1. Office of Bilingual Education and World Languages
The New York State Seal of Biliteracy NYSAFLT Annual Conference October 20, Candace Black, East Irondequoit CSD
Office of Bilingual Education and World Languages

2. What is the Seal of Biliteracy?
Agenda
What is the Seal of Biliteracy?
What is the Seal?
Purpose of the Seal and why should schools offer it
History of the Seal of Biliteracy
Criteria to earn the Seal in NYS
District/school Implementation
Next steps for schools interested in pursuing the seal
Office of Bilingual Education and World Languages

3. What is the Seal of Biliteracy?
An award given by a school, school district or county office of education in recognition of students who have attained proficiency in two or more world languages by high school graduation, one of which must be English
It can take the form of a seal that appears on the student’s diploma and/or a notation on the official transcript and graduation program.
It can be accompanied by a medal, certificate, graduation cord or other regalia at the discretion of the school.
Office of Bilingual Education and World Languages

4. What is the Purpose of the Seal?
To recognize high school graduates who have attained a high level of proficiency in listening, speaking, reading, and writing in one or more languages, in addition to English.
(: Source Chapter 271 of the Laws of 2012 (Section 815 of Education Law)).
Office of Bilingual Education and World Languages

5. Why offer the Seal of Biliteracy?
It is a statement by the school system that mastery of two or more languages is important.
It honors the skills our students attain, and can be evidence of skills that are attractive to future employers and college admissions offices.
Office of Bilingual Education and World Languages

6. Why offer the Seal of Biliteracy?
To encourage students to study languages
To recognize the value of language diversity
To provide employers with a method of identifying people with language and skills
To provide universities with a method to recognize and give credit to applicants for attainment of high level skills in multiple languages
To prepare students with 21st century skills
To honor the multiple cultures and languages in a community
Office of Bilingual Education and World Languages

7. History of the Seal of Biliteracy
California initiated the first State Seal of Biliteracy in 2008.
Since then, numerous states have approved the Seal or are in the process of initiating one.
Source:
Office of Bilingual Education and World Languages

8. History of the Seal of Biliteracy
The New York State Seal of Biliteracy was passed by the Legislature and signed into law by the Governor on July 31, 2012 behind the sponsorship of Senator Robach and Assemblywoman Arroyo.
Source:
Office of Bilingual Education and World Languages

9. Office of Bilingual Education and World Languages
Collaborations
Along with numerous teachers and schools throughout NYS, the Office
of Bilingual Education and World Languages has worked closely with
a number of organizations and groups to develop the proposed criteria,
guidelines and processes for the New York State Seal of Biliteracy.
New York State Association of Foreign Language Teachers (NYSAFLT)
The American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL)
NYS Regional Bilingual Education Resource Networks (RBERN)
The NYS Seal of Biliteracy Pilot Schools/Districts
Foreign Language Association of Chairpersons and Supervisors (FLACS)
New York Capital Area Languages (NYCAL)
The NYS Seal of Biliteracy Workgroup
The College Board
Office of Bilingual Education and World Languages

10. Office of Bilingual Education and World Languages
The Pilot Program
In , NYSED piloted the Seal with 6 districts and 20 schools, asking each to develop their own implementation plan.
Manhattan Bridges HS
Manhattan Center for Science & Math
Marble Hill HS for Intl Studies
New Rochelle HS
Pan American International HS
Southampton HS
Stuyvesant HS
Susan Wagner HS
Catskill HS
City Honors School
Eastridge HS
Frederick Law Olmstead
Gregorio Luperon HS
High School for Arts and Business
High School of World Cultures
Hutchinson Technical HS
International School of Liberal Arts
Lafayette HS
Long Island City HS
Manhattan Academy for Arts and Language
Office of Bilingual Education and World Languages

11. Office of Bilingual Education and World Languages
The Pilot Program
NYSED then used this information to develop statewide guidelines, which were approved by the Board of Regents.
Over 230 students completed the Seal of Biliteracy program through the pilot schools in Spanish, French, Italian, Chinese, Bangla, Turkish, Polish and Swahili.
Office of Bilingual Education and World Languages

