State Seal of Biliteracy FAQs

2022–23 Specific FAQs

1. Do the additional COVID-19 State Seal of Biliteracy (SSB) flexibilities that were in place for 2021 and 2022 graduates still extend to 2023 graduates.

   No. To be eligible for the SSB 2023 graduates must meet all of the requirements established in California Education Code (EC) Section 51461, including earning “standard met” or above on the English language arts portion of the California Assessment for Student Performance and Progress (CAASPP).

2. If a student was unable to take the California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress (CAASPP) during the CAASPP administration window, can that student qualify for the SSB?

   According to California Education Code (EC) Section 51461(a)(2), a student must pass the English language arts section of the grade 11 CAASPP at or above the "standard met" level to be awarded the SSB. If a student was unable to take the CAASPP during either the regular CAASPP administration or the makeup administration (for example, due to illness, mental health, injury, immunocompromised status, etc.) the local educational agencies (LEAs) may make the local decision to use an alternative assessment that measures English proficiency at the same level as the CAASPP (for example, an interim CAASPP, SAT, or Advanced Placement (AP) exam score). The exam designated is to test the same English language arts skills (reading and writing) as the CAASPP at the grade 11 level or higher.
   
   LEAs shall maintain a record of any alternate assessment used in place of the CAASPP.

General FAQs

1. What is the SSB?

   The SSB is a recognition conferred by the State Superintendent of Public Instruction for graduating 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. How can I learn if our district’s graduates are eligible for the SSB?

   The requirements for eligibility can be found in California Education Code (EC) Section 51461 . Additional information about the SSB can be found in EC sections 51460–51464 . Please read the legislation in its entirety.

3. What kind of insignia will be provided by the California Department of Education (CDE)?

   One gold, embossed, self-adhesive seal will be provided for each qualifying graduate. The seal was specially designed for the SSB designation and is to be placed on the graduate's high school diploma or transcript.

4. What information is the CDE requesting from local educational agencies (LEAs) in order to award seals?

   The information the CDE is collecting can be found in the online Insignia Request Form located on the CDE SSB web page at the top of the page.

5. How can LEAs submit the information requested by the CDE?

   The CDE will accept SSB requests through the online Insignia Request Form, which can be found on the CDE SSB web page at the top of the page.

6. When is the deadline to submit the Insignia Request Form?

   It is recommended that LEAs submit the online Insignia Request Form at least four weeks prior to the graduation date. This will allow sufficient time to mail insignias to the LEA and for the insignias to be affixed to the diplomas at the local level. The online Insignia Request Form can be found on the CDE SSB web page at the top of the page.

7. When will the CDE send the requested insignias to the LEAs?

   The CDE will mail the insignias within two weeks of receiving the online request.

8. Is there a cost associated with the SSB?

   Per Education Code Section 51464, no fee may be charged to LEAs or students who participate in the SSB program.

9. How can LEAs ensure 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 by graduation based on most recent grade point average (GPA) and anticipated final grades. Seals are to be awarded only to those students who fully meet the eligibility requirements (Education Code Section 51461).

10. 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 email at CALPADS@cde.ca.gov.

11. What is the benefit of having the SSB insignia on a diploma?

    The SSB shows that graduates have accomplished measurable skills that demonstrate high levels of proficiency in English and another language.

12. How many students have received the SSB?

    Each year, thousands of students receive the California SSB. For details by year, please visit the CDE SSB web page and click on the "Participating LEAs" tab to view lists of participating schools and districts by county.

13. Where can I find more information about the SSB?

    The requirements for eligibility, and other important information can be found in Education Code sections 51460-51464 and on the CDE SSB web page.

14. What are the requirements for earning the SSB?

    The requirements for earning the SSB are established in Education Code Section 51461 . A user-friendly version of these requirements (in English and Spanish) is available on the SSB Requirements Flyer available on the “Requirements” tab on the CDE SSB web page.

15. How have the requirements for eligibility for the SSB changed?

    Assembly Bill 1142 (Medina, Chapter 208, 2017) updates Education Code (EC) Section 51461(a)(2) to state that students must pass the CAASPP for English Language Arts (ELA) or any successor test, administered in grade eleven, at or above the "standard met" achievement level. This section had previously named the California Standards Test (CST) as the required assessment. AB 1142 also updates EC Section 51461(b)(1). The required assessment for students whose primary language is other than English was updated from the California English Language Development Test (CELDT) to the English Language Proficiency Assessments for California (ELPAC).
    
    AB 1142 also updates EC Section 51461(a)(3)(B), adding the requirement that students seeking to earn the SSB by completing a four-year high school course of study in a world language must demonstrate oral proficiency in the language comparable to that required to pass an Advanced Placement (AP) exam.

    AB 1142 also updates EC Section 51461(a)(3)(C)(ii), stating that a pupil who seeks to qualify for the SSB 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.

16. What is a "successor test," as referenced in Education Code (EC) Section 51461(a)(2)?

    A “successor test” refers to any future assessment that may be adopted by the State Superintendent of Public Instruction to take the CAASPP’s place (for example, the CAASPP is the “successor test” to the California Standards Test).

