Massachusetts State Seal of Biliteracy

• Massachusetts State Seal of Biliteracy Guidance
• Frequently Asked Questions
• Laws and Regulations
• Criteria for Students to Earn the MA State Seal of Biliteracy

Please follow the steps outlined below to enroll in the MA State Seal of Biliteracy on WBMS in the Department's Security Portal.

1. Thoroughly read the most recent version of the Seal of Biliteracy Guidance (See Guidance and General Information);
2. Ask your data collection directory administrator to assign you the role of WBMS-District Authorizer in the Security Portal. (Find your district's data collection directory administrator. All questions regarding accessing the Security Portal should be directed to this administrator.)
3. Log into WBMS through the Department's Security Portal.
4. When you log into WBMS in the Security Portal, click on PQA Web Monitoring → LOOK Act → Seal of Biliteracy. (If you do not see PQA Web Monitoring as an option, click on View Your Application List. PQA Web Monitoring should then appear as an option.)
5. Follow the directions on the screen to complete the enrollment process.

The links and materials below may be useful as you implement the Massachusetts State Seal of Biliteracy

• Training Modules (New SY2024)
• Promotional Slide Deck for School Leaders (New SY2024)
• Promotional Slide Deck for Students/Families (New SY2024)
  • English
  • Spanish
  • Portuguese
  • Chinese (Mandarin)
  • Haitian Creole
  • Vietnamese
• Updated Implementation Checklist
• Sample Parent Notification of District Participation
• Criteria for Students to Earn the MA State Seal of Biliteracy

In order to qualify for the Massachusetts Seal of Biliteracy, students must demonstrate proficiency in English and at least one other language. Provided below is a list of assessments of English Language Arts and World Languages and their corresponding minimum threshold scores that the Department has approved for demonstrating proficiency toward the Seal of Biliteracy and the Seal of Biliteracy with Distinction. Please note that districts are required to keep records of world language assessments for students who earn the State Seal of Biliteracy.

• English Language Assessments
• World Language Assessments
• Alternative Assessment (Portfolio) Materials
  • Department-approved portfolio services
  • Instructions for district-managed portfolios
  • Portfolio indicators
  • Portfolio Score Conversion Tool for districts

• Accessing the insignia
  • Districts access the insignia by logging into WBMS on the Department's Security Portal and clicking PQA web monitoring → LOOK Act → Seal of Biliteracy. The image is available for download on that screen.
• The Department does not provide awards, but districts are encouraged to recognize students who earn the State Seal of Biliteracy with medals, pins, certificates, or other district-provided recognitions.
• DESE Letter to Graduates

Districts report the number of graduates who earned the Seal of Biliteracy through SIMS. This is the only required reporting procedure. Please contact your district's data administrator to report Seal-earning students.

• SIMS Data Report (Required for all districts who are participating in the State Seal of Biliteracy)
  • To be completed by the district's data administrator
  • Please ensure the data administrator has the following information:
    • The names of all graduates who have earned the State Seal of Biliteracy, and
    • Whether those graduates earned the Seal of Biliteracy or the Seal of Biliteracy with Distinction.

The Massachusetts State Seal of Biliteracy provides colleges and universities with a method to recognize and give credit to applicants for attainment of high level skills in languages. Currently several public and private institutions of higher learning in Massachusetts provide language on their websites to provide credits for prior learning and/or advanced course placement for students who have earned the Seal of Biliteracy. Those public institutions include:

• Bridgewater State University
• Bunker Hill Community College
• Cape Cod Community College
• Massachusetts Bay Community College
• Middlesex Community College
• Mount Wachusett Community College
• North Shore Community College
• Northern Essex Community College
• Quinsigamond Community College
• Salem State University
• University of Massachusetts (Amherst)
• Worcester State University

This list continues to grow. Check back for more updates.

• Seal of Biliteracy and Higher Education Webinar
• Comparison of skills described by AP, IB, and the Seal of Biliteracy
• Implications of the State Seal of Biliteracy for Higher Education