FAQs
-
What is the Seal of Biliteracy?
Answer:
The Connecticut Seal of Biliteracy (Seal of Biliteracy) was established to recognize public high school graduates who have attained a high level of proficiency in English and one or more languages. This award is given by a school district in recognition of students who have studied and attained proficiency in English and one or more other languages by high school graduation. The Seal of Biliteracy recognizes the value of students’ academic efforts, the tangible benefits of being bilingual and biliterate and prepares students to be 21st century global citizens in a multicultural, multilingual world. The Seal of Biliteracy acknowledges that mastery of two or more languages is a valuable asset for both individuals and their communities.
-
When did the Seal of Biliteracy begin in Connecticut?
Answer:
On June 6, 2017, the Governor signed the bill into law as Public Act 17-29. Section 1(f) of Public Act 17-29 states that “the State Board of Education shall establish criteria by which a local or regional board of education may affix the Connecticut State Seal of Biliteracy on a diploma awarded to a student who has achieved a high level of proficiency in English and one or more foreign languages. For purposes of this subsection, ‘foreign language’ means a world language other than English and includes American Sign Language and any other language spoken by a federally recognized Native American tribe.” Students have been eligible to earn the Seal of Biliteracy since the 2017-2018 school year.
-
How were Connecticut's Seal of Biliteracy Guidelines created?
Answer:
When the Public Act 17-29 was passed, a Seal of Biliteracy Workgroup was convened. The workgroup included a range of stakeholders representing both the World Languages and English Learner (EL)/Multilingual learner (ML) communities. Specifically, it was comprised of members representing rural, suburban and urban districts, World Languages, TESOL and Bilingual, Regional Educational Service Centers (RESCs), Connecticut Council of Language Teachers (CT COLT), Connecticut Administrators of Programs for English Language Learners (CAPELL), American School for the Deaf (ASD), the Connecticut Parent Teacher Association (CT PTA), and the CSDE.
-
Who is eligible to earn the Seal of Biliteracy?
Answer:
To be eligible to receive the Seal of Biliteracy, the two academic requirements below must be met:
1. Student must complete all English language arts requirements for graduation.
2. Student must demonstrate proficiency in a language other than English in grades 10, 11, or 12 at a level comparable to “Intermediate Mid” on the ACTFL Proficiency Guidelines as demonstrated through an assessment or a low incidence language plan if no assessment is available for the language.
To attain the Seal of Biliteracy, students’ use of the language must be demonstrated, rather than their knowledge about the language. Therefore, a student must demonstrate proficiency in English and another language by meeting the criteria described below. Both native and non-native speakers of English must provide comparable evidence of English language proficiency. The language performance should be demonstrated in both social and academic use of the language, in all modes of communication.
-
How does a student meet the English requirement for the Seal?
Answer:
Students must complete (or be on track to complete) all English language arts requirements for graduation.
-
How does a student meet the other language requirement for the Seal?
Answer:
Student must demonstrate proficiency in a language other than English in grades 10, 11, or 12 at a level comparable to “Intermediate Mid” on the ACTFL Proficiency Guidelines as demonstrated through one of the following methods listed in the Assessment of Evidence Table.
Assessment or Evidence
Comparable to ACTFL “Intermediate Mid”
Assessment of Performance toward Proficiency in Languages (AAPPL) Measure
I-3 in all 4 domains
Oral Proficiency Interview (OPI) or OPIc and Writing Proficiency Test (WPT)
Intermediate Mid
International Baccalaureate (IB) World Language Exam
4 or higher
3
3
Intermediate
Avant STAMP (STAndards-based Measurement of Proficiency)
Intermediate Mid
I-3
DELE (Diplomas of Spanish as a Foreign Language)
B1
DELF (Diplomas of French as a Foreign Language)
B1
For a student whose primary language is not English and proficiency cannot be established by any of the assessments listed in the Assessment of Evidence Table, the following steps must be taken:
1. District determines a plan for measuring a student’s level of proficiency. This plan, to the extent practicable, includes assessment of interpersonal face-to-face communication as well as interpretive listening, presentational speaking, and reading and writing where a written code exists (see Unique Requirements for Low Incidence or Classical Languages, Connecticut Seal of Biliteracy Guidelines, page 6).
2. The principal, or designee, certifies that a low incidence language plan was completed.
-
Does a student have to take a world language to be eligible for the Seal?
Answer:
No, a student does not have to take a world language to be eligible for the Seal. There are many paths to developing language proficiency. Some examples include, but are not limited to:
- Traditional middle school or high school world language programs
- Traditional ESL programs
- Bilingual education programs
- Dual language/Foreign Language in Elementary School (FLES) programs
- K-12 world language immersion programs
- Time spent immersed in the target culture
- Saturday language schools
- Heritage language knowledge
-
In what languages can the Seal be earned?