17. To be eligible for the SSB, in which of the four domains (listening, speaking, reading, writing) must candidates demonstrate competency?

    In accordance with EC Section 51461, 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 .

18. Can the SSB be awarded in American Sign Language (ASL)?

    Yes. ASL is an SSB eligible language.

19. Can the SSB be awarded in a language that does not have a written system?

    Yes. Per EC Section 51461(a)(3)(C)(ii), students who seek to qualify for the SSB in 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.

20. Can students qualify for more than one SSB or earn the SSB in more than one language?

    Yes. If an LEA has implemented a local Seal of Biliteracy program, students may qualify for both the local Seal of Biliteracy and the SSB.

    Students may also earn more than one SSB if they fulfill the requirements for the SSB in more than one world language. The LEA must 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 on the CDE SSB web page.

21. Students who are seeking to qualify for the SSB by passing the Advanced Placement (AP) exam with a score of three or higher will receive AP exam results two to three months after graduation. Will these student be eligible to receive a seal after graduation? How can these students be recognized at their graduation ceremony?

    Seals may be awarded after graduation. Some districts recognize these students as "candidates for the SSB" during graduation ceremonies (EC Section 51460).

22. Can the SSB be awarded in a world language for which there is no AP exam, International Baccalaureate (IB) exam, or SAT II?

    Yes. According to EC Section 51461(a)(3)(B), one way to show proficiency in a language other than English is "successful completion of a four-year high school course of study in a world language with a minimum 3.0 GPA and oral proficiency in that language."

    According to EC Section 51461(a)(3)(C)(i), another way to demonstrate proficiency in a world language for which there is no AP, IB, or SAT II exam is to pass a district-approved assessment, provided the district can certify to the Superintendent of Public Instruction that the test meets the rigor of a four-year high school course of study in the world language. The district-approved assessment must, at a minimum, assess speaking, reading, and writing in the language at the proficient level or higher, or all of the modalities of communication that exist in the language.

23. Can an LEA use a locally-approved assessment to assess proficiency in a world language in which an AP, IB, or SAT II exam is available?

    Yes. A school district may offer a language examination in a language in which an Advanced Placement examination or off-the-shelf language test exists if the school district certifies to the State Superintendent of Public Instruction that the language examination meets the rigor of a four-year high school course of study in that world language and that, at a minimum, it assesses speaking, reading, and writing in the language other than English at the proficient level or higher (EC Section 51461[a][3][C][i]).

24. What courses constitute a four-year high school course of study in a world language? For example, if a student tests into a higher level world language course and completes through year four of that language with a 3.0 GPA, would that student qualify for the SSB?

    In accordance with EC Section 51461(a)(3)(B), one way to show proficiency in a language other than English is "successful completion of a four-year high school course of study in a world language with a minimum GPA of 3.0, and oral proficiency in that language." 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 higher 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 four-year high school course of study while still in grade 8, but completes the rest of the four-year course, such student could qualify for the SSB provided they also satisfied the other criteria.

25. Can courses completed at a community college count toward a four-year high school course of study in a world language for SSB eligibility?

    In accordance with EC Section 51461(a)(3)(B), one way to show proficiency in a language other than English is, "successful completion of a four-year high school course of study in a world language. . ." LEAs define the structure, organization, and successful completion of a four-year high school course of study in a world language. Therefore, LEAs determine whether coursework completed at a community college can meet this requirement. The student would also be required to meet all other criteria.

26. Can a student who graduates in grade 9 or 10, prior to CAASPP administration in grade 11, be eligible to earn the SSB?

    If a student plans to graduate before the grade 11 CAASPP is administered, the LEA may make the local decision to use an alternative assessment that measures English proficiency at the same level as the CAASPP (for example, an interim CAASPP, SAT, or AP exam score). It is a local decision what English Language Arts (ELA) assessment to use and what score to designate as proficient on the exam. The exam designated is to test the same English skills (reading and writing) as the CAASPP at the grade 11 level.

    Keep a record of any alternate assessment used due to a student planning to graduate before the grade 11 CAASPP is administered.

27. Do colleges and universities recognize the SSB?

    Each college or university may make the decision whether and in what way to recognize the SSB. Please contact the college or university directly to inquire whether SSB recognition is offered.

28. Are the requirements for the SSB different for students who have an Individualized Education Plan (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 bilingualism in light of the student’s IEP.

29. Can students who attend private school qualify for the SSB?

    No. Private schools function outside of the jurisdiction of the CDE; therefore, they are not eligible to receive the SSB. They can, however, establish their own Seal of Biliteracy program. For more information on establishing a Seal of Biliteracy program, please visit the Californians Together website .

30. How can I learn about other Seal of Biliteracy programs?

    You may access more information on the Californians Together website .

31. How can I contact the CDE if I have questions?

    For questions related to the State Seal of Biliteracy, contact the CDE Language Policy and Leadership Office by phone at 916-319-0845 or by email at SEAL@cde.ca.gov.