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Second Regular Session
Seventy-fifth General Assembly
STATE OF COLORADO
INTRODUCED
LLS NO. 26-0257.01 Owen Hatch x2698 HOUSE BILL 26-1028
House Committees Senate Committees
Education
A BILL FOR AN ACT
CONCERNING SECOND LANGUAGE DI PLOMA ENDORSEMENTS FOR101
GRADUATING HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS.102
Bill Summary
(Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced and does
not reflect any amendments that may be subsequently adopted. If this bill
passes third reading in the house of introduction, a bill summary that
applies to the reengrossed version of this bill will be available at
http://leg.colorado.gov.)
The bill creates a diploma endorsement for bilingualism for
graduating high school students.
The bill changes educational requirements for the biliteracy
endorsement program. The bill allows students in school districts that do
not offer the biliteracy or the bilingualism program to access the program
through department-certified entities. The department of education is
HOUSE SPONSORSHIP
Garcia and Velasco,
SENATE SPONSORSHIP
Cutter,
Shading denotes HOUSE amendment. Double underlining denotes SENATE amendment.
Capital letters or bold & italic numbers indicate new material to be added to existing law.
Dashes through the words or numbers indicate deletions from existing law.
required to set educational requirements to certify entities.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Colorado:1
SECTION 1. Legislative declaration. (1) The general assembly2
finds and declares that:3
(a) The purpose of updating Colorado's seal of biliteracy is to4
modernize, clarify, and expand equitable access to Colorado's seal of5
biliteracy for high school graduates while maintaining rigorous standards;6
(b) Colorado's seal of biliteracy was established to recognize high7
school graduates who demonstrate proficiency in English and at least one8
additional world language. The seal signals readiness for college, careers,9
and participation in a global economy.10
(c) The implementation of the seal of biliteracy has varied widely11
across school districts: Out of the 179 school districts in Colorado, only12
55 of them offer the seal of biliteracy for high school diplomas. Many13
students, particularly those in rural districts, small schools, or districts14
without formal biliteracy programs, face barriers when accessing the seal15
of biliteracy, despite demonstrating strong language skills.16
(d) Biliteracy is defined as the proficiency in actively listening to,17
speaking, understanding, reading, and writing in English and another18
world language, while bilingualism is defined as the speaking, listening,19
and understanding of another world language and English;20
(e) In order to earn a seal of biliteracy, high school students21
should be able to demonstrate speaking, listening, reading, and writing22
proficiency in a world language in numerous ways, including in23
coursework, assessments, or approved bodies of evidence;24
(f) Colorado's public schools educate 114,482 multilingual25
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learners. Expanding access to the seal of biliteracy and creating access to1
a seal of bilingualism for high school graduates will demonstrate2
Colorado's commitment to supporting all students.3
(g) Multilingualism is a proven asset in business, health care,4
education, government services, and national security. Local and global5
industries in Colorado have unique demands for language skills, creating6
distinct career opportunities for multilingual professionals. The seal of7
biliteracy will allow high school graduates to prove their language skills8
