The State Seal of Biliteracy (SSB), established by Assembly Bill 815 (Brownley) provides recognition to 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. Each school district or direct-funded charter school that confers the SSB is required to maintain appropriate records in order to identify students who have met the established criteria for the award and to affix the SSB insignia to the diploma or transcript of each qualifying student.

Eligibility Criteria for a Student Whose Primary Language is English

Each of these three academic requirements shall be fulfilled.

1. 1. Students must have completed all English-language arts (ELA) requirements for graduation with an overall grade point average (GPA) of 2.0 or above in those classes.
   
   
2. Students must have passed the California Standards Test (CST) in ELA (administered in grade eleven) at the “proficient” level.
   
   
3. Students must demonstrate proficiency in one or more languages other than English through ONE of the following methods:
   a) Pass a foreign language Advanced Placement (AP) exam, including American Sign Language, with a score of three or higher.
   b) Pass an International Baccalaureate examination with a score of four or higher.
   c) Successfully complete a four-year high school course of study in a foreign language and attain a overall grade point average of 3.0 or above in that course of study.
   d) If no AP examination or off-the-shelf language test exists and the district uses its own language examination, the school district must certify to the State Superintendent of Public Instruction (SSPI) that the test meets the rigor of a four-year high school course of study in that foreign language.
   e) If a district offers a language examination in a language in which an AP examination or off-the-shelf examination exists, the district language examination must be approved by the SSPI.
   f) Pass the Scholastic Assessment Test (SAT) II foreign language exam with a score of 600 or higher.

Eligibility Criteria for a Student Whose Primary Language is not English

If the primary language of a student in grades nine to twelve, inclusive, is other than English, the student shall also meet the following two academic requirements:

1. Achieve Early Advanced proficiency level on the California English Language Development Test (CELDT), which may be administered an additional time, as necessary.
2. Meet the requirements above as stated in 1, 2, and 3.