What is biliteracy?

Biliteracy is the ability to effectively understand, speak, read, and write in two languages.

Who is eligible to earn the Seal of Biliteracy?

ALL graduating students are eligible to attain the Seal of Biliteracy based on evidence of achieving the designated level of language proficiency in English plus one or more other languages during their high school years. Students must demonstrate the state-determined level of proficiency in English, as well as one or more additional languages, be that language a native language, heritage language, or a language learned in school or another setting.

Why should a student earn the Seal of Biliteracy?

The Seal of Biliteracy opens up a sea of vast opportunities for those pursuing higher education or joining the workforce. As the world increasingly becomes more global, the need for employees with bilingual and multilingual skills has also been increasing.

Employers seek bilingual or multilingual individuals for reasons such as:

• Accessing expanding markets;

• Better serving customer needs;

• Reaching particular and broader ranges of audiences; or

• Opening a channel of communication with customers.

How much does the Seal of Biliteracy cost a student?

All costs associated with the Seal of Biliteracy (certificates, diploma seals, and district-approved assessments) are paid for by the CID Division. There are no costs to the student outside of normal fees for Advanced Placement or International Baccalaureate examinations.

Eligibility Requirements

Complete all high school graduation requirements

Successfully completes all courses of study in English language arts that are required for graduation with at least a 2.0 grade point average, on a 4.0 grading scale.

Demonstrate proficiency in one or more languages other than English by fulfilling one of the following options:

• Advanced Placement (AP) World Language Exam with a score of 3 or above

• International Baccalaureate (IB) World Language Exam with a score of 4 or above

• District-approved language examination with a passing score

District-approved language examinations will be scheduled and proctored by individual schools in coordination with the CID Division.

Languages and Assessments

For a complete list of languages available and the district-approved assessments, please visit: bit.ly/CCSD_WL_Prof_Exams

Application

Applications will be accepted starting

TBA

and will close on TBA late applications will not

be accepted.

To apply, go to:

https://bit.ly/CCSD_NSOB_Application

All testing must be completed between TBA.

Award Components

• Certificate of Recognition

• Seal on Diploma

• Transcript Notation