US Congress House Bill 2549 (Prior Session Legislation)

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Sponsorship: Partisan Bill (Democrat 15)
Status: Introduced on June 27 2013 - 25% progression, died in committee
Action: 2013-09-13 - Referred to the Subcommittee on Early Childhood, Elementary, and Secondary Education.
Pending: House Subcommittee on Early Childhood, Elementary, and Secondary Education Committee
Text: Latest bill text (Introduced) [PDF]

Biliteracy Education Seal and Teaching Act or the BEST Act - Directs the Secretary of Education to award renewable two-year grants to states to establish or improve a Seal of Biliteracy program to recognize student proficiency in speaking, reading, and writing in both English and a second language. Requires students who wish to participate in such a program to submit an application to their state that includes assurances that they: (1) will receive a secondary school diploma or its equivalent in the year they apply; and (2) have met the state's criteria for demonstrating proficiency in speaking, reading, and writing in both English and a second language. Requires states to provide participating students who demonstrate that proficiency: (1) a permanent seal or other marker on their secondary school diploma or its equivalent, and (2) documentation of that proficiency on their official academic transcript. Allows students who gain proficiency in a second language outside of school to participate in such programs. Prohibits states from charging students an application fee.

BEST Act

Rep. Julia Brownley [D-CA]	Rep. Tony Cardenas [D-CA]	Rep. William Enyart [D-IL]	Rep. Joe Garcia [D-FL]
Rep. Ruben Hinojosa [D-TX]	Rep. Rush Holt [D-NJ]	Rep. Jared Huffman [D-CA]	Rep. Alan Lowenthal [D-CA]
Rep. James McGovern [D-MA]	Rep. Grace Napolitano [D-CA]	Rep. Richard Nolan [D-MN]	Rep. Jared Polis [D-CO]
Rep. Charles Rangel [D-NY]	Rep. Linda Sanchez [D-CA]	Rep. Juan Vargas [D-CA]

Date	Chamber	Action
2013-09-13	House	Referred to the Subcommittee on Early Childhood, Elementary, and Secondary Education.
2013-06-27	House	Referred to the House Committee on Education and the Workforce.

Type	Source
Summary	https://www.congress.gov/bill/113th-congress/house-bill/2549/all-info
Text	https://www.congress.gov/113/bills/hr2549/BILLS-113hr2549ih.pdf