According to the most recent US census, over 1.5 million Pennsylvanians are bilingual with fluency in both English and another language. This ability broadens skillsets that employers want in our workforce. Having a secondary language can boost job prospects by up to 35% compared to individuals with fluency in one language.

Being fluent in a language other than English, like Spanish, German, French, or Mandarin can pay dividends in becoming more competitive as a state as we face workforce development challenges.

It’s time for our education system to  prepare our Commonwealth for the future by implementing a recognized seal of biliteracy on the diplomas of students who have successfully demonstrated biliteracy in their high school education. States that have implemented successful seal of biliteracy programs offer a competitive advantage for their students who must compete for job prospects in an increasingly diverse and international atmosphere. By receiving this seal, our Pennsylvania students will receive recognition from future employers and educational institutions as highly skilled individuals who can excel in a multitude of ways through their additional language skills.

To help our students, I will be introducing legislation that would give school districts the opportunity to offer the seal on the diplomas of students who complete all necessary language requirements by the Department of Education.

Please join me in supporting this important legislation.