A school district, county office of education, or direct-funded charter school that participates in the SSB program must maintain appropriate records to identify qualifying students and may complete and submit the online Insignia Request Form (California Education Code Section 51463[a]). 

The Insignia Request Form may be submitted far enough in advance to allow time for the California Department of Education (CDE) to process the requests and for insignias to be affixed to diplomas and transcripts. Participation is voluntary and no fee may be charged to the student.

The CDE will mail to the requester one seal per eligible student to be affixed to the diploma or transcript.

SSB Insignia Request Form

Posters, Booklets, and Handouts

SSB Requirements Poster (PDF)
The SSB Requirements Poster may be printed on large paper and hung in classrooms, guidance counselor offices, and other areas where students and parents may see it.

SSB Bookmark (PDF)
The SSB Bookmark may be distributed to students, parents, counselors, teachers, and administrators to spread awareness about the program and its requirements. This bookmark is two-sided and should be printed back to front.

SSB Implementation Guide (DOCX)
The SSB Implementation Guide provides all of the information and resources needed to start an SSB program or strengthen an existing SSB program. The guide includes basic information on the SSB, best practices for building an SSB program, information on creating paths to biliteracy, a self-assessment tool, and other resources.

• By 2030: Half of all K-12 students participate in programs leading to proficiency in two or more languages.
• By 2040: Three out of four students earn the State Seal of Biliteracy (SSB).

The California State Seal of Biliteracy is marked by a gold seal affixed to the diploma or transcript and recognizers high school graduates who have achieved a high level of proficiency in one or more language(s) in addition to English.

The Riverside County Office of Education supports the purpose for the State Seal of Biliteracy:

• Recognize high school graduates who are biliterate or multiliterate.
• Encourage pupils to study languages.
• Provide employers and colleges with a method to identify people with language and biliteracy skills.
• Strengthen intergroup relationships.
• Affirm the value of diversity and honor the multiple cultures and languages of a community.

To earn the California State Seal of Biliteracy, the student must:

Complete all English language arts requirements for graduation with an overall grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 in those classes

 OR

Option 1: State Assessment: Pass the California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress for English language arts administered in grade 11, at or above the "standard met" achievement level.

Option 2: Advanced Placement (AP) Assessment: Pass an English AP examination with a score of 3 or higher (AP English Language and Composition, AP English Literature or Composition, or AP Seminar).

Option 3: International Baccalaureate (IB) Assessment: Pass an English IB examination with a score of 4 or higher.

Option 4: SAT: Achieve a score of 480 or above on the Evidence-Based Reading and Writing section of the SAT.

In addition to the requirements mentioned above, students who are classified as English learners must attain an oral language composite score of level 4 on the English Language Proficiency Assessments for California (ELPAC).

 AND

Successfully complete a four-year course of study in a world language at the high school or higher level, attaining an overall GPA of 3.0 or higher in that course of study, and demonstrate oral proficiency in the language comparable to that required to pass an AP or IB examination.

OR

Option 1: AP: Pass a world language AP examination with a score of 3 or higher,
Option 2: IB: Pass an IB examination with a score of 4 or higher,
Option 3: ACTFL: Pass an ACTFL Writing Proficiency Test (WPT) and Oral Proficiency Interview (OPI) with scores of intermediate mid or higher, or
Option 4: District-Approved Assessment: Pass as school district language examination that, at a minimum, assesses speaking, reading, and writing in a language other than English at the proficient level or higher.

To support local districts with growing the number of students who meet the criteria for the SSB and to expand the number of languages awarded including less commonly spoken/taught, RCOE will provide language assessments via ACTFL (LTI) and AVANT (ASL) in 40 different languages.

Assessments

RCOE offers 40 different language assessments via the following two assessments:

Assessments of Performance toward Proficiency in Languages (ACTFL):

AAPL: The ACTFL Assessment of Performance toward Proficiency in Languages (AAPPL) is a web-based proficiency and performance assessment of K-12 standards-based language learning. It assesses language ability across the three modes of communication as defined by the World-Readiness Standards for Learning Languages. The AAPPL tasks are informed by the functions described in the ACTFL Proficiency Guidelines and ratings are assigned according to the ACTFL Performance Descriptors for Language Learners.

