently, C-G-D Principal Sheila Hudson presented a new opportunity that the district will now be offering high school students. Starting this school year, students are able to attain a Seal of Biliteracy that will appear on their transcript. This seal indicates that a student is proficient in two or more languages, one of which is English.
While the Seal of Biliteracy is new to Iowa, it actually is something that many other states have offered for years. California was the first to adopt the seal in 2011. In 2018, governor Kim Reynolds signed SF 475 into law that formally adopted it in Iowa. Currently, 37 states and Washington D.C. have approved the seal, with others in the early stages.
To attain the seal, C-G-D students will have to demonstrate proficiency in English and at least one other language. To demonstrate this, Hudson explains that students will have to pass some form of approved assessment. For English, this could be the Iowa Statewide Assessment of Student Progress (ISASP) test that students already take in high school. The ACT or English Language Proficiency Assessment tests are also accepted for showing English skills.
For the language or languages other than English, students also have some options. C-G-D students who are taking Spanish IV already take the STAMP test, which would count as showing adequate Spanish skills should they pass it. This would not cost a student anything as they already take the test for class. Students not taking Spanish IV can take a state-approved test at their own cost to show proficiency in Spanish or another language.
Hudson acknowledges that the second language for many students will likely be Spanish. But she also says that students can get the seal for any world language or even American Sign Language. She adds that if they have more than two languages under their belt, “we will note all proficient languages on the student’s transcript.”
Students don’t even have to wait until their senior year to try for the seal. They can try to gain it anytime during their high school enrollment, starting when they are freshmen. Students can even try for it multiple times should they not pass the assessment the first time. Hudson says the district could also award the seal after graduation if a student’s test results have not come back by they time they graduate if that student has completed the assessment while enrolled in high school.
Gaining the Seal of Biliteracy will open many important pathways for students. “Being able to know and use more than one language is a critical skill for the 21st century,” the district’s handout on the seal explains. It will also be a boon for students as they further their education and enter the work world. The award will “provide employers, universities, and grant/scholarship providers with a method to recognize applicants for their dedication to the attainment of biliteracy,” the handout adds.
Within the walls of C-G-D, Hudson says they are especially pleased to be able to offer the seal. She emphasizes, “Having it on a transcript highlights skills that our students possess that may not be reflected in the regular curriculum. That type of certification on a transcript carries a lot of weight in the world today.”
Hudson adds that students too seem excited by the opportunity to gain the Seal of Biliteracy. “They really realize the value that multiple languages have today and to carry that seal with them will be respected.” She notes that students have already asked about taking the assessments to gain the seal.
“Our kids are so talented here at C-G-D,” Hudson asserts. “We’re happy to offer this award to help promote all of their talents and skills.”
