High schools throughout the United States and the District of Columbia now have the opportunity to award a Seal of Biliteracy to their graduates.
This seal signifies that a student has achieved proficiency not only in English but also in another language.
Growing Popularity of the Seal
Last summer, during a summit in Washington, outgoing Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona underscored the importance of this development, which has sparked a wave of excitement among students.
A newly released report highlights the increasing popularity of this credential, which began as a California initiative designed to recognize the language abilities of English learners.
According to the latest national figures on the Seal of Biliteracy, the number of high school graduates attaining this honor rose sharply—from 147,937 during the 2021-22 academic year to 158,384 in 2022-23.
Additionally, the range of languages for which these seals were awarded expanded from 127 to 143.
Notably, the share of seals given to current and former English learners also climbed from 38% to 40%.
Ongoing Support and Accessibility Initiatives
This growth can be attributed to multiple factors.
States have enacted policies that encourage the awarding of seals, and there have been improvements in data collection regarding recipients.
Samuel Aguirre, a co-author of the report and senior director at WIDA, which oversees English language proficiency assessments in several states, points out that increased recognition of the seal’s value among both English learners and native speakers has further fueled its demand.
The initiative originated over ten years ago as a grassroots effort in California, aimed at honoring English learners who not only graduate with English proficiency but also retain fluency in their native tongues.
In fact, California was responsible for more than a third of all seals awarded in the last academic year.
As educators look toward the future, they hope for ongoing support from state education agencies.
However, uncertainty looms regarding potential federal assistance for promoting the seal and funding initiatives for English learner services.
Aguirre highlighted the potential impact of federal guidance, especially considering the varied requirements for obtaining the seal across states.
The Case for Federal Support of the Seal of Biliteracy
While progress is evident in many states regarding the expansion of the Seal of Biliteracy, many educators believe that federal assistance could further enhance access.
Additional funding under Title III, which supports programs for English learners, could finance the development of assessments for less commonly spoken languages, thus opening doors for more students.
The number of states offering seals in American Sign Language has also grown from 16 to 23 between the 2021-22 and 2022-23 school years, a jump likely supported by the rise of affordable virtual assessments.
Minnesota’s Karen language assessment is being made available to other states, creating opportunities for a wider range of languages to be included.
Despite the uncertainties around federal support, particularly with potential changes in administration that could affect K-12 funding, educators are determined to keep the momentum going through grassroots initiatives.
Many believe that the commitment of multilingual educators is vital to sustaining and amplifying the visibility and efficacy of the Seal of Biliteracy initiative.
Source: Edweek