Seal of Biliteracy
The World Language and EL Departments support and encourage our students to achieve the Seal of Biliteracy. The Seal of Biliteracy is an award given by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in recognition of students who have attained proficiency in listening, speaking, reading, and writing in two or more languages by high school graduation. This award is noted on the student transcript and is nationally recognized.
The Seal of Biliteracy aims to; encourage students to study and master languages; certify attainment of biliteracy skills; recognize the value of language diversity; provide employers with a method of identifying people with language and biliteracy skills; prepare students with skills that will benefit them in the labor market and the global society; and strengthen intergroup communication and honor the multiple cultures and languages in a community.
The Seal of Biliteracy also provides universities with a method to recognize and give course credits to applicants for attainment of high-level skills in languages. In addition, having earned the state Seal of Biliteracy, the Massachusetts Departments of Elementary and Secondary Education will provide students with a voucher to take a Massachusetts Test for Educator Licensure (MTEL) at no cost. You may choose to apply this award to either the Communication and Literacy MTEL or the Bilingual Education MTEL.
In order to reach the level of Intermediate High and Advanced Low to attain this nationally accepted award, World Language students are encouraged to take at least 3 years of a language.
For languages that do not have readily available assessments, students complete a portfolio demonstrating Intermediate-High proficiency in speaking, writing, reading, and listening.