Highline Public Schools is a culturally and linguistically diverse community. Our students represent about 80 nationalities and speak more than 100 different languages. In developing our strategic plan there was strong support for leveraging that diversity to benefit students.

It is the goal of Highline Public Schools that all students in the class of 2026 and beyond will graduate and earn the Seal of Biliteracy, becoming bilingual and biliterate and able to speak, read and write in  English and an additional language. This enriches students through:

• Economic advantages of bilingualism in the workplace
• Cognitive advantages of bilingualism in developing critical thinking skills, and in academic achievement across content areas, including English language development
• Cross-cultural understanding, and connecting students to their own cultures and the cultures of others

To reach this goal, we are committed to:

• Engaging our community to identify resources for teaching languages and implementing well-supported language-learning programs
• Providing strong and effective English language instruction for students learning English as an additional language
• Providing language-learning opportunities in a language other than English for all students as part of their regular academic program K-12; these options include;
  • including K-12 Dual Language programs
  • K-12 World Language programs
  • community language learning resources to extend opportunities beyond the school day and to a greater number of languages

The School Board may request a report on the progress towards this goal as part of a strategic plan update or as part of a bilingual program update.

Cross Reference:
Transitional Bilingual Instruction - Policy 2110 

Legal Reference: 
Seal of Biliteracy - RCW 28A.300

Highline School District 401
Adopted by the Board: May 2014