119-hr1660

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 1660 Introduced in House

    (IH) ]

<DOC>

119th CONGRESS
 1st Session
 H. R. 1660

To award grants to States to establish or improve, and carry out, Seal 
 of Biliteracy programs to recognize high-level student proficiency in 
 speaking, reading, and writing in both English and a second language, 
 and early language programs.

_______________________________________________________________________

 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

 February 27, 2025

 Ms. Brownley (for herself, Ms. Schakowsky, Mr. Mullin, Ms. Chu, Ms. 
Stansbury, Ms. Norton, Mr. Panetta, Ms. Ross, Mr. Vargas, Mr. Thanedar, 
 Ms. Moore of Wisconsin, Mr. Larson of Connecticut, Mr. Johnson of 
 Georgia, Ms. Sanchez, Ms. Barragan, and Mr. Carbajal) introduced the 
 following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Education and 
 Workforce

_______________________________________________________________________

 A BILL

To award grants to States to establish or improve, and carry out, Seal 
 of Biliteracy programs to recognize high-level student proficiency in 
 speaking, reading, and writing in both English and a second language, 
 and early language programs.

 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

 This Act may be cited as the ``Biliteracy Education Seal and 
Teaching Act'' or the ``BEST Act''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

 Congress finds the following:

    (1) The people of the United States celebrate cultural and 
 linguistic diversity and seek to prepare students with skills 
 to succeed in the 21st century.

    (2) It is fitting to commend the dedication of students who 
 have achieved proficiency in multiple languages and to 
 encourage their peers to follow in their footsteps.

    (3) The congressionally requested Commission on Language 
 Learning, in its 2017 report ``America's Languages: Investing 
 in Language Education for the 21st Century'', notes the 
 pressing national need for more people of the United States who 
 are proficient in 2 or more languages for national security, 
 economic growth, and the fulfillment of the potential of all 
 people of the United States.

    (4) The Commission on Language Learning also notes the 
 extensive cognitive, educational, and employment benefits 
 deriving from biliteracy.

    (5) Biliteracy in general correlates with higher graduation 
 rates, higher grade point averages, higher rates of 
 matriculation into higher education, and higher earnings for 
 all students, regardless of background.

    (6) The study of America's 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.

    (7) Recognition of student achievement in language 
 proficiency will enable institutions of higher education and 
 employers to readily recognize and acknowledge the valuable 
 expertise of bilingual students in academia and the workplace.

    (8) States such as Utah, Arizona, Washington, and New 
 Mexico have developed innovative testing methods for languages, 
 including Native American languages, where no formal 
 proficiency test currently exists.

    (9) The use of proficiency in a government-recognized 
 official Native American language as the base language for a 
 Seal of Biliteracy, with proficiency in any additional partner 
 language demonstrated through tested proficiency, has been 
 successfully demonstrated in Hawaii.

    (10) Students in every State and every school should be 
 able to benefit from a Seal of Biliteracy program.

SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.

 In this Act:

    (1) ESEA 

=== definitions. ===
-The terms ``elementary school'', 
 ``English learner'', ``local educational agency'', ``middle 
 grades'', ``secondary school'', and ``State'' have the meanings 
 given those terms in 

section 8101 of the Elementary and 
 Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7801).

    (2) Classical language.--The term ``classical language''--
        (A) means--
            (i) a language that is no longer spoken; or
            (ii) a language--
            (I) the spoken varieties of which 
 diverge further away from the classical 
 language over time; and
            (II) that possesses an independent 
 literary tradition and a large body of 
 ancient written literature; and
        (B) includes Greek, Latin, Chinese, Arabic, and 
 Sanskrit.

    (3) Native american language.--The term ``Native American 
 language'' has the meaning given the term in 

section 103 of the 
 Native American Languages Act (25 U.S.C. 2902).

    (4) Seal of biliteracy program.--The term ``Seal of 
 Biliteracy program'' means any program described in 

section 4

    (a) that is established or improved, and carried out, with 
 funds received under this Act.

    (5) Second language.--The term ``second language''--
        (A) means any language other than--
            (i) English; or
            (ii) in a case where the provisions of 
 paragraph

    (2) of 

section 4

    (a) apply, the Native 
 American language of proficiency described in 
 such paragraph; and
        (B) includes Braille, American Sign Language, or a 
 classical language.

    (6) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
 of Education.

SEC. 4. GRANTS FOR STATE SEAL OF BILITERACY PROGRAMS.

