Transcript What is a Seal of Biliteracy?

What is a Seal of Biliteracy?
MaFLA Update: March 18, 2015
How will the Seal reward foreign language
and English language learners in
Massachusetts and how can it positively
impact foreign language programming ?
The Seal of Biliteracy…
Recognizes graduates for proficiency in English and at least
one other foreign language with a seal on the high school
diploma.
The Seal of Biliteracy…
Places the focus on what students can do with the
language rather than focusing on how many years
they have studied it.
The Seal of Biliteracy…
Provides evidence to universities and businesses that
our students have attained this important 21st
century skill.
The Seal is a National Phenomenon
 States like New York, California, Minnesota, Illinios,
Indiana, Virginia, New Mexico, Washington, Texas and
Louisiana have passed Seal legislation.
 Nevada, Utah, Hawaii, New Jersey, and
MASSACHUSETTS have current Seal legislation being
discussed.
 Other states are in initial stages of legislative Seal
discussion.
The Seal is Sweeping the Nation:
www.sealofbiliteracy.org
The MA Seal Bill Didn’t Pass in the
Last Legislative Session
Problems:
 Original lead Sponsor on House side left office
 Only 7 Co-Sponsors
 Office of Dual Language added costs to bill
 Needed to pass through Ways and Means Committee
 Legislators hesitant to support DESE Office without
DESE support
The Seal in New Legislative Session
Stand Alone Seal Bill:
Lead Sponsors:
Representative Kay Khan (Newton)
Senator Karen Spilka (Ashland)
Language Opportunity for Our Kids (LOOK) Bill includes Seal:
Lead Sponsors:
Representative Jeff Sanchez
Senator Sal DiDomenico
Collaboration between Organizations to
Promote the Seal and Combine Efforts
State Collaboration Mimics Historic
Collaboration at National Level
Imminent Press Release on NABE, TESOL, ACTFL,
NCSSFL collaboration to create national document
for Seal standards to serve as guidelines for state
implementation!
Mutually Beneficial Agreement:
 Create two bills:
A longer ELL bill that includes the Seal among seven
other issues for ELL programming
A stand-alone Seal bill
 Use the exact same Seal language in the two bills
 Obtain support of the Massachusetts Teachers
Association (MTA)
 Obtain support of Language Opportunity Coalition
Lobbyist Charles Glick
Bill Language:
An Act to Establish a State Seal of Biliteracy:
“The board shall establish the State Seal of Biliteracy
to recognize high school graduates who have attained
a high level of proficiency in speaking, reading,
writing and listening in one or more languages in
addition to English.”
Next Steps Legislatively?
 Bill filed, January 16, Docket number given.
 Co-Sponsors sought and signed on during two week window at
start of legislative session.
 Bills given Committee organizes and bills divided into themes
 Some Committee Chairs set dates for hearings all at once, and
some don’t – Education usually sets whole agenda
 Everything has to be reported out by March 10, 2016 (of course, we
want it faster!)
