Seal of Biliteracy

image of a seal and ribbon with words "Connecticut Seal" and "Biliteracy"

One cannot overestimate the value of language diversity in the 21st century. Our children are growing up in an increasingly multicultural and multilingual world.

We are delighted that so many GHS graduates have earned the biliteracy seal. We look forward to graduating increasingly larger numbers of students with the Seal of Biliteracy recognition in the years to come.

What is the Seal of Biliteracy?

Connecticut adopted the “Seal of Biliteracy” in 2017 in order to recognize high school graduates who are proficient in English and one or more other languages. Our state was the 28th to adopt this national program. Currently, 49 states and Washington DC have approved a statewide Seal of Biliteracy.

To qualify, students must first complete all English/Language Arts requirements for graduation. Next, they must demonstrate proficiency in at least one other language, in testing. Proficiency is determined through scoring on one of several state approved assessment tools such as the Oral Proficiency Interview (OPI) or Advanced Placement Exam. Students must demonstrate the state-determined level of proficiency in English, as well as one or more additional languages.

Earn the Seal of Biliteracy in Multiple Languages! The Connecticut State Seal of Biliteracy was established to recognize high school graduates who have attained a level of proficiency in English and one or more languages. In order to meet the requirements for the Seal, students must: Meet Glastonbury High School’s English language graduation requirements & Earn a minimum rating of an Intermediate-Mid on both the Oral Proficiency Interview by computer (OPIc) and Writing Proficiency Test (WPT) for modern languages, or the ACTFL Latin Interpretive Reading Assessment (ALIRA). Students test in the highest level of a language offering or when they are seniors. Students must be enrolled in a course to be eligible to take the proficiency assessment. *Students who speak languages that are not offered at the high school may be eligible to test to earn the world language requirement for the Seal of Biliteracy in these languages. Ask your WL / ML teacher for more details.

Glastonbury Public Schools

151 GHS seniors receiving the seal in the 2022-2023 school year, across twelve languages. This is one of the highest numbers for a school district in our state.

Biliteracy vs. Bilingualism

The difference between biliteracy and bilingualism is an important one. A person who is bilingual can speak two languages fluently. A person who is biliterate, however, can speak, read, and write proficiently in two languages.

Seal of Biliteracy

Students meeting the criteria for biliteracy receive a seal affixed to their diploma and to their high school transcript. The marker is useful to both employers and to colleges and universities. It helps to identify students with verified multilingual skills, encourages students to study languages, and recognizes and rewards students' linguistic and cultural knowledge.