The Seal of Biliteracy (SOBL) has emerged as one of the clearest ways school systems can recognize multilingualism as an academic achievement. Awarded at high school graduation, the Seal certifies that a student has attained proficiency in two or more languages and places that recognition directly on their diploma or transcript.
What makes the Seal especially relevant for districts and philanthropic audiences is its measurability. It turns multilingualism into a visible asset that can be tracked across schools, student groups, and regions. In a system serving more than 5.3 million English learners—over 10% of all U.S. students—this distinction matters. Biliteracy is not a niche outcome; it sits at the center of equity, access, and long-term opportunity.
When implemented intentionally, the Seal becomes more than an honor. It becomes a lever that connects graduation, college readiness, and workforce pathways.
A Nationwide Movement with Uneven Opportunity
The Seal of Biliteracy has expanded rapidly over the past decade. What began as a single-state initiative in California in 2011 is now established in all 50 states and Washington, D.C. This growth demonstrates sustained support for recognizing students’ multilingual skills across diverse state contexts.
Participation in this initiative has grown accordingly. In the 2022–2023 school year alone, more than 158,000 students earned the Seal, with large concentrations in states like California, Florida, and New Jersey. Students demonstrated proficiency in over 140 languages, including widely spoken world languages, such as Spanish, French, and Russian, as well as Indigenous and heritage languages, like Keres, Samoan, and Zuni.
Although this growth reflects that schools increasingly recognize linguistic diversity as an asset worth measuring, the Seal of Biliteracy requirements are not uniform.
Each state establishes its own award criteria and data collection strategies, and the number of languages recognized also varies widely by state. For example, for the 2022-2023 school year Washington state reported Seals across 84 languages and New York across 80, while some states reported far fewer (e.g., Idaho reported 4 in the national report’s state-submitted language list).
Lastly, while the Seal technically exists in all fifty states, Washington DC, and Puerto Rico, , the opportunity to earn it varies widely depending on where a student attends school.
Understanding the Access Gap
The central challenge in Seal implementation is what researchers describe as the “access gap.” This gap represents the difference between having a Seal policy in place and a student’s real ability to meet the requirements within their school context.
Several factors consistently shape this gap:
Assessment and Pathway Constraints
States define proficiency requirements differently. Some allow multiple pathways—such as portfolios, coursework, or demonstrated community use of language—while others rely heavily on standardized assessments. When pathways are narrow or overly test-dependent, students with strong bilingual skills but limited test access may be excluded.
School-Level Capacity
Even when state policy supports biliteracy, schools may lack the infrastructure to deliver it. This includes limited course sequences in world or heritage languages, insufficient staffing, or lack of trained evaluators for less commonly taught languages. In these cases, students simply do not have the opportunity to develop or demonstrate proficiency.
Cost and Logistics Barriers
Language proficiency assessments often carry fees. In many states, funding is not guaranteed, leaving districts or families to absorb the cost. Without targeted support, this creates inequitable access, particularly for low-income students and multilingual learners.
Uneven Participation Across Schools
Within the same state, some districts actively promote and support the Seal, while others offer minimal access or none at all. This inconsistency leads to uneven outcomes, where a student’s ability to earn the Seal depends heavily on their zip code.
Together, these factors mean that while the Seal is widely available in theory, it remains unevenly accessible in practice.
What Was the Original Intention of the Seal of Biliteracy?
The Seal of Biliteracy was initially designed to recognize English learners by validating both their English development and their home language. Over time, it has expanded to include all students.
This expansion has increased participation, but it has also introduced new equity considerations. Research shows that implementation can unintentionally favor English-dominant students—particularly those enrolled in well-resourced world language programs—over multilingual students who already possess heritage language skills.
In many cases, English learners face additional hurdles:
• Limited access to advanced coursework aligned with Seal requirements
• Fewer assessment options in their home language
• Less consistent guidance or outreach about eligibility
As a result, the students the Seal was originally intended to uplift are not always the ones benefiting most.
