The criteria for earning the State Seal of Biliteracy can be
found in 603CMR 31.07(2) of the state regulations.
To qualify for the State Seal of Biliteracy, students must meet all
graduation requirements, and the English language and foreign
language criteria described below:
English Language Criteria
Partner (Native/Heritage/Learned) Language Criteria
. Students must attain a score at the Intermediate-High level of the ACTFL Proficiency Guidelines of 2012, published by the American Council of the Teaching of Foreign Languages.
These are some Language Assessments Approved by DESE:
Portfolio (if test is not available for a specific language):
Documentation of 3 – 5 benchmark pieces of classwork and projects of interpersonal communication, interpretive communication, and presentational communication (in addition to a test OR if a test is not available for a specific language).
- MCAS: English Language Arts (prior to spring 2019 - score of "proficient": 240+ ; Next-Gen MCAS 472+)
Partner (Native/Heritage/Learned) Language Criteria
. Students must attain a score at the Intermediate-High level of the ACTFL Proficiency Guidelines of 2012, published by the American Council of the Teaching of Foreign Languages.
These are some Language Assessments Approved by DESE:
- STAMP: Arabic, French, German, Hebrew, Hindi, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Mandarin (simplified and traditional), Polish, Portuguese (Brazilian), Russian, Spanish.
- AAPPL: Arabic, Chinese, ESL (English), French, German, Korean, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, Hindi, Italian, Japanese, Thai
- ALIRA: Latin
- AP: score of 4 or higher (applicable for junior year AP language courses only).
Portfolio (if test is not available for a specific language):
Documentation of 3 – 5 benchmark pieces of classwork and projects of interpersonal communication, interpretive communication, and presentational communication (in addition to a test OR if a test is not available for a specific language).
Criteria for the State Seal of Biliteracy with Distinction
English:
Meeting or exceeding the Advanced threshold scaled score of 260 on the current English Language Arts grad 10 MCAS tests; and 501 for the Next-Gen MCAS.
Partner (Native/Heritage/Learned) Language:
Scoring at the Advanced-Low level of the ACTFL Proficiency Guidelines of 2012 on an assessment approved by DESE or demonstrating an Advanced-Low level of proficiency through a portfolio-based alternative.
Who is likely to function at this level?
Language learners following 6-8 year sequence of study or 4-6 semester college sequences.
Meeting or exceeding the Advanced threshold scaled score of 260 on the current English Language Arts grad 10 MCAS tests; and 501 for the Next-Gen MCAS.
Partner (Native/Heritage/Learned) Language:
Scoring at the Advanced-Low level of the ACTFL Proficiency Guidelines of 2012 on an assessment approved by DESE or demonstrating an Advanced-Low level of proficiency through a portfolio-based alternative.
Who is likely to function at this level?
Language learners following 6-8 year sequence of study or 4-6 semester college sequences.