Knowing and using more than one language is a significant achievement. The State Seal of Biliteracy gives graduating students official recognition for demonstrating a high level of proficiency in English and at least one additional language.
Students and families can learn about the requirements, determine whether their school or district participates, and find questions to ask about local opportunities. Graduates can explore ways to use the Seal after high school, including college credit and the Massachusetts Tests for Educator Licensure MTEL voucher program.
School districts and charter schools administer and award the Seal of Biliteracy at the local level; students, graduates, and families should reach out to their local school district or charter school with questions about opportunities to participate in the program or recognition of a Massachusetts State Seal of Biliteracy they have earned.
The Massachusetts State Seal of Biliteracy is an official award presented at graduation by participating school districts and charter schools. It recognizes students who meet all graduation requirements and demonstrate a high level of proficiency in English and at least one additional language.
Students may earn either the State Seal of Biliteracy or the State Seal of Biliteracy with Distinction, which recognizes a higher level of language proficiency. Students may earn the Seal in more than one additional language and in signed languages, including American Sign Language (American Sign Language ASL), as well as spoken languages.
The Seal recognizes multilingual skills developed at home, at school, or in the community. It is available to students of all language backgrounds, including English learners, former English learners, heritage language users, students with disabilities, and students who began learning an additional language at school.
Students who earn the Seal receive an official designation on their high school transcript.
You may earn the State Seal of Biliteracy if your school district or charter school participates in the program and you satisfy the statewide criteria by graduation. Participation is voluntary for school districts and charter schools. The Department establishes the requirements but does not administer assessments or award the Seal directly.
All students in participating school districts and charter schools must have equitable access to the opportunity to earn the Seal of Biliteracy. You may pursue the Seal of Biliteracy regardless of whether you learned an additional language at home, at school, or in the community. You do not need to be enrolled in a world language course, and your school or district does not need to offer courses in the language in which you seek to earn the Seal of Biliteracy.
If you are unsure whether your school or district participates, review the list below and contact your school counselor, world language department, English learner education program, or school administration.
To earn the State Seal of Biliteracy, you must:
Students demonstrate their language proficiency using assessments approved by the Department. Each participating school district or charter school determines which approved assessments it offers and coordinates assessment opportunities for its students.
The State Seal of Biliteracy with Distinction requires higher levels of proficiency in both English and the additional language. Students may earn the Seal in more than one additional language.
Your school district or charter school reviews your results and determines whether you have satisfied the criteria. Contact your school or district with questions about assessment options, participation, testing dates, accommodations, or results.
Participation is coordinated locally by each school district or charter school. Local procedures may differ, including how students express interest, which approved assessments are offered, and when assessments are administered.
If you are interested in earning the Seal, contact your school counselor, world language teacher or department, English learner or multilingual education program, or school administration. Ask as early as possible so that you understand your local requirements, available assessments, and important deadlines.
Earning the State Seal of Biliteracy is an academic achievement that you can carry into college, employment, educator preparation, and community life. Include the Seal and the language or languages in which you earned it on college, scholarship, and employment applications, résumés, and professional profiles.
Your high school transcript should indicate that you earned the Seal, the award level, and the language or languages in which it was earned. Keep a copy of your transcript for your records. If this information is missing or incorrect, contact the school district or charter school that awarded the Seal.
Colleges and universities establish their own policies for recognizing the Seal. Some may award college credit, advanced placement, or another form of recognition. Review the list of participating institutions below, then contact the college or university directly to confirm its current policy and learn how to request recognition.
Seal recipients who are interested in a career in education may also receive a voucher to take one Massachusetts Test for Educator Licensure (Massachusetts Tests for Educator Licensure MTEL) at no cost. See the Massachusetts Tests for Educator Licensure MTEL Voucher Program resource below for further information.
Last Updated: September 14, 2026