12. 2017 Seal of Biliteracy Statistics
Almost 1,400 students from 83 NYS high schools (representing 58 districts) earned the Seal of Biliteracy in 2017.
Students pursued the Seal in 48 different world languages.
Office of Bilingual Education and World Languages

13. 2017 Seal of Biliteracy Statistics
73% of those students were non- ELLS pursuing a World Language track.
27% of those students were ELLS pursuing a Home Language track.
Office of Bilingual Education and World Languages

14. Steps to start a SSOB Program
Form a committee that include LOTE teachers from each level (K-12), an ESL teacher, English teachers from the high school level, a counselor and an administrator.
Meet to put together a plan to implement the seal:
Review the SSOB Handbook
Determine a timeline of objectives
Determine roles & responsibilities
Establish eligibility requirements (the criteria by which the students will earn the Seal)
Determine how the Seal will be communicated to various stakeholder groups (students, parents, staff)
Determine how successful candidates will be celebrated.
Identify eligible students
Office of Bilingual Education and World Languages

15. Criteria for Earning the Seal in NYS
Complete all requirements for graduating with a NYS Regents diploma
Point system to demonstrate proficiency in English and another language (earn 3 points in English and 3 in a world language)
Office of Bilingual Education and World Languages

16. World Language Criteria – 3 point requirement
Criteria for Demonstrating Proficiency in a World Language
Point Value
Complete a Checkpoint C level World Language course, with a grade of 85 or higher or a comparable score using another scoring system set by the district and approved by the commissioner for both the coursework and final examination consistent with Checkpoint C standards.  1
For students enrolled in a bilingual education program, complete all required Home Language Arts (HLA) coursework and district HLA exam with an 85 or higher or a comparable score using another scoring system set by the district and approved by the commissioner .
Provide transcripts from a school in a foreign country showing at least three years of instruction in the student’s home/native language, with equivalent grade average of B or higher.
Score at a proficient level on an accredited Checkpoint C World Language assessment (See “Checkpoint C World Language Assessments and Minimum Scores” on the following slides.)
Present a culminating project, scholarly essay, or portfolio that meets the criteria for speaking, listening, reading, and writing established by the district’s Seal of Biliteracy Committee and that is aligned to the NYS Checkpoint C Learning Standards to a panel of reviewers with proficiency in the target language. 2
Office of Bilingual Education and World Languages

17. English Criteria – 3 point requirement
Criteria for Demonstrating Proficiency in English
Point Value
Score 75 or higher on the NYS Comprehensive English Regents Examination or 80 or higher on the NYS Regents Examination in English Language Arts (Common Core),
or ELLs can score 75 or above on two Regents exams other than English, without translation.  1
ELLs score at the Commanding level on two modalities on the NYS English as a Second Language Achievement Test.
Complete all 11th and 12th grade ELA courses with an average of 85 or higher or a comparable score using another scoring system set by the district and approved by the commissioner.
Achieve the following scores on the examinations listed below:
- 3 or higher on an Advanced Placement (AP) English Language or English Literature examination.
- 80 or higher on all components of the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL).
Present a culminating project, scholarly essay or portfolio that meets the criteria for speaking, listening, reading, and writing established by the district’s Seal of Biliteracy Committee to a panel of reviewers with proficiency in English.  2
Office of Bilingual Education and World Languages

18. Checkpoint C Assessments
MIN SCORE
Advanced Placement Examination 4
International Baccalaureate 5
Standard Based Measurement of Proficiency 6
(Diplomas of Spanish as a Foreign Language) Cervantes Institute of NYC Spanish B1
The ACTFL Assessment of Performance toward Proficiency in Languages
I-5
The ACTFL Oral Proficiency Interview
The ACTFL Oral Proficiency Interview Computer Test
The ACTFL Writing Proficiency Test/Business Writing Test
The ACTFL Reading Proficiency Test
The ACTFL Listening Proficiency Test
Intermediate High
Students should take exams in as many modalities (speaking, listening, reading and writing) as available in that target language to qualify for Checkpoint C credit.
The ACTFL Latin Interpretive Reading Assessment
I-4
American Sign Language Proficiency Interview
Intermediate Plus
Office of Bilingual Education and World Languages

