State Seal of Biliteracy
The California Seal of Biliteracy is a state awards program designed to honor the accomplishments of high school students in the field of language studies and proficiency. The program's primary objectives are as follows:
- Encourage students to continue their language studies.
- Recognize and celebrate students who have achieved a high level of proficiency in speaking, reading, and writing in two or more languages.
- Acknowledge the value of cultural and language diversity within our community.
- Foster global citizenship and the development of essential 21st-century skills.
Mountain View-Lost Altos High School District is pleased to provide this opportunity to celebrate our students and their remarkable language achievements. Students who meet the eligibility criteria for the Seal of Biliteracy will be honored with a special seal on their high school diplomas.
Students who fulfilled the World Language eligibility criteria through MVLA coursework or who will complete their level 4 or 5 course during their senior year do not need to apply/ no need to submit an application. These students will receive an email confirming their status as “awarded” or “award pending” sent to their MVLA email account in May. Students who intend to fulfill the World Language eligibility criteria by exam (AP, SAT II, certified agency) must submit an application with documentation to verify their exam results. Please fill out the Seal of Biliteracy Application by the April 30, 2024 deadline.
ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA
ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA![]()
ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA
To earn the California State Seal of Biliteracy, the student must:
DEMONSTRATE ENGLISH PROFICIENCY THROUGH ONE OF THE FOLLOWING METHODS:
1. COURSEWORK:
Complete all English language arts requirements for graduation with an overall grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 in those classes.
OR
2. ASSESSMENT (CHOOSE ONE):
Option 1: State Assessment: Pass the California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress for English language arts administered in grade 11, at or above the “standard met” achievement level.
Option 2: Advanced Placement (AP) Assessment: Pass an English AP examination with a score of 3 or higher (AP English Language and Composition, AP English Literature or Composition, or AP Seminar).
Option 3: International Baccalaureate (IB) Assessment: Pass an English IB examination with a score of 4 or higher.
Option 4: SAT: Achieve a score of 480 or above on the Evidence-Based Reading and Writing section of the SAT.
Additional English Proficiency Requirement for English Learners Only:
In addition to the requirements mentioned above, students who are classified as English learners must attain an oral language composite score of level 4 on the English Language Proficiency Assessments for California (ELPAC).
AND
DEMONSTRATE PROFICIENCY IN ONE OR MORE LANGUAGES, OTHER THAN ENGLISH, THROUGH ONE OF THE FOLLOWING METHODS:
1. COURSEWORK:
Successfully complete a four-year course of study in a world language at the high school or higher level, attaining an overall GPA of 3.0 or higher in that course of study, and demonstrate oral proficiency in the language comparable to that required to pass an AP or IB examination.
OR
2. ASSESSMENT (CHOOSE ONE):
Option 1: AP: Pass a world language AP examination with a score of 3 or higher,
Option 2: IB: Pass an IB examination with a score of 4 or higher,
Option 3: ACTFL: Pass an ACTFL Writing Proficiency Test (WPT) and Oral Proficiency Interview (OPI) with scores of intermediate mid or higher, or
Option 4: District-Approved Assessment: Pass a school district language examination that, at a minimum, assesses speaking, reading, and writing in a language other than English at the proficient level or higher. From California Education Code Section 51461. Passing a certified language assessment for languages not provided within our district's courses. Students must independently undertake these language assessments. A list of available language assessment agencies can be found in this document.
For more information on the State Seal of Biliteracy, visit the California Department of Education (CDE) State Seal of Biliteracy web page at https://www.cde.ca.gov/sp/el/er/sealofbiliteracy.asp .
Questions about the State Seal of Biliteracy can be directed to the CDE Multilingual Support Division by phone at 916-319-0845 or by email at SEAL@cde.ca.gov.
For guidelines on how to provide documentation demonstrating your eligibility in each of these categories, please refer to the application.
Frequently Asked Questions
Frequently Asked Questions![]()
WHAT DOCUMENTATION DO I NEED FOR THE SEAL OF BILITERACY APPLICATION?
- The following forms of documentation will be accepted:
- Unofficial MVLA transcript: for grades, GPA, coursework
- A copy of your official score report: for SAT subject tests, AP exams, ELPAC results (EL students), certified/proctored language assessment.
- EL students who cannot locate their official ELPAC score reports should contact their school's EL Program Assistant for a printout of their scores.
IN WHAT LANGUAGE CAN I APPLY FOR THE SEAL OF BILITERACY?
- MVLA is offering the Seal of Biliteracy in Chinese (Mandarin), French, Japanese, Latin, and Spanish.
HOW DO I KNOW IF I QUALIFY FOR THE SEAL OF BILITERACY?
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The Seal of Biliteracy acknowledges a student's language proficiency in both English and another language. As part of the application process, it is crucial to provide documentation (such as an unofficial MVLA transcript or an AP score report) to demonstrate that you have satisfied all the eligibility criteria. You can find a comprehensive list of these criteria within the application itself and on this webpage.
WHAT IF I AM CURRENTLY IN AN MVLA LEVEL 4H NOW? I WON’T HAVE COMPLETED THE COURSE BEFORE THE APPLICATIONS ARE DUE.
If you meet all other eligibility criteria and are currently enrolled in a course to fulfill the language proficiency requirement, you will be designated as "conditionally accepted" until final grades are posted in June. As long as you successfully complete the course with the appropriate grades, you can anticipate receiving your Seal of Biliteracy alongside your diploma.
WHAT IF I AM TAKING THE AP EXAM FOR THE LANGUAGE THIS SPRING? CAN I STILL APPLY?
First, verify if you meet the eligibility criteria through other means (e.g., coursework). If not, you can still submit your application by the specified deadline. In this case, your application will be marked as "conditionally accepted," and you will receive your diploma without the Seal of Biliteracy until you provide your exam score report. Please note that school offices are closed during the summer, so you may need to wait until August to submit your exam report and receive your Seal of Biliteracy. It's crucial to ensure that you submit your exam score report no later than August 12; otherwise, your application will be considered incomplete, and you will not receive the Seal.
