The Biliteracy Program Participation Recognition is a new award promoted by the California Department of Education available to all 5th graders enrolled in programs leading to biliteracy. It is provided to all students enrolled in the program and is not based on student proficiency in the target language of the program. This award serves as an entry point on the path to biliteracy or multiliteracy with the ultimate goal of students earning the Seal of Biliteracy upon graduation from high school.

Through this award, we aim to recognize emerging biliterate growth of our 5th grade students in one or more languages, in addition to English, and encourage students to connect with and preserve their home language and culture.

The Multilingual Pathways Department will send student certificates to sites the week of May 13 so they can be distributed at 5th grade during promotion ceremonies. 

Biliteracy Program Participation Recognition Requirements 23-24

Elementary Target Language Guidance (for schools with Biliteracy, Dual Language Immersion, and World Language Programs)

• Exposure to and the opportunity for growth in the world language in addition to English, demonstrated through participating in a program that provides students with the opportunity to develop proficiency in a language in addition to English (including reading, writing, listening, and speaking, or all the modalities that exist in the language).

Elementary English Guidance

• Exposure to and the opportunity for growth in English demonstrated through participating in a program where students are exposed to English and have the opportunity to develop proficiency in English (reading, writing, listening, and speaking).