Estimated reading time: 6 minutes
The Seal of Biliteracy requirements share a common structure across the country: prove proficiency in English and in another language by high school graduation. The exact assessments and cut scores are set by each state, so the details vary. This guide explains the two core requirements, how students demonstrate each, the proficiency level typically expected, and where to find your state’s rules.
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What Are the Seal of Biliteracy Requirements?
Quick answer: to earn the Seal of Biliteracy, a graduating student must demonstrate a high level of proficiency in English and in at least one other language. English is usually shown through the state’s English assessments or coursework; the other language is shown through an approved language exam, an AP or IB score, a course sequence, or a portfolio. Most states set the world-language bar at Intermediate Mid or Intermediate High on the ACTFL scale, but the exact requirement is set state by state.
The Two Core Requirements
| Area | Common ways to demonstrate it |
|---|---|
| English proficiency | A qualifying score on the state English/ELA assessment, a set GPA in English courses, an English AP or IB score, or, for English Learners, meeting English proficiency on the state ELP test (for example WIDA ACCESS or ELPAC). |
| Other-language proficiency | An approved language assessment (such as AAPPL, STAMP, or the ACTFL OPI) at the required level, an AP or IB world-language score, a multi-year course sequence, or a portfolio for less commonly tested languages. |
Accepted Assessments
States publish lists of approved assessments. The most common include the AAPPL and ACTFL OPI/WPT, AP and IB world-language exams, STAMP, and language-specific exams like the DELE (Spanish). For languages without a standard exam, many states accept a portfolio scored to an ACTFL level.
The Proficiency Level Expected
Most states require a composite around Intermediate Mid to Intermediate High in the language other than English. Some offer tiers: a standard seal at one level and a higher “with distinction” or “gold” seal at a more advanced level. Because the bar and the accepted exams differ, always confirm your state’s current criteria.
Requirements Vary by State
Illinois requires Intermediate High and grants college credit; California uses AP/IB or a four-year course with an ELPAC step for English Learners; Florida offers Silver and Gold seals; New York uses a points system. See Seal of Biliteracy by state and your state’s page for exact rules.
Planning Around the Requirements
Once the two proofs are clear, the practical work is scheduling them so nothing is missed. Two planning decisions cause most avoidable problems. The first is the testing window: the world-language assessment must be taken while the student is enrolled and in time for results to reach the counselor before graduation, which is why many families register in junior year and treat senior year as a buffer for a retake. The second is the domain structure: some states require the target level in every domain, while others accept a composite, and that single rule determines whether a weaker domain, usually speaking, can hold an otherwise qualified student below the bar.
A useful habit is to confirm three items with the school before choosing an assessment: the state’s currently approved exam list, the required proficiency level, and whether that level must be met in each domain or as a composite. Because approved lists and cut scores can change from year to year, verifying the current criteria prevents preparing for an exam or level the state no longer accepts.
Reading the ACTFL Levels the Requirements Use
Most state requirements are written in terms of the ACTFL Proficiency Guidelines, so it helps to know what the levels describe. Novice speakers rely on memorized words and set phrases. Intermediate speakers can create with the language, ask and answer questions, and handle everyday situations, with Intermediate Mid and Intermediate High marking growing independence and accuracy. Advanced speakers narrate and describe across time frames and handle a complication in a situation. Because most seals sit at Intermediate Mid to Intermediate High, the practical target is a student who can sustain a real conversation and handle routine academic tasks, not one who has simply memorized vocabulary.
Assessments report proficiency across four domains: listening, speaking, reading, and writing. Some states require the required level in every domain, while others allow a composite, so a strong reading score can offset a weaker one. This distinction matters when planning, because it determines whether a single weak domain, usually speaking, can keep an otherwise qualified student below the bar.
Requirements for Heritage Speakers and World-Language Learners
| Student profile | Typical path to the requirements |
|---|---|
| Heritage or bilingual speaker | Often meets the other-language requirement directly through an approved proficiency assessment in the home language, sometimes supplemented by documented schooling; usually strongest in speaking and listening, and may need to build academic reading and writing. |
| World-language learner | Typically meets the requirement through a multi-year course sequence plus an AP, IB, or proficiency assessment; usually strongest in reading and grammar, and most often needs additional speaking practice to reach the level. |
| English Learner | Frequently meets the English requirement through the state English language proficiency test, such as WIDA ACCESS or ELPAC, and the other-language requirement in the home language. |
Understanding which profile a student fits clarifies where the effort belongs. The requirements are the same, but the domain a student needs to develop is not.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the requirements for the Seal of Biliteracy?
Proof of high proficiency in English and in at least one other language by graduation, demonstrated through approved assessments, AP or IB scores, coursework, or a portfolio.
What proficiency level is needed?
Most states require about Intermediate Mid to Intermediate High (ACTFL) in the other language, though the exact bar varies by state.
Which assessments count?
Commonly the AAPPL, ACTFL OPI/WPT, AP and IB world-language exams, STAMP, DELE, and, for untested languages, a portfolio.
Can English Learners earn it?
Yes. English Learners often meet the English requirement through the state ELP test (such as WIDA ACCESS or ELPAC) and the other-language requirement in their home language.
When should the language assessment be taken?
While the student is enrolled and early enough for results to reach the counselor before graduation. Registering in junior year is common, leaving senior year as a buffer for a retake if needed.
What should I confirm before choosing an assessment?
Three things with your school: the state’s currently approved exam list, the required proficiency level, and whether that level must be met in every domain or as a composite. Approved lists and cut scores can change annually.
Do I need the required level in every skill?
It depends on the state. Some require the level in all four domains; others accept a composite score. Confirm your state’s rule before choosing an assessment.
What if my language has no standard exam?
Many states accept a portfolio of language performance scored to an ACTFL level, which allows students of less commonly tested languages to qualify.
Can a student retake the assessment?
Usually yes, subject to the test provider’s rules and the school’s testing window. Planning the first attempt in the junior year leaves room for a retake if needed.
Related Resources
- What Is the Seal of Biliteracy?
- Seal of Biliteracy by State
- How to Get the Seal of Biliteracy
- Benefits of the Seal of Biliteracy
Conclusion
The Seal of Biliteracy requirements come down to two proofs, English and another language, but the assessments and cut scores are a state decision. Confirm your state’s approved exams and level, plan the testing window, and build the speaking and listening skills every pathway ultimately rewards.
Sources: SealofBiliteracy.org; ACTFL.
From a Cut Score to Actual Proficiency
Reading the requirements is the easy part. A student can know exactly which exam to take and what Intermediate High means and still fall short, because the score reports a proficiency that only regular use of the language produces. The requirement names a level; it does not hand a student the practice to reach it.
That gap is a matter of exposure, not aptitude. Two languages are in play for many candidates, English on one side and the partner language on the other, and each needs enough speaking and listening for the composite to land where the state sets its bar.
Districts close that gap by building in more practice than the timetable alone allows, in whichever language the student is being measured. Telo AI is one example, offering separate English, Spanish, and French apps so students can rehearse toward the AAPPL, OPI, or an ELP test like ACCESS.
See how districts turn requirements into reachable proficiency: https://mytelo.ai/how-telo-works/
Once the practice is in place, the cut score describes something the student can genuinely do rather than something they are hoping to reach. The requirements never change what proficiency is; they only make plain how much use it takes to get there.