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Jorge Garc铆a, Director of the听,听housed in the 麻豆影院鈥檚 School of Education, has been working with Colorado school districts to develop criteria on a new Seal of Biliteracy to appear on 2016 high school graduates.
鈥淓studiantes de secundaria de Escuelas Publicas de Denver podra graduarse con un 鈥楽ello de Bialfabetizacion鈥� sobre sus diplomas comenzando el proximo a帽o.鈥�
If you鈥檙e one of the approximately 34,600 Spanish-speaking students in Denver Public Schools you already know that sentence means: 鈥淒enver Public Schools high schoolers will be able to graduate with a 鈥楽eal of Biliteracy鈥� on their diplomas beginning next year.鈥�
The Seal of Biliteracy is a recognition given to graduating seniors for demonstrating proficiency in English and at least one other听language. Beginning in the 2015-16 school year, DPS will be the third district in Colorado to offer this merit, following Adams 14 and Eagle County schools.What鈥檚 changing is that for the first time听the district will formally acknowledge those students鈥� skills in both English and Spanish. Students can also earn the new diploma seal for any other language of their choosing.
Darlene LeDoux, director of academic achievement for English learners in DPS, said that听the roughly 38 percent of English language learners at听DPS will benefit from the seal, but it is intended for all students.听Eventually, more听non-ELL听students will听get the seal than听ELL students, LeDoux added.
鈥淐ertainly English language learners will benefit from this,鈥� LeDoux听said. 鈥淏ut this was not specifically for English learners, this was for all kids.鈥�
Colorado doesn鈥檛 have statewide graduation standards so it is left to the districts to determine how these seals should be issued.听The long-term听plan is to have criteria for the seal that is approved by the state so there can be听a state seal of biliteracy, said Jorge Garc铆a, who helped create the district criteria for earning the seal.
Proficiency in English and the other language will be determined by existing assessments, such as IB exams or ACCESS.
While some languages, such as Spanish and French, are easier to test with existing assessments, others are more difficult, Garc铆a said. But accommodations will be made.
For example, indigenous languages such as Lakota are offered at certain DPS schools but there isn鈥檛 an AP, IB or other standardized听test offered in that language.
鈥淚f there鈥檚 not something that is commercially available, something they can just get and administer to the student, then they will develop a portfolio in consultation with the community that speaks that language in order to (figure out) how they can demonstrate this proficiency,鈥� said Garc铆a, board member for the Colorado Association For Bilingual Education.
And in the event a school can鈥檛 find a nearby听community that speaks that language, they will contact a consulate, embassy or school system in that country to find an assessment that will give students the opportunity to demonstrate that proficiency, he said.
In addition to making the program accommodating to students, DPS is also offering incentives early on to get students interested in speaking more than one听language. Students can receive 鈥減athway awards鈥� in third, fifth and eighth grade if they demonstrate skills in two or more languages and are on the path to earning a seal at the end of high school.
Offering these awards and the seal gives students something to strive for, Garc铆a said, because it will formally acknowledge their bilingual听skills.
鈥淪tudents go through programs where they basically study in two languages, however, they graduate like everyone else and there鈥檚 not really a recognition of that,鈥� said Garc铆a, who is also the director of the , housed in the School of Education听at the 麻豆影院. 鈥淭his would help existing (dual language) programs give students the recognition they deserve because many of them have been in a program for many years working on these proficiencies鈥t gives students a reason to become more proficient than just being able to order at a restaurant in French.鈥�
This recognition is important for employment and educational opportunities, the director said. Employers and colleges will see the seal and know that student鈥檚 bilingual abilities are formally听recognized. It gives students a competitive edge.
According to a presentation LeDoux gave at a board meeting earlier this month, there are nearly 82,000 unfilled jobs nationwide that require bilingual speakers.
鈥�(The seal) makes students听highly marketable and prepared for any type of opportunity, college or career,鈥� she said. 鈥淚t gives them more choices and more options. I think that鈥檚 really exciting.鈥�
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