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The New York Seal of Biliteracy (NYSSB) recognizes students who demonstrate a high level of proficiency in English and one or more world languages by graduation. It takes the form of a seal on the diploma and a medallion at the ceremony. New York uses a distinctive points system rather than a single test score, so understanding how the points work is the key to earning it.
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What the New York Seal of Biliteracy Is
Quick answer: the New York State Seal of Biliteracy is awarded to graduates who show Intermediate High proficiency in English and in a world language, aligned to the NYS Learning Standards for World Languages adopted in March 2021. Students must first meet all requirements for a Regents diploma, then earn points in both English and a world language.
New York Seal of Biliteracy by the Numbers
New York adopted its seal in 2012, the same year as California, and NYSED publishes one of the most detailed annual reports of any state.
| Metric | Figure |
|---|---|
| Students earning the NYSSB in 2021-2022 | 7,114 (3.8% of public high school seniors) |
| Cumulative earners since 2012 | Over 24,900 through 2021-22, with growth every year since |
| Most frequent languages | Spanish, French, Italian, Mandarin, American Sign Language |
| Also awarded in | German, Latin, Arabic, Bengali, Russian, and more |
| Data published by NYSED | Annual report with regional, gender, and race/ethnicity breakdowns |
Two useful signals in the NYSED data. Participation is still a minority of seniors (3.8 percent), so a district that builds a real pathway can stand out quickly. And the language list is unusually broad, including American Sign Language and heritage languages like Bengali and Russian, which reflects the points system’s flexibility compared to purely exam-based states.
The New York Points System
Beyond the proficiency minimum, a student must earn three points in each of two areas: English and World Language. Points come from a mix of assessments, coursework, and a culminating project.
| Area (need 3 points) | Common ways to earn points |
|---|---|
| English | Score 80+ on the Regents ELA exam (or, for English Learners, 75+ on two Regents exams other than English, without translation); plus a culminating project judged on speaking, listening, reading, and writing (2 points). |
| World Language | Complete a Checkpoint C world-language course with an 85+ (or a comparable, Commissioner-approved score) (1 point); plus a culminating project aligned to Checkpoint C standards, presented to a proficient panel (2 points). |
Because districts design the culminating project and set some local criteria through a NYS Seal of Biliteracy Committee, the exact path can vary by district.
How to Earn It in New York
- Stay on track for a Regents diploma.
- Accumulate three points in English (Regents score or two non-English Regents for ELLs, plus a culminating project).
- Accumulate three points in the world language (a Checkpoint C course plus a culminating project).
- Your district’s committee reviews the evidence and awards the seal and medallion at graduation.
The culminating project is central in New York: it lets multilingual and heritage students demonstrate real speaking and writing, not just a test score.
Benefits in New York
The NYSSB signals college- and career-ready bilingualism, and many New York colleges and universities recognize it toward world-language credit or placement. It also formally honors the languages of New York’s large multilingual learner population, and the medallion is worn at graduation.
Planning the Six Points
New York’s points system is unusual, so it helps to see how the six required points are typically assembled: three in English and three in the world language. Most students reach three points in each area by combining an assessment result with the culminating project, which carries two points on its own.
| Area (3 points needed) | Typical point combination |
|---|---|
| English | Regents ELA score of 80 or higher, or for English Learners a score of 75 or higher on two Regents exams other than English taken without translation (1 point), plus a culminating project judged on the four skills (2 points). |
| World Language | A Checkpoint C world-language course with a grade of 85 or higher, or a comparable Commissioner-approved score (1 point), plus a culminating project aligned to Checkpoint C and presented to a proficient panel (2 points). |
Because the culminating project is worth two of the three points in each area, it is the centerpiece of the New York pathway. Students who plan the project early, and rehearse the panel presentation, are far better positioned than those who treat it as an afterthought.
