Illinois State Seal of Biliteracy

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District #7 has always valued diverse languages and cultures and now we want to celebrate and recognize the many languages spoken within our District #7 boundaries! Beginning with the 2023-2024 school year, we will be participating in the Illinois State Seal of Biliteracy. The Illinois State Seal of Biliteracy is an award presented at graduation in recognition of attaining a high level of proficiency in English and in one or more other languages. It is officially designated on a student’s transcript and high school diploma. 

This award is a great way to honor and encourage bilingualism and maintenance of home language for our English learner students as well as an extra incentive for our English-speaking students participating in world language studies. The award is available to students of all backgrounds and can be assessed anytime during a student’s high school career.  

Based on a student’s level of proficiency in English and their additional language, a student may qualify to receive State Commendation Toward Biliteracy or the State Seal of Biliteracy according to the proficiency information laid out below: 

 

State Commendation Towards Biliteracy Requirements 

State Seal of Biliteracy Requirements

 
English Proficiency (choose one): 

  1. ACCESS for ELLs: 3.5 literacy 
  1. AP English Language and Composition exam: 3 
  1. ELA Dual Credit Course 
  1. STAMPS 4S: Intermediate Low 
  1. ACT: College ready benchmark (English) or 21 Composite 
  1. SAT: 480 ELA Score 
  1. TOEFL: Intermediate Low 

 

 English Proficiency (choose one): 

  1. ACCESS for ELLs: 4.8 Composite 
  1. AP English Language and Composition exam: 4 
  1. ELA Dual Credit Course 
  1. STAMPS 4S: Intermediate High 
  1. ACT: College ready benchmark (English) or 21 Composite 
  1. SAT: 480 ELA Score 
  1. TOEFL: 85 
  1. TOEIC: 550 

 
World Language Proficiency (choose one): 

  1. AP Language and Culture Exam: 3 
  1. STAMP 4S: Intermediate Low 
  1. AAPPL form B: I-1 (Intermediate Low) 
  1. NEWL: Intermediate Low 

 

 World Language Proficiency (choose one): 

  1. AP Language and Culture Exam: 4 
  1. STAMP 4S: Intermediate High 
  1. AAPPL form B: 1-5 (Intermediate High) 
  1. NEWL: Intermediate High 

There are also many postsecondary award benefits to earning the State Seal of Biliteracy, including all Illinois public colleges and universities must accept the State Seal of Biliteracy as equivalent to two years of world language coursework taken during high school for admissions purposes.  This document (Albanian, Chinese, Korean, Spanish, Vietnamese) provides more detailed information regarding public colleges and universities in Illinois.