Ohio Seal of Biliteracy

Seal of Biliteracy Status

Approved State Seal

Adoption Date

2017-03-16

Website(s)

Visit Site

State Contact(s)

Ryan Wertz
Lead Consultant for World Languages & International Education
Ohio Department of Education
Tel. 614-728-4630
E-mail: Ryan.Wertz@education.ohio.gov

Ohio State Info:

Ohio Substitute Senate Bill 3 (2016) established the Ohio Seal of Biliteracy Program and charged the State Board of Education and the Ohio Department of Education with its creation and implementation. Individuals wishing to learn more about the program are invited to regularly visit this website, https://education.ohio.gov/Topics/Learning-in-Ohio/Foreign-Language/Ohio-Seal-of-Biliteracy, where information and guidance are periodically updated.

Ohio Seal of Biliteracy Updates

Dec-27-2017

The Ohio Seal of Biliteracy Program was successfully implemented during the 2017-2018 academic year. Seniors graduating with the Class of 2018 were the first to become eligible to earn the award by fulfilling the state's rigorous requirements for proficiency in both English and at least one other world language. Participation in Ohio's Seal of Biliteracy Program is not mandatory. Schools/Districts wishing to participate in the program must secure the approval of their administrative team and/or local board of education (per local control protocol) and then visibly advertise the availability of the program to local stakeholders on their school/district website. Program implementation guidance and a list of approved world language assessments and qualifying scores are available on the Ohio Department of Education's Seal of Biliteracy webpage.
Dec-27-2017

Kentucky is now in the early stages of the Seal of Biliteracy.

Recent State Updates

- South Dakota
- Jan-30-2024
- The South Dakota Department of Education is offering a Silver and Gold Seal of Biliteracy. The requirements for obtaining the seals can be found in the SD Seal of Biliteracy Implementation Guide below. Students who qualify will receive a physical seal that can be affixed to their high school diplomas as well as an identifier on the student's transcript. Participation in this program is voluntary for school districts.
- North Dakota
- Feb-19-2019
- The North Dakota Department of Public Instruction (NDDPI) is proud to announce the implementation of the North Dakota Seal of Biliteracy (NDSB) award program. The NDSB is an award presented to graduating students who have demonstrated proficiency in a language in addition to English.
  
  North Dakota joins more than half of the nation in awarding a Seal of Biliteracy. The NDSB is established to recognize students and provide an identifier of this accomplishment for employers and post-secondary institutions. The NDSB serves to inspire the implementation of biliteracy programs and pathways of language development in districts across the state and help districts demonstrate value in diversity/culture.
  
  The NDSB is awarded by the NDDPI according to the specific criteria presented in the attached guidance document. Each student will receive a physical foil seal on their high school diploma, a certificate from the State Superintendent of Public Instruction, and an identifier on the student's eTranscript. School district participation in the program is completely voluntary.
  
  Please review the attached documents and determine how this program could be implemented in the district. Additional information is available on the NDDPI website.
- Iowa
- Apr-18-2018
- Palm Beach School District has just approved the Seal of Biliteracy. Miami Dade School District approved it last week.
  - Dr. Andrés Ramírez
  Assistant Professor
  Curriculum, Culture and Educational Inquiry
  Florida Atlantic University
- Iowa
- Apr-18-2018
- New Jersey Governor Chris Christie approved a statewide Seal of Biliteracy. The legislation passed earlier this month by the New Jersey Senate (37-0) and New Jersey Assembly (72-2).
- Iowa
- Apr-18-2018
- Does anyone have any tools or strategies to assess less common languages? I wonder if there are easily-understood checklists that volunteers can use to assess student work?