Pathway to Biliteracy

2025 CSBA Golden Bell Award Winner for the Pathway to Biliteracy

Celebrating Bilingual Excellence

Honoring Our Students' Journey to Bilingualism and Biliteracy!
At San Bernardino City Unified, we are proud to recognize students who are mastering two or more languages. Our Seal of Biliteracy and Biliteracy Achievement Awards celebrate their dedication, hard work, and bright future in a multilingual world. Our Pathway to Biliteracy program was awarded the prestigious Golden Bell Award in 2025! 🔔

🏅 Seal of Biliteracy (High School Students)

What is the Seal of Biliteracy?

The Seal of Biliteracy is an official award given to high school students who show proficiency in both English and another language. It’s a mark of academic excellence — and an advantage in today’s global economy!

How Students Can Earn the Seal:

✅ Show Success in English

Complete all English courses required for graduation with a GPA of 2.0 or higher.
Earn a score of 3 (Met Standard) or 4 (Exceeded Standard) on the 11th Grade CAASPP English Language Arts test.
If the student is an English learner, they must also earn a Level 4 on the ELPAC (English Language Proficiency Assessment for California), showing full English proficiency.

✅ Show Proficiency in Another Language

Students can show their skills in another language in one of the following ways:

Score a 3 or higher on an Advanced Placement (AP) world language exam.
Score a 4 or higher on an International Baccalaureate (IB) world language exam.
Complete a four-year world language course in high school with a GPA of 3.0 or higher and demonstrate strong oral skills (comparable to AP or IB exams).
Score 600 or higher on the SAT II world language exam.
Score a 5 or higher on all parts of the district’s AVANT language assessment.

🎉 Once all requirements are met, students will:

Receive the official Seal of Biliteracy on their diploma and transcript.
Be honored at recognition ceremonies.
Show colleges and future employers that they are skilled in two or more languages.

📚 Biliteracy Achievement Awards (Elementary & Middle School)

Recognizing Our Young Bilingual Leaders

The Biliteracy Achievement Awards honor students in elementary and middle school who are developing strong skills in two or more languages.

Who Can Earn This Award?

✅ Students in grade 3, 5, and 8 who show progress in reading, writing, and speaking in two languages.

✅ Students complete the essay application requirements.

These early awards build confidence and inspire students to continue their bilingual learning journey!

SBCUSD Students Advancing on the Pathway to Biliteracy

Graph showing students on the pathway to biliteracy

SBCUSD Students Earning the Seal of Biliteracy

Graph showing students earning the Seal of Biliteracy

🎉 Recognition Ceremonies

Celebrating Our Students' Success

Each year, we host joyful ceremonies to honor our award recipients and their families.

📅 When: End of the school year
📍 Where: District office or participating schools
🧑‍🤝‍🧑 Who: Students, families, teachers, and district leaders

Our ceremonies celebrate the incredible accomplishments of bilingual and biliterate students across SBCUSD.

🌍 Why Bilingual Recognition Matters

Bilingual and biliterate students are better prepared for college, careers, and leadership in a diverse world.
Supporting bilingualism strengthens communities, cultures, and future opportunities for our students.

✅ Academic success
✅ Cultural pride
✅ Career advantages
✅ Global connections

📬 Contact Us

Have questions or need help applying? For more information, contact Jessica Serrao for Elementary Pathway to Biliteracy and Maritza Rodriguez for Secondary Pathway to Biliteracy. We’re here to support you!

Biliteracy Achievement Awards

The Biliteracy Achievement Awards are for students in third, fifth, and eighth grades who demonstrate proficiency in both English and another language. Students must demonstrate proficiency in both languages, write an essay on the topic of biliteracy, and complete an application. For 3rd and 5th grade applications, please visit bit.ly/sbcusdbiliteracyawards or bit.ly/reconocimientodebilinguismo.

Recipients attend a large recognition ceremony where they receive a biliteracy medallion and certificate.

Seal of Biliteracy

The Seal of Biliteracy is a prestigious award for graduating seniors who are proficient in English and another language. Students who are identified as candidates receive a special medallion to be worn at their graduation ceremony, and receive a Seal of Biliteracy insignia on their diploma.

Download our official brochure here.

To qualify for this award, students must meet the following criteria:

Successful completion of English course requirements for graduation with an overall grade point average (GPA) of 2.0 or above in those classes.
English Language Assessment—11th grade CAASPP score of 3-Met Standard or 4-Exceeded Standard (This Requirement is Waived for 2021 High School Graduates)
English proficiency (Level 4) on the most current English Language Proficiency Assessments for California (ELPAC)-Only applicable to students identified as English learners.
Proficiency in one or more languages other than English as demonstrated in one of the following methods:
1. Score of 3 or higher on an Advanced Placement (AP) exam in a world language;
2. Score of 4 or higher on an International Baccalaureate (IB) exam in a world language
3. Successful completion of a district A-G approved four-year course of study in the same world language with an overall grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 or above in those classes; and demonstration of oral proficiency in the language comparable to the AP or IB exam.
4. Score of 600 or above on the Scholastic Assessment Test (SAT) II in a world language.
5. A score of “5” or higher on the district’s AVANT test in all language domains.

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