The Role of the District Committee
New York gives districts real authority over the seal. Each participating district convenes a NYS Seal of Biliteracy Committee that designs the culminating project criteria within the state framework, assembles the panel of proficient reviewers, and verifies that a student has met all Regents diploma requirements before awarding the seal and medallion. This local design is why the exact project expectations can vary from one district to another even though the points structure is statewide. Families should ask their district’s committee three things early: what form the culminating project takes, which languages the panel can assess, and the timeline for presenting. Confirming these in junior year leaves time to prepare a project that meets the local rubric rather than discovering the requirements late in senior year.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the New York Seal of Biliteracy requirements?
Meet all Regents diploma requirements, reach Intermediate High proficiency in English and a world language, and earn three points in each of English and World Language through assessments, coursework, and a culminating project.
How does the points system work?
Three points are needed in each area. In English, a Regents ELA score of 80+ (or two non-English Regents at 75+ for ELLs) plus a culminating project (2 points). In the world language, a Checkpoint C course at 85+ (1 point) plus a project (2 points).
How can English Learners qualify?
English Learners can earn English points by scoring 75+ on two Regents exams other than English, taken without translation, plus the culminating project.
Who awards it?
New York districts, through a local Seal of Biliteracy Committee, award the seal on the diploma and a medallion at graduation.
How important is the culminating project?
Very. The culminating project is worth two of the three points needed in each of English and World Language, so it is central to the New York pathway. Planning and rehearsing the panel presentation early is one of the strongest predictors of earning the seal.
Why do requirements differ between New York districts?
Each district’s NYS Seal of Biliteracy Committee designs the culminating project criteria and assembles the review panel within the statewide framework, so the exact project expectations and available languages can vary locally even though the points structure is set by the state.
What is the medallion?
In addition to the seal on the diploma and transcript, New York students who earn the NYSSB receive a medallion worn at the graduation ceremony, a visible recognition of their bilingual achievement.
How many students earn the New York Seal of Biliteracy?
7,114 students earned the NYSSB in 2021-2022, about 3.8 percent of public high school seniors, and more than 24,900 students have earned it since 2012. NYSED publishes an annual report with breakdowns by region and demographics.
Which languages are awarded in New York?
Spanish, French, Italian, Mandarin, and American Sign Language are the most frequent, with seals also earned in German, Latin, Arabic, Bengali, Russian, and other languages. The points system allows evidence beyond standardized exams, which broadens the language list.
Related Resources
- What Is the Seal of Biliteracy?
- Seal of Biliteracy Requirements
- Seal of Biliteracy by State
- English Learners in New York
Conclusion
The New York Seal of Biliteracy stands out for its points system and culminating project, which reward demonstrated proficiency over a single exam. Plan early: line up a Regents pathway, a Checkpoint C course, and a strong project in the target language. For heritage speakers it credentials an existing strength, and for learners it rewards sustained speaking and listening practice.
Sources: New York State Education Department, NYS Seal of Biliteracy; NYSED, Criteria to Earn the NYSSB; SealofBiliteracy.org.
Preparing for a Panel That Listens, Not a Bubble Sheet
New York’s design is deliberately performance-based: the world-language points hinge on a culminating project presented at Checkpoint C to a panel of proficient speakers. A student cannot bluff that with a test-prep packet. They have to stand up and sustain real, spoken language under questioning, which is precisely the skill a crowded course sequence gives students the least chance to rehearse.
The gap is one of rehearsal, not ability. Presenting fluently to a panel takes many low-stakes practice conversations first, and one world-language teacher preparing a full class cannot be the responsive audience each student needs, again and again, before the real thing. The points structure is thoughtful; the speaking reps it assumes are what the schedule cannot supply.
So some New York districts are giving students a way to rehearse outside class time. Telo AI is one example, offering adaptive conversation and feedback through separate English, Spanish, and French apps that build toward the Checkpoint C presentation and the Regents pathway for English Learners.
See how students rehearse for a performance-based seal: https://mytelo.ai/how-telo-works/
When students have practiced the conversation many times over, the panel meets someone genuinely ready to speak, not merely eligible on paper. A seal built on real performance is worth more precisely because it cannot be faked, and that readiness is earned in the rehearsals no one sees.