    (a) Establishment of Program.--

    (1) In general.--From amounts made available under 
 subsection

    (f) , the Secretary shall award grants, on a 
 competitive basis, to States to enable the States to establish 
 or improve, and carry out, Seal of Biliteracy programs and 
 early language programs that lead to a Seal of Biliteracy to 
 recognize student proficiency in both English and a second 
 language, which--
        (A) shall be demonstrated through proficiency in 
 speaking and writing in both languages; and
        (B) may also be demonstrated through reading and 
 listening in both languages.

    (2) Inclusion of native american languages.--
 Notwithstanding paragraph

    (1) , each Seal of Biliteracy program 
 shall contain provisions allowing the use of Native American 
 languages, including allowing speakers of any Native American 
 language recognized as official by any American government, 
 including any Tribal government, to use equivalent proficiency 
 in speaking, reading, and writing in the Native American 
 language in lieu of proficiency in speaking, reading, and 
 writing in English.

    (3) Duration.--A grant awarded under this section shall be 
 for a period of 2 years, and may be renewed at the discretion 
 of the Secretary.

    (4) Renewal.--At the end of a grant term, a State that 
 receives a grant under this section may reapply for a grant 
 under this section.

    (5) Limitations.--A State shall not receive more than 1 
 grant under this section at any time.

    (6) Return of unspent grant funds.--Each State that 
 receives a grant under this section shall return any unspent 
 grant funds not later than 6 months after the date on which the 
 term for the grant ends.

    (b) Grant Program.--A State that desires a grant under this section 
shall submit an application to the Secretary at such time, in such 
manner, and containing such information and assurances as the Secretary 
may require, including--

    (1) a description of the criteria a student must meet to 
 demonstrate proficiency for the State Seal of Biliteracy in 
 both languages, which--
        (A) shall include proficiency criteria for the 2 
 productive skills of speaking and writing; and
        (B) may include proficiency criteria for the skills 
 of reading and listening;

    (2) a detailed description of the State's plan--
        (A) to ensure that English learners and former 
 English learners are included in the State Seal of 
 Biliteracy program;
        (B) to ensure equitable access to the State Seal of 
 Biliteracy program for students with identified 
 disabilities, including vision and hearing impairments 
 and cognitive or learning disabilities, that preclude 
 demonstration of language proficiency in one of the 
 skills identified in paragraph

    (1) ;
            (C) to ensure that--
            (i) all languages, including Native 
 American languages and American Sign Language, 
 can be tested for the State Seal of Biliteracy 
 program; and
            (ii) Native American language speakers and 
 learners are included in the State Seal of 
 Biliteracy program, including students at 
 tribally controlled schools and at schools 
 funded by the Bureau of Indian Education; and
            (D) to reach elementary school and middle grades 
 students (including eligible students described in 
 subsection
            (c) (2) , heritage language learners, and 
 English learners), their parents, and schools with 
 information regarding the State Seal of Biliteracy 
 program;

    (3) an assurance that a student who meets the requirements 
 under paragraph

    (1) and subsection
            (c) receives--
        (A) a permanent seal or other marker on the 
 student's secondary school diploma or its equivalent; 
 or
        (B) documentation of proficiency on the student's 
 official academic transcript; and

    (4) an assurance that a student is not charged a fee for 
 providing information under subsection
            (c) (1) .
            (c) Student Participation in a Seal of Biliteracy Program.--

    (1) In general.--To participate in a Seal of Biliteracy 
 program, a student shall provide information to the State that 
 serves the student at such time, in such manner, and including 
 such information and assurances as the State may require, 
 including an assurance that the student has met the criteria 
 established by the State under subsection

    (b)

    (1) .

    (2) Student eligibility for participation.--A student who 
 gained proficiency in a second language outside of school may 
 apply to the State of the student's residence under paragraph

    (1) to participate in a Seal of Biliteracy program.
            (d) Use of Funds.--Grant funds made available under this section 
shall be used for--

    (1) the administrative costs of establishing or improving, 
 and carrying out, a Seal of Biliteracy program that meets the 
 requirements of subsection

    (b) ;

    (2) public outreach and education about the Seal of 
 Biliteracy program; and

    (3) subgrants to local educational agencies for language 
 educator professional development, public outreach, and 
 subsidizing baseline and final Seal of Biliteracy testing for 
 low-income students.

    (e) Report.--Not later than 18 months after receiving a grant under 
this section, a State shall issue a report to the Secretary describing 
the implementation of the Seal of Biliteracy program for which the 
State received the grant.

    (f) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be 
appropriated to carry out this section $10,000,000 for each of fiscal 
years 2025 through 2029.
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