N.J. Admin. Code § 6A:8-5.3

Current through Register Vol. 56, No. 17, September 3, 2024

Section 6A:8-5.3 - State Seal of Biliteracy

(a) A district board of education may award a State Seal of Biliteracy to any student who has met all requirements in N.J.A.C. 6A:8-5.2 and demonstrates proficiency in the following:

1. One or more world languages via an assessment approved pursuant to (f) below during the student's next to last or final year of high school; and

i. Pursuant to P.L. 2015, c. 303, a foreign language other than English also shall include, but not be limited to, American Sign Language, Latin, and Native American languages.

2. English language arts as set forth in N.J.A.C. 6A:8-5.1(a)6.

(b) Beginning with the 2017-2018 school year, a district board of education that chooses to award the State Seal of Biliteracy shall incorporate the process into the local graduation policy developed, adopted, and implemented pursuant to N.J.A.C. 6A:8-5.1(a), denoting participation in the voluntary program. A district board of education choosing to participate shall submit, in accordance with N.J.A.C. 6A:8-5.1(d), a copy of the local graduation policy that reflects the option for students to participate in the State Seal of Biliteracy.

(c) A district board of education may pay the costs for related assessments and transcript insignias or may charge a fee to a participating student. A participating district board of education shall include in its revised local graduation requirements whether it will cover the related costs or charge a fee.

(d) A district board of education that chooses to award the State Seal of Biliteracy shall do the following:

1. Provide the Department with information regarding students who qualify for the State Seal of Biliteracy pursuant to (a) above;

2. Present each student who qualifies pursuant to (a) above with a Department-issued certificate;

3. Include the Commissioner-developed insignia on the student's transcript; and

4. Maintain appropriate records to identify students who have earned the State Seal of Biliteracy.

(e) A district board of education shall not award a State Seal of Biliteracy to any student who does not meet the criteria in (a) above and shall not include the Commissioner-developed insignia on the student's transcript.

(f) A list of Department-approved, nationally recognized assessments and the Statewide scores necessary for a student to satisfy requirements for the State Seal of Biliteracy shall be set by a resolution approved by the State Board of Education.

1. If an approved assessment, pursuant to (f) above, does not exist for a particular language, a district board of education may administer a Department-approved, locally designed proficiency-based assessment.

(g) The Commissioner shall submit to the Governor and the Legislature by September 1 of each school year a report that includes the number of students awarded the State Seal of Biliteracy in the previous school year, the languages in which the students attained proficiency, and the method(s) by which the students demonstrated proficiency.

N.J. Admin. Code § 6A:8-5.3

Adopted by 50 N.J.R. 1209(a), effective 5/7/2018