ACTFL OPI and WPT for the Seal of Biliteracy

ACTFL Oral Proficiency (OPI) and the ACTFL Writing Proficiency Test (WPT) in 24 less commonly tested languages.

AVANT STAMP for ASL (American Sign Language only)

AVANT STAMP for ASL was developed for second-language learners of ASL and Children of Deaf Adults (CODA) in collaboration with Bridges Oregon. Test takers may be evaluated on the Receptive skill (the ability to comprehend ASL) as well as the Expressive skill (the ability to comprehend ASL) as well as the Expressive skill (the ability to create ASL) including the use of ASL grammar. This computer-adaptive Sign Language test is conducted entirely online.



To participate and request assessments, districts and sites are responsible for the following to follow the timeline:



Video: The Seal of Biliteracy - Celebrating Students for the 21st Century

1. What is the SSB? The SSB is a recognition conferred by the State Superintendent of Public Instruction for graduation high school students who have attained a high level of proficiency in speaking, reading, and writing in one or more languages in addition to English.
2. What kind of insignia will be provided by the State Superintendent of Public Instruction? One gold, embossed, self-adhesive seal will be provided for each qualifying graduate per language in addition to English in which the student meets the requirements. The seal was specially designed for the SSB designation and is to be placed on the graduate's high school diploma or transcript (California Education Code Section 51462[a]).
3. How can LEAs submit the SSB information to the CDE? SSB requests may be submitted through the online Insignia Request Form, which can be found on the CDE SSB web page.
4. When is the deadline to submit the Insignia Request Form? There is no specific deadline. The CDE recommends, however, that LEAs submit the online Insignia Request Form at least four weeks prior to the graduation date to account for mailing time. This will help ensure sufficient time for LEAs to affix insignias to be affixed to the diplomas or transcripts. Also, the CDE annually publishes SSB data collected through the Insignia Request Form. To ensure that your data is included in the annual posted, please submit requests by July 31 of that year. 
5. How can LEAs ensure that they have a sufficient number of insignias to award seals to all students who meet the requirements for earning the SSB by the end of their senior year? LEAs may estimate the number of students they believe will meet eligibility requirements for graduation based on available data. Seals are to be awarded only to those students who fully meet the eligibility requirements (California Education Code section 51461). If the LEA orders more seals that they need, they may submit a corrected Insignia Request Form to ensure that the data the CDE collects and reports in accurate. If the LEA does not order enough seals, they may submit an additional Insignia Request Form. The online Insignia Request Form can be found on the CDE SSB web page.
6. Does SSB information need to be reported through the California Longitudinal Pupil Achievement Data System (CALPADS)? Yes. In addition to requesting insignias through the online Insignia Request Form, LEAs should indicate which students earned the SSB when exiting students in CALPADS. Starting in 2018, the SSB was incorporated as one of the options an LEA may select for the college/career Indicator for high schools. Students who earned the SSB will be reflected in the California School Dashboard. For more information about CALPADS, including how to report SSB data, please contact the CALPADS Operations Office by phone at 916-324-6738 or by e-mail at CALPADS@cde.ca.gov.
7. What is the benefit of having the SSB insignia on a diploma or transcript? The SSB certifies that graduates have demonstrated a high level of proficiency in English and one or more languages in addition to English. The SSB may be used by employers to identify people with language and biliteracy skills and by universities as a method to recognize and give academic credit to applicants seeking admission (California Education Code Section 51460[b][3] and [4]).
8. In which languages may the SSB be awarded? The SSB may be awarded in any world language other than English. To earn the SSB, students must demonstrated a high level of proficiency in one or more languages in addition to English. To learn more about the options for demonstrating world language proficiency for the SSB, please see the CDE SSB web page and EC Section 51461.
9. To be eligible for the SSB, in which of the domains must candidates demonstrate proficiency? In accordance with EC Section 51461 (a)(2)(C)(ii), high school graduates who are candidates for the SSB must have attained a high level of proficiency in all the modalities (listening, speaking, reading, and writing) that characterize communication in that language. SSB criteria can be found in EC Section 51461.
10. Can students qualify for the SSB in more than one language? Yes. Students may earn more than one SSB provided they fulfill the SSB requirements in each additional world language. The LEA may request the appropriate number of seals to account for any students who request the appropriate number of seals to account for any students who qualify in more than one world language. The requirements for earning the SSB can be found in EC 51461, and information can also be found on the CDE SSB web page.
