The Seal of Biliteracy is an award given in recognition of a student who has studied and attained proficiency in two or more languages by high school graduation. Any high school student may choose to complete testing to show they are proficient in English as well as another language to be eligible to receive the State of Illinois Seal of Biliteracy upon graduation. If a student does not qualify for the full SEAL of Biliteracy, they can still qualify for the Commendation.
This award benefits not only native English speakers who can show proficiency in a world language, but also the multilingual English Learners who demonstrate proficiency in English and their home language. An official Seal of Biliteracy takes the form of a gold seal that appears on a transcript or diploma of the graduating senior and can be worth college credit towards studying a world language. It also shows prospective employers that they hold valuable bilingual skills.
The Seal began being offered in Illinois in 2013. In 2017, SD 308 had a total of 70 graduates who earned their Seal of Biliteracy. Last year’s 2021 graduates earned a total of 147 Seals of Biliteracy in the languages of Spanish, French, German and Cantonese. Three students even received awards for both Spanish and French. Congratulations to our multilingual students and the staff who help make this possible! To find out more information regarding the Seal of Biliteracy requirements, please visit the district website under the English Learner Department - Seal of Biliteracy.
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