State Seal of Biliteracy Guide: Exploring the How and Why

Understanding the State Seal of Biliteracy

The State Seal of Biliteracy, a distinguished gold seal, can be attached to a student’s high school diploma or transcript as recognition for achieving advanced proficiency in speaking, reading, and writing in both English and another language. California initiated the awarding of the State Seal of Biliteracy in 2012.

Advantages of Earning a State Seal of Biliteracy

A State Seal of Biliteracy serves as validation of the hard work put into mastering multiple languages. It acts as a valuable asset when presenting qualifications to colleges and potential employers, demonstrating competency in languages beyond English. Some educational institutions offer academic credit to students holding the seal, and organizations such as Language Testing International provide scholarships to recipients as well.

A recent study, partly backed by the U.S. Department of Education and centered on a school district in New Mexico, found that students who attained a Seal of Biliteracy demonstrated higher enrollment rates in four-year colleges compared to their peers without the seal.

Languages Acknowledged by the State Seal of Biliteracy

The State Seal of Biliteracy can be earned in any language besides English. Spanish ranks as the most commonly recognized language for the Seal of Biliteracy in 2022-23, followed by French, Chinese (Mandarin or Cantonese), Japanese, American Sign Language, Vietnamese, Korean, Tagalog, and German, in that specific order.

Additional languages in which the seal has been granted include Albanian, Arabic, Armenian, Bengali, Czech, Farsi, Hebrew, Hindi, Hmong, Igbo, Indonesian, Italian, Latin, Mixteco, Polish, Portuguese, Punjabi, Russian, Swahili, Urdu, and Yurok, among others.

Availability of the State Seal of Biliteracy in California

While all public schools in California have the opportunity to participate, it is voluntary rather than mandatory. In the 2022-23 school year, a total of 1,188 schools across 356 school districts or county offices of education conferred the seals. To determine if a specific school or district is involved, visit the California Department of Education’s page dedicated to the State Seal of Biliteracy and explore the “Data” tab.