11. Can the SSB be awarded in a language that does not have a written system? Yes. Per EC Section 51461(a)(2)(C)(ii), "a pupil who seeks to qualify for the State Seal of Biliteracy through a language that is not characterized by listening, speaking, or reading, or for which there is no written system, shall pass an assessment on the modalities that characterize communication in that language at the proficient level or higher."
12. If a student seeks to qualify for the SSB through an assessment administered in grade 12 and they do not receive their scores until after graduation, can the student still earn the SSB? Yes. Seals may be awarded after graduation. Some districts recognize these students as "candidates for SSB" during graduation ceremonies.
13. If a student tests into a higher level world language course and complete through year four of that language with a 3.0 Grade Point Average (GPA), would that student qualify for the SSB even if the student did not complete level 1,2,3, and 4 in high school? Per EC Section 51461 (a)(2)(B), one way to show proficiency in a language other than English is "successful completion of a four-year course of study of content in a world language at a high school or higher level attaining an overall grade point average of 3.0 or above in that course of study, and oral proficiency in that language" comparable to that required to pass an AP, IB, or ACTFL assessment, as discussed in (a)(2)(A). LEAs define the structure, organization, and successful completion of a four-year high school course of study in a world language. The LEA may establish comparable rigor scenarios for the "four-year high school course of study in a world language" consistent with EC Section 51461, including for students who place into high level language courses. For example, if a student tests out of the first year of a four-year high school course of study or takes the first year of a four-year high school course of study while still in grade eight, but completes the rest of the four-year course, such student could qualify for the SSB provided they also satisfied the other criteria. 
14. Can courses completed at a college or university satisfy a four-year high school course of study in a world language for SSB eligibility? Yes. Per EC Section 51461(a)(2)(B)(ii), "Completion of one or more world language courses at a public higher education institution or an independent institution of higher education...with a grade point average of 3.0 or above and oral proficiency in the language" may satisfy the four-year course of study option for demonstrating proficiency in a world language other than English provided the coursework is verified by the LEA.
15. Can courses completed at a community college or university satisfy the English language arts (ELA) coursework option for demonstrating proficiency in English for the SSB? Yes. Per EC Section 51461(a)(1)(A), one way to demonstrate proficiency in English for the SSB is to complete all ELA requirements for graduation with a 3.0 or higher GPA in those classes. Further, students may satisfy one or more of these course requirements with courses at a public education institution or independent institution of higher education (as described in EC Section 66010).
16. If a district counts an English language development (ELD) class as an ELA class for its graduation requirements, can that class satisfy the ELA coursework option for demonstrating proficiency in English for the SSB? Yes. Per EC Section 51461 (a)(1)(A), one way to demonstrate proficiency in English for SSB is to complete all ELA requirements for graduation with a 3.0 or higher GPA in those classes. It is CDE's position that if a student receives ELA credit for an ELD class, with at least a 3.0 GPA, that class may count towards this requirement.
17. Can the SSB be awarded prior to grade 12? Yes. If a student meets all the requirements in EC Section 51461 prior to grade 12, the SSB may be awarded to that student as soon as the requirements are met. However, if the SSB is to be affixed to the transcript, the LEA may wait to place the seal until the diploma is awarded and instead note that the requirements were met on the transcript.
18. Do colleges and universities recognize the SSB? Each college or university determines for itself if and how to recognize the SSB. Please contact the college or university directly to inquire whether SSB recognition is offered. 
19. Are the requirements for the SSB different for students who have an Individualized Education Program (IEP)? For a student with an IEP, LEAs should defer to what is in the student's IEP regarding testing. The decision to modify the SSB criteria would depend on the individual student and the decisions made by the student's IEP team. The IEP team should review the student's assessment plan and transition plan and determine what assessment(s) to use and what score on these assessments indicates proficiency in order to accurately measure the student's biliteracy in light of the student's IEP.
20. Can students who attend private school qualify for the SSB? No. The SSB is an award conferred by the State Superintendent of Public Instruction and thus not awarded to private school students. CDE encourages private schools, however, to establish their own Seal of Biliteracy program. For more information on establishing a Seal of Biliteracy program, please visit the Seal of Biliteracy website.