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Selenium (Se) is essential for the basic functions of life, but the low daily intake of Se urges us to find reliable ways to increase food Se content. Plant-growth-promoting bacteria (PGPB) have shown potential in enhancing plant growth and Se accumulation. In this study, the soils collected from a Se tailing were used to isolate Se-tolerant PGPB. The results showed that a total of three strains were identified. Strain LWS1, belonging to <i>Priestia</i> sp., grew well in M9 medium and exhibited typical PGP characteristics by an IAA-production ability of 24.3 ± 1.37 mg·L⁻¹, siderophore-production ability of 0.23 ± 0.04 and phosphate-solubilizing ability of 87.5 ± 0.21 mg·L⁻¹. Moreover, LWS1 strain tolerated selenite (SeIV) up to 90 mM by a LC₅₀ of 270.4 mg·L^–1. Further investigations demonstrated that the inoculation of strain LWS1 resulted in up to 19% higher biomass and 75% higher Se concentration in rice (<i>Oryza sativa</i> L.) than uninoculated treatments. Our study has provided evidence that microbial Se biofortification through inoculating with <i>Priestia</i> sp. strain LWS1 is an alternative way to improve Se uptake in crops and maintain human health.