Academic, Postsecondary, and Workforce Benefits
Despite these challenges, the Seal of Biliteracy is strongly associated with positive outcomes when students are able to access it.
Stronger Academic Trajectories
Students who achieve biliteracy often demonstrate higher overall academic performance and are more likely to pursue postsecondary education. The process of developing proficiency in multiple languages reinforces literacy, critical thinking, and persistence.
For instance, a 2022 study found that in New Mexico 85% of seal earners enrolled in college within one year versus 72% of similar graduates who did not earn a seal.
College Credit and Recognition
In several states, the Seal translates directly into college credit. Public universities may award up to a year’s worth of language credits, reducing time to degree and lowering tuition costs. Even where formal credit is not granted, the Seal strengthens college applications by signaling advanced academic achievement.
Workforce Advantage
The labor market increasingly values bilingualism. Employers across sectors report growing demand for multilingual talent, and many actively prefer bilingual candidates.
A 2019 employer survey summary by the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL) reported that 9 out of 10 U.S. employers rely on U.S.-based employees with language skills other than English, with 32% reporting “high dependency.”
The Seal provides a standardized, credible signal of those skills, helping students transition from school to career.
These outcomes position the Seal as more than a symbolic recognition. It becomes a bridge connecting K–12 education to higher education and economic opportunity.
The Seal as an Equity Strategy
When implemented intentionally, the Seal of Biliteracy can serve as a powerful equity strategy.
It validates the linguistic assets of multilingual students, including heritage and Indigenous languages; it encourages schools to build pathways that support long-term language development; and it creates a shared goal that aligns instruction, assessment, and student outcomes.
However, achieving this potential requires shifting from passive adoption to active implementation. Schools and districts must design systems that expand access rather than reinforce existing inequities.
How to Close the Access Gap?
Closing the access gap is not about creating new programs from scratch. It is about strengthening the systems that already exist.
Key strategies include:
Expanding Pathways to Demonstrate Proficiency
Offering multiple ways for students to show what they know—beyond a single test—ensures that diverse learners can participate. Portfolios, performance-based assessments, and community-based demonstrations can broaden access.
Investing in School-Level Capacity
Districts need sustained support to build language programs, train educators, and assess proficiency across a wide range of languages. This includes investing in less commonly taught and heritage languages.
Removing Financial Barriers
Funding assessment fees and related costs ensures that all students, regardless of income, can pursue the Seal. This is a clear and actionable role for philanthropy.
Strengthening Outreach and Guidance
Students and families need clear, accessible information about what the Seal is and how to earn it. Multilingual communication and early advising are essential.
Building Better Data Systems
Tracking who earns the Seal—and who does not—allows districts and states to identify gaps and target resources effectively. Data transparency is critical for accountability and improvement.
The Role of Philanthropy and Policy
The Seal of Biliteracy sits at the intersection of policy, practice, and investment. While states establish the framework, local implementation determines impact.
Philanthropy can play a catalytic role by:
• Funding assessment access and program expansion
• Supporting innovation in proficiency pathways
• Investing in data systems and research
• Backing districts that are scaling equitable models
• Working with schools and districts to provide college and career scholarships to recipients of the Seal of Biliteracy
Public policy, in turn, can standardize expectations, provide funding, and ensure consistency across districts.
When put together, these efforts can transform the Seal from a recognition tool into a system-wide driver of equity.
From Recognition to Opportunity
The Seal of Biliteracy represents a rare alignment of values and outcomes. It honors multilingualism, provides measurable data, and connects directly to college and career pathways.
But its true potential lies in how it is implemented.
When access is intentional and equitable, the Seal can reshape how schools value language, how students experience graduation, and how systems prepare young people for a multilingual world. It signals not just what students have achieved, but what they are capable of next.
Closing the access gap ensures that this signal reaches every student it was meant to serve.
If you want to be part of the change, partner with the Sullivan Family Charitable Foundation to close the access gap and expand equitable pathways to multilingual success for every student.