HB 422 and SD 1012- SEAL of Biliteracy:
56 Co-Sponsors on House side and 16 CoSponsors on Senate side:
HB 422, Lead Sponsor,
Rep. Kay Khan
Tricia Farley Bouvier
Brad Hill
James Arciero
Antonio Cabral
Thomas Calter
Gail Carridi
Marjorie Decker
Diana DiZoglio
Peter Durant
Carolyn Dykema
Lori Ehlrich
James Eldrige
Sean Garballey
Colleen Garry
Ellen Story
Aaron Vega
Kenneth Gordon
Jonathan Hecht
Paul Heroux
Mary Keefe
Tim Madden
Paul McMurtry
David Muradian
Angelo Puppolo
David Rogers
Dennis Rosa
Jeffrey Roy
John Scibak
William Galvin
Patricia Jehlen
Louis Kafka
Denise Provost
Paul Brodeur
Claire Cronin
Michael Day
Marcos Devers
Denise Garlick
Susan Williams Gifford
Kate Hogan
Peter Kocot
Barbara L’Italien
Chris Walsh
John Mahoney
Shauna O’Connell
Kathleen O’Connor Ives
Keiko Orrall
Dan Ryan
Tom Sannicandro
Frank Smizik
Thomas Stanley
Paul Tucker
Brendan Crighton
Ryan Fattman
Bradley Jones
Jason Lewis
Timothy Toomey
SD 1012, Lead Sponsor,
Sen. Karen Spilka
Angelo Puppolo
Lori Ehrlich
Joan Lovely
Michael Moore
Thomas Calter
Carolyn Dykema
Sonia Chang-Diaz
Thomas McGee
Thomas Stanley
Kathleen O’Connor Ives
Barbara L’Italien
Susan Williams Gifford
James Arciero
Bradley Jones
Timothy Toomey
Sal DiDominico
HB 497 and SB LOOK LEGISLTATION
WITH SEAL INCLUDED:43 Co-Sponsors on
House side and 11 Co-Sponsors on Senate side:
HB498 Lead Sponsor,
Rep. Jeffrey Sánchez
Linda Dorcena Forry
Jason M. Lewis
Joseph W. McGonagle, Jr.
Colleen M. Garry
Timothy J. Toomey, Jr.
Marjorie C. Decker
Robert M. Koczera
Ruth B. Balser
Thomas J. Calter
Kay Khan
John Velis
Frank A. Moran
Michael D. Brady
James B. Eldridge
Tom Sannicandro
Michelle M. DuBois
Barbara L'Italien
Daniel M. Donahue
Thomas M. Stanley
Sean Garballey
Evandro Carvalho
Marcos A. Devers
Paul R. Heroux
James Arciero
Christine P. Barber
Sonia Chang-Diaz
Jonathan Hecht
James R. Miceli
Peter V. Kocot
Antonio F. D. Cabral
Claire D. Cronin
Jennifer E. Benson
Benjamin Swan
Linda Campbell
Chris Walsh
John J. Mahoney
James J. O'Day
Marc R. Pacheco
Mary S. Keefe
Robert L. Hedlund
David M. Rogers
Jose F. Tosado
Carlos, Gonzalez
SB Lead Sponsor
Senator Sal DiDomenico
Various MA Districts Piloting the Use
of A Seal this Year (2015):
Melrose, Kim Talbot
Winchester, Anna Tirone
Wilmington, Carlos Luis Brown
North Reading, Wendy Diozzi
Andover, Jorge Allen
West Bridgewater, Mary Pistorino
Our Challenge?
5,300 Bills were filed
Education bills are not a top priority
Only a couple of hundred will go through
Our Strengths
Senator Spilka, Lead Sposor of stand-alone Seal bill
is the new Ways and Means Chair – powerful
position!
No Cost Bill
Active and successful recruitment of Co-Sponsors,
support of membership and community
Support of multi-organization effort and national
movement
What Can You Do?
 Prepare your elevator speech and talk to anyone and everyone about
how the Seal will positively impact students and programming.
 Update your Principal, Superintendent, School Committee and/or
Chamber of Commerce about the Seal
 Follow Seal progress at www.sealofbiliteracy.org
 Follow MaFLA updates on the Seal Piloting, they will be encouraged
to publish in district newspapers!
 If you have a chance, talk to your legislator, especially if he or she is
on the co-sponsorship list.
What is an Elevator Speech?
You have a 1, 5 or 10 minute opportunity to impact
someone’s opinion about foreign language programming:
How will the Seal help?
 Give your name and position (who do you represent?)
 Work out the explanation ahead of time so that it is
clear and powerful – use data and anecdotes
 Connect and engage the listener with a follow up
question
For More Information:
Contact Nicole Sherf, MaFLA Advocacy Coordinator at
[email protected]