to potential employers and will ease their transition into the workforce9
and higher education.10
SECTION 2. In Colorado Revised Statutes, 22-7-1009.5, amend11
(2)(a)(I), (2)(a)(II)(B), (2)(b)(II), and (2)(b)(III); repeal (3)(b)(III); and12
add (1)(a.3), (1)(a.5), (1)(a.7), (2)(a)(II)(C), (2)(a)(II)(D), (2.5), and (5)13
as follows: 14
22-7-1009.5. Diploma endorsement - biliteracy - bilingualism15
- definitions.16
(1) As used in this section, unless the context otherwise requires:17
(a.3) "A PPROVED ENTITY " MEANS AN INSTITUTION OF HIGHER18
LEARNING OR EDUCATIONAL NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION APPROVED BY THE19
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION PURSUANT TO SUBSECTION (5)(c) OF THIS20
SECTION.21
(a.5) "BILINGUALISM" MEANS THE ABILITY TO SPEAK , ACTIVELY22
LISTEN TO, AND UNDERSTAND ENGLISH AND ANOTHER WORLD LANGUAGE.23
(a.7) "BILITERACY" MEANS THE ABILITY TO ACTIVELY LISTEN TO,24
SPEAK, UNDERSTAND, READ, AND WRITE ENGLISH AND ANOTHER WORLD25
LANGUAGE.26
(2) A local education provider may grant a diploma endorsement27
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in biliteracy to a graduating high school student who attains proficiency1
or higher in one or more world languages in addition to attaining2
proficiency or higher in English. To obtain an endorsement in biliteracy,3
a graduating student must:4
(a) Demonstrate proficiency or higher in English by:5
(I) Completing all of the English language arts course6
requirements for graduation from high school with an overall grade point7
average of at least 3.0 in the required English language arts courses; and8
OR9
(II) (B) Passing the English language arts advanced placement test10
with a score of three or higher or passing the English language arts11
portion of an international baccalaureate test with a score of four or12
higher; and OR13
(C) M EETING ONE OF THE OPTIONS FOR COLLEGE AND CAREER14
READINESS BY USING ANY OF THE READING , WRITING , AND15
COMMUNICATING METHODS AND LEVELS INDICATED ON THE16
DEPARTMENT'S MENU OF COLLEGE AND CAREER READY DEMONSTRATIONS,17
AS ADOPTED BY THE STATE BOARD , OR A SUCCESSOR FRAMEWORK AND18
GUIDELINES; OR19
(D) COMPLETING HIGH SCHOOL LEVEL REQUIREMENTS, WHICH IS20
CONSIDERED SATISFACTORY FOR THE STATE GUIDELINES FOR21
REDESIGNATION OF MULTILINGUAL LEARNERS; AND22
(b) Demonstrate proficiency or higher in one or more world23
languages by:24
(II) Successfully completing a four-year high school course of25
study in the world language and attaining an overall grade point average26
of at least 3.0 in the course of study; PASSING A WORLD LANGUAGE27
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COURSE OF STUDY THAT IS EQUIVALENT IN RIGOR TO A WORLD LANGUAGE1
ADVANCED PLACEMENT COURSE WITH AN OVERALL GRADE POINT2
AVERAGE OF AT LEAST 3.0 IN THE COURSE OF STUDY , PASSING THE3
SUMMATIVE ASSESSMENT AT THE COMPLETION OF A FOUR -YEAR HIGH4
SCHOOL COURSE OF STUDY IN THE WORLD LANGUAGE , OR PROVIDING A5
BODY OF EVIDENCE THAT MEASURES SPEAKING, ACTIVELY LISTENING TO,6
UNDERSTANDING, READING, AND WRITING THE LANGUAGE. IF PROVIDING7
A BODY OF EVIDENCE , THE EVIDENCE MUST BE OF EQUAL RIGOR TO THE8
ADVANCED PLACEMENT TEST; or9
(III) Achieving a passing score on the world language portion of10
a nationally recognized test that ASSESSES THE STUDENT 'S ABILITY TO11
SPEAK, ACTIVELY LISTEN TO , UNDERSTAND , READ , AND WRITE AND is12
relied upon by institutions of higher education.13
(2.5) A LOCAL EDUCATION PROVIDER MAY GRANT A DIPLOMA14
ENDORSEMENT IN BILINGUALISM TO A GRADUATING HIGH SCHOOL15
STUDENT WHO ATTAINS PROFICIENCY OR HIGHER IN ONE OR MORE WORLD16
LANGUAGES IN ADDITION TO ATTAINING PROFICIENCY OR HIGHER IN17
ENGLISH. TO OBTAIN AN ENDORSEMENT IN BILINGUALISM, A GRADUATING18
STUDENT MUST:19
