Seal of Biliteracy
Students at West Ottawa High School can earn a Seal of Biliteracy on their West Ottawa Public Schools diploma.
According to the Michigan Department of Education, the Seal of Biliteracy is an award given by a school, district, or state in recognition of students who have studied and attained proficiency in two or more languages by high school graduation. The Seal of Biliteracy encourages students to pursue biliteracy, honors the skills our students attain, and can be evidence of skills that are attractive to future employers and college admissions offices.
The Michigan Seal of Biliteracy has been created to recognize high school graduates who exhibit language proficiency in English and at least one additional world language. The Seal may be awarded to any student receiving a high school diploma, a high school certificate of completion or a high school equivalency certificate and who has demonstrated Intermediate High proficiency on acceptable world language assessments and met the English Language Arts requirements for graduation or demonstrated proficiency on a validated test of proficiency for English Learners. The Seal has been created to encourage students to study world languages and embrace their native and heritage languages. The Seal will provide employers with a way to identify individuals with strong language and biliteracy skills. The Seal may serve as an additional tool for colleges and universities to recognize applicants’ language abilities for admission and placement.
Want to learn more about this program?
Please see your school counselor for more information or contact the counseling office: (616) 786-1100.
What is the criteria to meet the Michigan Seal of Biliteracy?
The Michigan Seal of Biliteracy requires students to meet the following criteria:
- meet graduation requirements, and
- demonstrate Intermediate High proficiency on world language assessments.
Eligibility Criteria for earning an official State of Michigan Seal of Biliteracy
In order to earn a Seal of Biliteracy, students must complete the following criteria prior to or upon their graduation year:
- students must have successfully completed all English Language Arts (ELA) requirements for graduation (4 credits of ELA), and
- students must score Intermediate High (I-5) on the Assessment of Performance toward Proficiency in Languages (AAPPL) – which is offered two times per year at West Ottawa High School, OR students must demonstrate proficiency in one or more languages other than English by either passing a foreign language College Board Advanced Placement (AP) exam with a score of 4 or higher or passing an International Baccalaureate examination with a score of a 4 or higher on the Standard Level IB exam.
What is the application process?
Students must apply for the Seal of Biliteracy by Spring Break of their 12th grade year. Applications must be submitted via THIS FORM. Students should contact their counselor with questions.