Answer:
The Seal can be earned in any language, including less common/lower incidence world languages, Classical languages, sign languages, etc.
-
What if there is no test in a language but a student wants to earn the Seal in that language?
Answer:
For a student whose non-English language is low incidence and proficiency cannot be established by any of the assessments in the table above, the following steps must be taken:
a. District determines a plan for measuring a student’s level of proficiency. This plan, to the extent practicable, includes assessment of interpersonal face-to-face communication as well as interpretive listening, presentational speaking, and reading and writing where a written code exists AND
b. Certification by the principal, or designee, that a low-incidence language plan was completed.
-
Is there a cost associated with testing for the Seal?
Answer:
Yes, there is a cost for the testing, and these costs vary depending on the particular language and assessment selected. Districts are encouraged to use a range of funding sources to support the costs of language testing. Possible funding sources may include, but are not limited to, grants such as Title I, Title I Section 1003 School Improvement funds, Title II, Title III, Alliance District, Commissioner’s Network, State Bilingual, and district funds. It is critical for districts to consider equity and access when determining how assessments will be made available to all eligible students. No students should be precluded from testing for the Seal due to economic need, and districts should have a plan to offset the costs of testing for students if needed.
-
Can a district add requirements to the CSDE criteria in order to earn the Seal?
Answer:
The CSDE recommends adhering to the two requirements detailed in the Connecticut Seal of Biliteracy Guidelines document. In some cases, districts may choose to add an additional criteria, such as a capstone project or volunteering requirement, but any additional criteria added should not create unnecessary barriers that would preclude some or all students from being able to earn the Seal. For instance, it would not be appropriate to require a particular sequence of courses to be taken that would not be accessible for all students, as this would potentially create an unnecessary barrier for some students that could be otherwise potentially eligible to test for the Seal of Biliteracy.
-
When a student gets the Seal, what happens? How is it recorded?
Answer:
The Seal of Biliteracy must be added to the student’s transcript and diploma for the specific language(s). School districts are responsible for documenting on the high school transcript that a student has earned the Seal. The Seal of Biliteracy should be awarded by high school graduation. School districts should determine methods for recording the name and identification of students who have earned the Seal of Biliteracy.
-
Can districts provide Seal of Biliteracy recipients with awards for earning the Seal?
Answer:
Yes, districts must include the Seal and/or a reference to its being earned on a recipient’s diploma and transcript. Additionally, some districts provide additional tokens to acknowledge the earning of the Seal, such as an honor cord, certificate, medal, etc.
-
Can all students test to potentially earn the Seal?
Answer:
YES! All students should have the opportunity to demonstrate their biliteracy, regardless of their English language proficiency, disability status or exceptionalities. Accommodations should be provided to students per their Individualized Education Program (IEP) or Section 504 Plan for all assessments.
-
Which tests can be used to assess proficiency for Connecticut's Seal of Biliteracy?
Answer:
The CSDE recommends adhering to the menu of assessments detailed in the Connecticut Seal of Biliteracy Guidelines document. However, this menu is not an exhaustive list, and there may be times that a district wants to use another assessment. If a district wishes to use an assessment that is not included on the menu, the district must assure that the assessment is a valid and reliable, nationally- or internationally-recognized language proficiency assessment and that the score for achieving the Seal of Biliteracy is comparable to intermediate mid on the ACTFL Proficiency Guidelines. Additionally, as noted in other questions and answers, a low-incidence language plan must be developed for students that wish to demonstrate proficiency for the Seal in languages for which there are no available language proficiency assessments.
-
Can younger students earn the Seal of Biliteracy?
Answer:
No. Currently, only students in grades 10, 11, and 12 can earn the Seal. However, districts are encouraged to provide other forms of recognition prior to high school reflecting progress along the pathway toward achieving the specified level of biliteracy, which may occur earlier in a student’s educational program.
-
Where can I learn more about the Seal of Biliteracy?
Answer:
The Connecticut Seal of Biliteracy Guidelines, Seal image, and Seal Memorandum, are located on the Connecticut State Department of Education’s portal. Information can be accessed on the Seal of Biliteracy page [include link when available]. Additional information can be accessed on the National Seal of Biliteracy page. In 2020, the National Seal of Biliteracy Guidelines were updated to focus more on inclusivity, equity, and to encourage heritage speakers and multilingual learners to participate in the Seal of Biliteracy initiative. The working group that updated the National Guidelines reflected a range of professional organizations representing the fields of world language and multilingual learners. Additionally, the 2020 National Seal of Biliteracy Report provides the most updated national data for Seal implementation and access.
