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The Ohio Seal of Biliteracy recognizes graduates who demonstrate proficiency in English and at least one other language, and it carries extra weight in Ohio: it is one of the state’s recognized diploma seals, so it can count toward the two seals Ohio students need to graduate. This guide explains the requirements, the approved assessments, and how to plan for it.
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What the Ohio Seal of Biliteracy Is
Quick answer: the Ohio Seal of Biliteracy is a state-recognized diploma seal for students who demonstrate English proficiency and reach ACTFL Intermediate High or higher in another language. Because Ohio requires students to earn at least two diploma seals to graduate, the biliteracy seal can satisfy one of them, which makes it more than an honor in Ohio: it is a graduation asset.
Key Facts
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Status in Ohio | One of Ohio’s state-defined diploma seals (counts toward the two-seal graduation requirement) |
| English evidence | Proficient on Ohio’s high school ELA tests, remediation-free ACT/SAT English and reading, an approved alternative, or proficient on the OELPA for English Learners |
| World language threshold | ACTFL Intermediate High or higher (six qualifying pathways, including AP and IB) |
| Classical languages and ASL | Qualify through adapted criteria (interpretive reading and presentational writing for Latin and Greek) |
| Assessment list | The Department of Education and Workforce publishes an approved assessments and scores list, updated regularly (most recently September 2025) |
Ohio Seal of Biliteracy Requirements
Ohio’s structure is two-part, with unusually flexible English evidence.
- English proficiency, one of four ways: proficient or higher on Ohio’s required high school English language arts tests; a remediation-free score on the English and reading sections of the ACT or SAT; a qualifying score on an approved alternative assessment; or, for English Learners, proficient on the Ohio English Language Proficiency Assessment (OELPA).
- World language proficiency: Intermediate High or higher on the ACTFL scale, demonstrated through one of six criteria, including AP world language exams, IB exams, and approved proficiency assessments. Latin, Greek, and American Sign Language qualify through adapted criteria.
The OELPA pathway matters for equity: an English Learner who reaches proficiency has, by definition, met the English half of the seal, and their home language often satisfies the other half through an approved assessment. See Seal of Biliteracy requirements for how these thresholds work generally.
Why the Seal Counts Double in Ohio
Ohio requires graduates to earn at least two diploma seals from a state list that includes seals for citizenship, science, technology, military readiness, and more. The Seal of Biliteracy is on that list. For a bilingual student, that means the language they already own can satisfy half of the seal requirement for graduation, while also going on the transcript as a proficiency credential. Few states attach this kind of structural value to biliteracy, and counselors who flag it early give multilingual students a real advantage in graduation planning.
How to Earn It in Ohio
- Map it into the graduation plan: decide by sophomore year whether the biliteracy seal will be one of the two required seals.
- Choose the language pathway: AP or IB course students use their exams; heritage speakers and other learners use an assessment from the approved list.
- Test with margin: schedule the proficiency assessment junior or early senior year, leaving room for a retake.
- Confirm the English evidence: most students clear it through their required ELA tests; English Learners can use OELPA proficiency.
Benefits for Ohio Students
Beyond counting toward graduation, the seal documents bilingualism for college admissions and employers, and verified proficiency can earn placement or credit at many universities. For the broader case, see the benefits of the Seal of Biliteracy.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the Ohio Seal of Biliteracy requirements?
English proficiency shown one of four ways (state ELA tests, remediation-free ACT/SAT, an approved alternative, or OELPA for English Learners) plus ACTFL Intermediate High or higher in another language through one of six qualifying pathways.
Does the Ohio Seal of Biliteracy count toward graduation?
Yes. It is one of Ohio’s recognized diploma seals, and students need at least two seals to graduate, so the biliteracy seal can satisfy one of the two.
Can English Learners earn the Ohio seal?
Yes, and Ohio’s design helps: proficient on the OELPA satisfies the English requirement, and the student’s home language can satisfy the world-language requirement through an approved assessment.
Do Latin, Greek, or ASL qualify in Ohio?
Yes. Classical languages qualify through interpretive reading and presentational writing criteria, and American Sign Language has its own qualifying pathway.
Where is the approved assessment list?
The Ohio Department of Education and Workforce publishes the approved assessments and scores document, updated periodically; the latest revision is from September 2025.
Related Resources
- What Is the Seal of Biliteracy?
- Seal of Biliteracy Requirements
- How to Get the Seal of Biliteracy
- Seal of Biliteracy by State
- Benefits of the Seal of Biliteracy
Conclusion
Ohio gives the Seal of Biliteracy something most states do not: structural weight in graduation itself. With flexible English evidence, an OELPA pathway for English Learners, and Intermediate High as the language bar, the seal is within reach for far more Ohio students than currently earn it. The step that matters most is planning it into the diploma-seals strategy early.
Sources: Ohio Department of Education and Workforce, Seal of Biliteracy; Approved Assessments and Scores (September 2025).
Two Languages, One Graduation Plan
In Ohio the seal is not just recognition; it is a piece of the graduation puzzle. That changes the conversation for a bilingual sophomore: the language spoken at home can become one of the two seals the diploma requires.
What stands between that student and the seal is usually proficiency evidence, and the domain that decides it is often speaking or academic literacy, the skills that need sustained individual practice a classroom cannot always provide at volume.
Schools that treat the seal as a program, not a form, build that practice in early. Telo AI is one example used for adaptive conversation practice with feedback in English, Spanish, and French.
See how schools build proficiency toward credentials like the seal: https://mytelo.ai/how-telo-works/
A diploma seal is earned in the years before the assessment. The schools that understand that turn eligibility into graduates with the credential.