Seal of Biliteracy

Use this form to register for the Seal of Biliteracy test to be administered in late September/Early October of 2024. Registration is due Sunday, September 15th. The student email credentials must be used to sign-up.

Dual Language Students do not need to complete this form. They will be automatically enrolled for the tests they need in order to earn the Seal of Biliteracy.

Utilice este enlace para inscribirse para la prueba del Sello de Alfabetización Bilingüe que se administrará a fines de septiembre o principios de octubre de 2024. La inscripción debe realizarse el domingo 15 de septiembre. Las credenciales de correo electrónico del estudiante deben usarse para inscribirse.

Los estudiantes de lenguaje dual no necesitan completar este formulario. Se los inscribirá automáticamente para las pruebas que necesitan para obtener el Sello de Alfabetización Bilingüe.

Fall 2024 Testing Updates

Testing for Students Not in Dual Language

To earn the Seal of Biliteracy, high school students must demonstrate proficiency in both the target language and English (usually assessed through the SAT, ACT, or ACCESS test). This graphic shows a typical pathway to the Seal of Biliteracy in U-46 for students not in the Dual Language program.

This year, testing will once again be conducted in school during the school day with efforts made to reduce disruption of instructional time. U-46 can offer tests for more than 150 languages, including Arabic, Chinese, French, German, Hindi, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Polish, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, and Thai.

Important Note: Starting this 2024-25 school year, all high school students enrolled in U-46’s Dual Language programs will be automatically enrolled to test for the Seal. The sign-up form is only for use by students who are not enrolled in Dual Language but are proficient in a language other than English.
Testing for Dual Language Students
Starting with this 2024-25 school year, all high school students enrolled in U-46’s Dual Language programs will be automatically enrolled to test for the Seal. The various assessments needed to earn the Seal of Biliteracy will be administered in a strategic manner and spaced out across their 4-year high school experience.

These changes are being made to ensure minimal learning disruption for our students and to ensure that all Dual Language students have the opportunity to demonstrate their biliteracy in an internationally recognized capacity. You can learn more about that process from this infographic.

Here are some other important points about the new process for you to know:
- U-46 will register your Dual Language student for the assessments your child needs to earn the Seal of Biliteracy.
- Freshmen in ALE 1 (Artes de lenguaje en español) will take the AP Spanish Language exam at the end of their freshman year to count towards their Spanish proficiency.
- Dual Language students will test for their English proficiency as juniors on the ACT with the rest of their peers.
- Any senior who does not have both Spanish and English proficiency will be signed up for the tests they need before graduation.
There will be a sign-up form for Seal of Biliteracy testing, but it’s directed only at students who are not in the Dual Language program and are proficient in a language other than English. Students in the Dual Language program, or the ESL or TPI pathways, will not have to sign up and should not fill out the form.

What is the Seal of Biliteracy?

The Illinois State Seal of Biliteracy is an award bestowed by the Illinois State Board of Education and given by School District U-46 in recognition and celebration of students who have attained a high level of proficiency in one or more language in addition to English by high school graduation. The state of Illinois officially adopted the Seal of Biliteracy in 2013; District U-46 first participated in the program in 2016-2017. Students who earn the Seal qualify for two years of credit in that language at any Illinois post-secondary program.

Students who have earned the Illinois State Seal of Biliteracy or the Illinois State Commendation Toward Biliteracy will receive their award at the time of their graduation. Their achievement will be acknowledged on student transcripts and diplomas.

Rationale for the Illinois State Seal of Biliteracy

The Illinois State Board of Education and School District U-46 recognize the importance of language and how it helps prepare students for global citizenship. Not only is learning a language beneficial to students’ cognitive development, it also provides opportunities for them to participate effectively in global political, social, cultural and economic contexts. Further, the demand for employees to be fluent in more than one language is increasing rapidly in Illinois and throughout the world. The Seal of Biliteracy builds upon the rich linguistic and cultural assets of the district and community, providing students with the necessary skills to be successful in college, career, and life.

For more information about the Illinois State Seal of Biliteracy, please contact Jacob VandeMoortel, Coordinator of World Languages and K-12 Social Studies at jacobvandemoortel@u-46.org or 847-888-5000 ext 7705.

Students applying for the Illinois State Seal of Biliteracy or Commendation Award must demonstrate proficiency in English and an additional language.

The ACT is the state academic assessment for high school. Districts may use results from the ISBE-provided ACT School Day administration or an alternate ACT/SAT session to determine whether a student meets the award's English proficiency requirement, which is the English language arts/reading standard set by the state. In 2019, the Illinois State Board of Education approved a new minimum English language arts (ELA) score of 480 to meet standards on the SAT or a 20 on the ELA portion of the ACT.

To qualify for the Seal of Biliteracy by their senior year of high school, students must demonstrate proficiency in:

English by:

Earning a minimum score of 18 in the Reading/Writing portion of the ACT or a composite of 21, OR

Earning a minimum score of 480 in the Evidence Based Reading and Writing portion of the SAT, OR

Earning a minimum overall score of 4.8 on the ACCESS for ELLs exam taken while in high school.

Foreign Language by:

Earning a 4 or 5 on the Advanced Placement language exam taken prior to this school year, OR

Earn a minimum score of I-5 on all four domains of the ACTFL's Assessment of Performance toward Proficiency in Languages (AAPPL) exam. The following languages can be assessed with the AAPPL exam: Arabic, Chinese (Mandarin), French, German, Hindi, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish and Thai.

Earn a minimum score of INTERMEDIATE HIGH on all four domains of the STAMP 4S Standards-based Measurement of Proficiency. The following languages can be assessed with the STAMP 4S exam: Hebrew and Polish.

Language Assessments chart

Accomplishments

More than 540 members of the #U46Classof2024 graduated with either the State of Illinois Seal of Biliteracy or the Commendation. Languages included Spanish, Polish, Japanese, Tagalog, Urdu, Lithuanian, Chinese, Punjabi, Russian, French, Hindi, Hungarian, Turkish and Gujarati. Students who earn the Seal can qualify for two years of foreign language credit at any Illinois public university; that translates to a combined total of $570,711.42 in tuition savings for the Class of 2024 Seal recipients, using the credit hour cost at Elgin Community College for calculation purposes.

Larkin graduate Kayla Griffin, a member of the #U46Classof2022, is spending a "gap year" in France. Kayla earned her Seal of Biliteracy in French and will be spending the 2022-23 school year teaching English and earning college credits in a small community north of Paris, placed there via an organization called Andégo. C'est génial! "Language skills are vital for opening our students' minds to the wide world around us, or preparing them for a future they haven't even thought of yet!" says Kayla's French teacher at Larkin, Heather Fodor.

Mayra Cortezano received a $4,000 scholarship from the Sister Cities Association of Palatine to support her French studies at Dominican University, as well as an immersion trip to Palatine's sister city, Fontenay-le-Comte, next summer. Mayra graduated from Larkin High School as a member of the #U46Classof2022 and earned the Illinois Seal of Biliteracy in Spanish and a Commendation in French, Bon travail, Mayra!

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Seal of Biliteracy

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Seal of Biliteracy

Fall 2024 Testing Updates

Testing for Students Not in Dual Language

Testing for Dual Language Students

Accomplishments