New Brunswick Public Schools

The State Seal of Biliteracy was established to recognize high school graduates who have attained a high level of proficiency in speaking, reading, listening and writing in one or more world languages, in addition to English.

On January 19, 2016, New Jersey became the 15th state to implement a legislated statewide Seal of Biliteracy. By achieving the Seal of Biliteracy, students demonstrate that they are able to speak, read, listen and write in two or more languages at a high level of proficiency.

 

The Seal of Biliteracy seeks to:

• Encourage students to study languages
• Certify attainment of biliteracy
• Provide employers with a method of identifying people with language and biliteracy skills
• Provide universities with a method to recognize and award academic credit to applicants seeking admission
• Prepare students with 21st century skills
• Recognize and promote second language instruction in public schools
• Strengthen intergroup relationships, affirm the value of diversity, and honor the multiple cultures and language of a community

How to apply:

1. Sign-up to take the STAMP Assessment by completing the survey sent to all seniors in November.
2. Take the STAMP assessment or Advanced Placement to demonstrate world language proficiency.
3. The test will be administered during the school day.

You must be able to demonstrate skills in the following areas:

• Interpretive:
  • Students understand the main ideas and supporting facts in short passages on familiar topics.  Students may need to read/hear complex passages more than once.  Context clues or prior knowledge may help students understand what one reads/hears.
• Interpersonal:
  • Students have conversations about themselves and their life. Students also use language to express one’s own thoughts and get the things that one needs. Students can connect some sentences together. Students ask and answer a variety of questions. Students do all of this in a way that one’s teacher and others who are used to language learners easily understand what one is saying.
• Presentational:
  • Students write about themselves and their life. Students write well enough to accomplish what one needs and pose a variety of questions. Students can write some longer sentences and connect some sentences together.  Students do all of this in a way that one’s teacher and others who are used to the writing of language learners readily understand one’s writing.

Requirements:

In order for students to be eligible to receive the Seal of Biliteracy, they must meet certain criteria:

• Students must demonstrate a proficiency level of Intermediate Mid in a World Language. 
• A score of Intermediate Mid (5 or higher) on the STAMP assessment in both Writing/Speaking and Reading/Listening levels

or

• A score of 4 or higher on the Advanced Placement (AP) World Language and Culture exam in junior year
• Students must demonstrate proficiency in English by:
• Meeting State high school graduation requirements in English or its alternatives, including through State ELA assessments.

or

• A score of 4 or better in Tier B or C of the ACCESS for ELLs 2.0 in all four language domains (in junior year of high school)