(a) DEMONSTRATE ORAL PROFICIENCY OR HIGHER IN ENGLISH BY:20
(I) M EETING ONE OF THE OPTIONS FOR COLLEGE AND CAREER21
READINESS BY USING ANY OF THE READING , WRITING , AND22
COMMUNICATING METHODS AND LEVELS INDICATED ON THE23
DEPARTMENT'S MENU OF COLLEGE AND CAREER READY DEMONSTRATIONS,24
AS ADOPTED BY THE STATE BOARD , OR A SUCCESSOR FRAMEWORK AND25
GUIDELINES; OR26
(II) A CHIEVING HIGH-SCHOOL-LEVEL REQUIREMENTS , WHICH IS27
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CONSIDERED SATISFACTORY FOR THE STATE GUIDELINES FOR1
REDESIGNATION OF MULTILINGUAL LEARNERS; AND2
(b) DEMONSTRATE ORAL PROFICIENCY OR HIGHER IN ONE OR MORE3
WORLD LANGUAGES BY ACHIEVING A PASSING SCORE ON THE WORLD4
LANGUAGE ORAL PORTION OF A NATI ONALLY RECOGNIZED TEST THAT5
ASSESSES THE STUDENT 'S ABILITY TO LISTEN, SPEAK, AND UNDERSTAND6
AND IS RELIED UPON BY INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER EDUCATION; OR7
(c) P ROVIDE A BODY OF EVIDENCE THAT MEASURES SPEAKING ,8
ACTIVELY LISTENING TO , AND UNDERSTANDING THE LANGUAGE . IF9
PROVIDING A BODY OF EVIDENCE, THE EVIDENCE MUST BE OF EQUAL RIGOR10
TO THE ADVANCED PLACEMENT TEST.11
(3) (b) Notwithstanding any provision of subsection (2)(b)(I) of12
this section to the contrary:13
(III) If an advanced placement test exists or the department has14
identified a comparable test for a world language, and the local education15
provider creates and uses an alternative test for that world language, the16
department must approve the local education provider's test before the17
local education provider may use the test to determine a student's level of18
proficiency in the world language in place of an advanced placement test19
for purposes of subsection (2)(b)(I) of this section.20
(5) (a) A HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT WHO ATTENDS A LOCAL21
EDUCATION PROVIDER THAT DOES NOT OFFER A DIPLOMA ENDORSEMENT22
OF BILITERACY, OR BILINGUALISM, PURSUANT TO SUBSECTIONS (2) AND23
(2.5) OF THIS SECTION MAY SEEK AN ENDORSEMENT OF BILITERACY OR24
BILINGUALISM FROM AN APPROVED ENTITY.25
(b) T HE STUDENT MUST MEET THE APPROVED ENTITY 'S26
EDUCATIONAL REQUIREMENTS AND SUBMIT THE REQUIRED27
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DOCUMENTATION TO THE APPROVED ENTITY.1
(c) T HE DEPARTMENT SHALL CERTIFY AN APPROVED ENTITY2
AUTHORIZED TO OFFER THE ENDORSEMENT. THE DEPARTMENT SHALL SET3
UNIFORM EDUCATIONAL REQUIREMENTS FOR ENDORSEMENTS OFFERED BY4
AN APPROVED ENTITY.5
(d) A FTER A STUDENT SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETES THE6
ENDORSEMENT, THE APPROVED ENTITY SHALL SEND VERIFICATION OF THE7
COMPLETED ENDORSEMENT TO THE STUDENT AND THE STUDENT'S LOCAL8
EDUCATION PROVIDER.9
(e) A N APPROVED ENTITY MAY CHARGE A FEE TO PROVIDE THE10
ENDORSEMENT. THE FEE MUST REFLECT THE ACTUAL AND INDIRECT COSTS11
TO THE APPROVED ENTITY OF PROVIDING THE BILITERACY ENDORSEMENT12
PROGRAM. ANY FEE ASSESSED MUST BE PAID BY THE STUDENT 'S LOCAL13
EDUCATION PROVIDER.14
SECTION 3. Act subject to petition - effective date. This act15
takes effect at 12:01 a.m. on the day following the expiration of the16
ninety-day period after final adjournment of the general assembly (August17
12, 2026, if adjournment sine die is on May 13, 2026); except that, if a18
referendum petition is filed pursuant to section 1 (3) of article V of the19
state constitution against this act or an item, section, or pa rt of this act20
within such period, then the act, item, section, or part will not take effect21
unless approved by the people at the general election to be held in22
November 2026 a nd, in such case, will take effect on the date of the23
official declaration of the vote thereon by the governor.24
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