Massachusetts State Seal of Biliteracy

What is the Seal of Biliteracy?

The Massachusetts State Seal of Biliteracy is for any senior-year student who demonstrates proficiency in English and another language, whether it is spoken at home or learned at school. If eligible, a Seal will be placed on your high school transcript, and you will receive a medal at Awards Night.

What is the goal of the Seal of Biliteracy?

The State Seal of Biliteracy aims to:

• Encourage students to study and master languages
• Recognize the value of language diversity
• Provide employers with a method of identifying people with language and biliteracy skills
• Provide universities with a method to recognize and give credit to applicants for attainment of high-level skills in languages
• Prepare students with skills that will benefit them in the labor market and the global society
• Strengthen intergroup communication and honor the multiple cultures and languages in a community. (taken from DESE website)

What are the requirements?

To earn the Seal of Biliteracy, you must be a senior and:

1. Demonstrate a high level of proficiency in English by satisfying the following:

• Earn Meeting Expectations on the Grade 10 ELA MCAS to qualify for the Seal of Biliteracy.
• Earn Exceeding Expectations on the Grade 10 ELA MCAS to qualify for the Seal of Biliteracy with Distinction.
• Some students may also qualify through a combination of their Grade 10 ELA MCAS and ACCESS scores or through another state-approved English assessment.

2. Demonstrate an Intermediate-High or Advanced level of proficiency in speaking, writing, reading, and listening in a world language by:

Attaining a score equivalent to Intermediate-High or better on a state-approved assessment. Online assessments are available in most spoken languages. If your language is not available, we will work with you to create a portfolio to demonstrate your proficiency.

Since 2019, Westborough students have earned Seals in: Arabic, Armenian, Bengali, Czech, Farsi, French, German, Hebrew, Hindi, Italian, Japanese, Konkani, Korean, Luganda, Mandarin, Polish, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, Swahili, Telugu and Twi.

What universities in Massachusetts award credit/placement for the Seal?

Several institutions of higher learning in Massachusetts currently provide information on their websites about credit for prior learning and/or advanced course placement for students who have earned the Seal of Biliteracy. Those public institutions include:

• Bridgewater State University
• Bunker Hill Community College
• Cape Cod Community College
• Massachusetts Bay Community College
• Middlesex Community College
• Mount Wachusett Community College
• North Shore Community College
• Northern Essex Community College
• Quinsigamond Community College
• Salem State University
• UMASS Amherst
• UMASS Dartmouth
• Westfield State University
• Worcester State University

This list continues to grow. Check back for more updates.

How to sign up for the world language assessment:

If you are enrolled in a Senior Year Language class at WHS, you will take your French, Spanish, or Mandarin assessment during the Mid-Year exam time in January of your senior year.

If you would like to take an assessment in another language, or are not enrolled in a course this year, the World Language Assessments will be given during school in February of your senior year. You will receive a sign-up notification during December of your senior year.

For more information:

Visit the Massachusetts State Seal of Biliteracy official website.

or

Email whsbiliteracy@westboroughk12.org