Recognizing Biliteracy as an Asset: The Effects of Biliteracy Seals on Postsecondary Outcomes

• In Event: Contexts, Policies, and Outcomes for English Learners

Abstract

Biliteracy, or the ability to speak, read, and write in multiple languages, has demonstrated benefits. Research has shown that biliterate individuals have improved problem solving skills, focus, memory, and self-control compared to non-biliterate peers (Bialystok, 2011, Kempert, Saalbach, & Hardy, 2011; Van den Noort et al., 2019). While few statistics exist about the extent of biliteracy in the United States, an estimated 68 million people, or 22% of U.S. residents over five years old, speak a language other than English at home, with a wide distribution of bilingual residents by state (Dietrich & Hernandez, 2022). 

One policy that has recently gained traction across the country is to recognize biliteracy in high school graduates by granting biliteracy seals. The Seal of Biliteracy (SoBL) was initiated by Californians Together in 2008 as a grassroots movement to reverse the deficit view of English learners (ELs) by honoring and recognizing them for their proficiency in English plus another language while preparing all students for global citizenship (Aguirre & Chou, 2024). Students who meet their state’s requirements for demonstrating biliteracy (usually by receiving at least a minimum grade on language courses and/or passing related tests) receive the seal on their high school diploma. California was the first state to grant a SoBL in the 2012-13 school year, and as of 2024, all 50 states and the District of Columbia have approved a state seal of biliteracy. As a result, the number of SoBL recipients has increased rapidly over the past decade (158,384 total SoBL in the 2022-23 school year, up from 91,433 in 2017-18). 

Seals of Biliteracy have the potential to yield large benefits for students. However, many students have limited access to them and limited evidence exists on their effectiveness. One small study in a New Mexico district (using propensity score matching) found strong associations between earning a seal and college enrollment (Mihaly, Arellano, & Prier, 2022). These estimates are larger than the effects of many other college-going interventions, suggesting significant potential for the seals to benefit students, especially those from non-English speaking backgrounds who have historically had worse postsecondary outcomes. Yet, no rigorous study to date has examined whether this association reflects a causal link. 

In this study, we examine the causal effects of biliteracy seals on postsecondary outcomes in Florida, which ranked second nationwide (only behind California) with 16,039 high school graduates receiving biliteracy seals in 2022-23 school year, using regression discontinuity and difference-in-differences designs. We find significant positive effects of biliteracy seals, especially for the more selective gold biliteracy seal, on the likelihood of enrolling in more selective colleges, persistence in college, and degree attainment. These positive effects are more pronounced among non-native speakers of English.

Author

• Umut Ozek, RAND Corporation
  Presenting Author