About The Vermont Seal of Biliteracy

The Seal of Biliteracy is an award given by VOCALE under the authorization of the Agency of Education in recognition of students who have studied and attained proficiency in two or more languages by high school graduation. The Seal of Biliteracy takes the form of a seal that appears on the transcript or diploma of the graduating senior and is a statement of accomplishment for future employers and for college admissions. All students should receive information about the Seal upon entering middle and high school so that they are able to meet the requirements to achieve this honor.

In addition to the Seal of Biliteracy, some schools and districts are also instituting Bilingual Pathway Awards, recognizing significant steps towards developing biliteracy along a student's trajectory from preschool to high school. Pathway awards can be awarded at various points from preschool onward; reach out to the VOCALE for further information regarding Pathway Awards.

The Seal serves to provide Vermont students with a goal for world language education at all grade levels. It recognizes the value of linguistic and cultural diversity in Vermont, encourages speakers of critical languages residing in Vermont to maintain oral proficiency and maintain or develop literacy, and encourages the development of articulated, sequential courses of study for students from elementary school through college. Proficiency in a second language provides students with 21st century skills that will benefit them in both the labor market and a diverse, global society.

ACTFL’s Benefits of Language Learning provides detailed insight into the benefits of learning a second language.

Four national organizations collaborated to draft recommendations for the implementation of the Seal of Biliteracy:  The American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL), the National Association of Bilingual Education (NABE), the National Council of State Supervisors for Languages, and TESOL International Association. 

The Seal of Biliteracy is currently offered in 44 states and the District of Columbia. Here is a link to an interactive map that provides information about the Seal in each state.

Who Is Eligible for the Seal of Biliteracy? 

All students are eligible to attain the Seal based on evidence of achieving the required level of language proficiency in English plus one or more languages during their high school years, whether that be a Heritage language, or a language learned in school or another setting. Biliteracy refers to having a functional level of proficiency in each language; the level of proficiency for all languages need not be identical.

There are multiple entry points to earning the Seal of Biliteracy including learning a world language, indigenous language, or American Sign Language at school, or at a location other than a Vermont public school, including at Career Technical Education centers; learning English at school; or Heritage Learning, which includes students living in multilingual households. Also eligible are students who are homeschooled and those enrolled in Flexible Pathways programs, such as Early College.

Students will receive the Seal as early as the end of their junior year, or prior to, or during graduation. 

Eligibility for the Seal can be demonstrated in the following ways: 

  • English Learners and Multilingual Learners who demonstrate proficiency in their first language and achieve a Literacy Proficiency Level of 4.0 or higher on the ACCESS for ELLs assessment.

  • A portfolio of work, including an oral presentation and a writing sample, will be assessed by a panel of speakers of that language for languages which don’t currently have assessments for students to demonstrate proficiency (see assessment page).

Some languages may have unique requirements that may require special allowances. For example, not all languages have writing systems; not all languages are spoken.  Students seeking the Seal for languages with unique characteristics will demonstrate the expected level of proficiency on an assessment of the modes that characterize the communication on that language.

Equitable access to the Seal of Biliteracy is required, regardless of students’ language background, economic means to pay for an assessment or any identified condition that may exclude demonstration of proficiency in one of the modes of communication, such as blindness, deafness or hearing impairment, cognitive or learning disabilities.