19. SSOB Program @ East Irondequoit
Our eligibility criteria:
Students must be enrolled in 12th grade LOTE course or are speakers of a home language other than English
Overall GPA of 2.5 in all academic classes for junior and senior years
Overall GPA of 3.0 in English and LOTE classes for junior and senior years (speakers of other languages demonstrate proficiency in their home language)
Submission of a portfolio documenting proficiency in two languages in all four skills (speaking, listening, reading and writing)
Office of Bilingual Education and World Languages

20. Timeline @ East Irondequoit
January: Eligible students receive a letter home informing them of their eligibility for the Seal and inviting them to attend an informational meeting.
January – April: Eligible students meet regularly with their classroom teachers to select items completed in class to include in the student’s portfolio (writing tasks, audio/video recordings).
May: The Biliteracy committee meets to review all portfolios and to select those students who have successfully met the criteria for the Seal.
June: Successful candidates receive a certificate documenting the earning of the Seal of Biliteracy, a notation on their official transcript, and a special designation in the graduation program.
Office of Bilingual Education and World Languages

21. Our results in the 1st year of implementation
We started with the following seniors:
14 students who spoke a language other than English at home
35 students enrolled in the highest level of LOTE offered at our school
We then applied the eligibility criteria (overall GPA, grades in English & LOTE) and narrowed the field to :
2 students who spoke a language other than English at home (Polish, Turkish)
19 students enrolled in the highest level of LOTE offered at our school
Office of Bilingual Education and World Languages

22. Our results in the 1st year of implementation
Of the 19 students initially eligible to pursue the seal under our criteria, 100% successfully met all of the requirements.
Since students regularly complete such portfolio entries as part of their normal English & LOTE courses, teachers and students reported that the portfolio was not a difficult task.
We used the official IB assessments in both English and LOTE as portfolio entries and applied the ACTFL rubrics.
For those not in IB courses, we applied the ACTFL rubrics to work done as part of their normal English/LOTE class to evaluate the student’s ability.
Office of Bilingual Education and World Languages

23. Our results in the 1st year of implementation
Our major challenges:
We experienced significant difficulty in finding adults who were qualified to evaluate both spoken and written work in the lesser taught languages.
Solution: We reached out to district interpreters (BOCES), local community centers, and the University of Rochester.
Office of Bilingual Education and World Languages

24. How districts can establish a Seal of Biliteracy program
Get administrative / board / community support for this program (cost is minimal = a certificate/cord for each student).
Form a committee - from that membership, create subcommittees for LOTE and ENL.
Identify the eligible population and sollicit teacher participation (as advisors in English & LOTE).
Identify community members that could potentially act as advisors for lesser-taught languages.
Use guidance from the State to figure out the process that will work for YOUR school/students.
Office of Bilingual Education and World Languages

25. Office of Bilingual Education and World Languages
Registration w/NYSED
Participating districts will:
(September) Notify NYSED of intent to establish program through application form.
(May/June) Complete an “end-of-the- year” report notifying NYSED of students receiving the Seal.
Office of Bilingual Education and World Languages

26. For more information, contact NYSED.
Special thanks to the:
OFFICE OF BILINGUAL EDUCATION AND WORLD LANGUAGES
Angelica Infante-Green, Deputy Commissioner P-12 Instructional Support
Lissette Colón-Collins, Asst. Commissioner, Bilingual Education & World Languages
Ricardo Constantino, (former) LOTE Associate
for assistance in providing information of the NYS Seal of Biliteracy.
Office of Bilingual Education and World Languages