PA Seal of Biliteracy
The Seal of Biliteracy, an award made by the state department, a school district or an individual school, recognizes students who have attained proficiency in English and one or more other world languages by the time they graduate from high school. This special award provides employers and universities with a method of identifying people who are bilingual, recognizes students with 21st century skills, and encourages the study of other languages and cultures. Moreover, the Seal of Biliteracy emphasizes the importance of both bilingualism, which facilitates improved communication and boosts the local economy, and cultural understanding, which supports social acceptance.
State and national sources for Seal of Biliteracy
- PA Seal of Biliteracy Toolkit (PDE link)
- National information and resources for the Seal of Biliteracy
- Seal of Biliteracy Contacts and WL Organizations
Press release videos and articles for the Pennsylvania Seal of Biliteracy
- ABC NEWS article and video aired on March 15, 2022
- FOX43 news article and video aired on March 15, 2022
- Article from Wolf administration posted on March 15, 2022
- Press release video recorded on March 15, 2022 at Dallastown Area High School in York, PA
- PA Seal of Biliteracy Recognizes High School Students (PAPrincipals.org website Jan. 2023)
- PA Seal of Biliteracy: One Year Later, Fall 2023 (PLF article)
- PA Seal of Biliteracy Recognizes Diversity (February 2023)
- The Pennsylvania Seal of Biliteracy (PASB), Spring 2022 (PLF article)
- Five Step Process to Offer the Pa Seal of Biliteracy, Fall 2022 (PLF article)
- Promoting Language Study with the Seal of Biliteracy, Fall 2020 (PLF article)
PA Seal of Biliteracy informational sources (created for promotion of PASB)
- PA Seal of Biliteracy slide show – includes reasons to offer the PASB, steps to offering it at your school and information about the Global Seal of Biliteracy for students with intermediate-mid proficiency (updated January 2025)
- PA Seal of Biliteracy webinar – recording from September 19, 2023 (based on above power point)
- Global Seal of Biliteracy – recognizes any age person with proficiency beginning at intermediate-mid proficiency
- PA Seal of Biliteracy infographic (2022)
- PA Seal of Biliteracy medals (When ordering medals, use this link and specify that the PA Seal of Biliteracy logo must be used.)
- PA Seal of Biliteracy brochure (When printing, make sure to print on both sides and flip on short edge.)
- AATSP Seal of Biliteracy brochure in English
- AATSP Seal of Biliteracy brochure in Spanish
- Download the PA Seal of Biliteracy logo
Proficiency testing
- ACTFL Assessment of Performance toward Proficiency in Languages® (AAPPL)
- Standards-based Measurement of Proficiency (Avant STAMP)
- Portfolio option guidelines (for languages that do not have a standardized assessment)
College credit for PA Seal of Biliteracy?
High schools offering the PA Seal of Biliteracy: statistics
Tracking schools offering the PA Seal of Biliteracy
- 2024-25 PA Seal of Biliteracy Reporting Form: PSMLA will collect data for schools and school districts offering the PA Seal of Biliteracy. The data will be posted each August. Please enter your school (district) information on the Google Form no later than July 31st each year.
- 2024-25 Global Seal of Biliteracy Reporting Form: This form is only for colleges and universities that are offering the Global Seal of Biliteracy.