Nebraska Seal of Biliteracy
Purpose of the Nebraska Seal of Biliteracy
The purpose of the Nebraska Seal of Biliteracy is to acknowledge the high school recipient has achieved a high level of proficiency in English and at least one additional language other than English. The Seal is the cumulative evidence of the Nebraska World Language Standards which are structured around communication, cultures, connections, communities, and cognition within a language other than English. The Nebraska Seal of Biliteracy can be used to communicate language proficiency to employers and institutions of postsecondary education. The ability to communicate in multiple languages is viewed as an asset when applying for a job or for college admission. (ACTFL, 2019. Making Languages Our Business: Addressing Foreign Language Demand Among U.S. Employers.)
The Nebraska Seal of Biliteracy is a collaboration of the Nebraska International Languages Association and the Nebraska Department of Education.
Goals of the Nebraska Seal of Biliteracy
- Encourage students to develop and maintain multilingual skills.
- Recognize and honor Nebraska’s rich and diverse language assets.
- Promote the ability to interact using language in culturally appropriate ways
- Encourage the development of a wide variety of high-quality language programming in Nebraska schools.
- Provide employers and postsecondary institutions with a method of identifying people with multilingual skills.
Who Should Apply for the Nebraska Seal of Biliteracy?
The Nebraska Seal of Biliteracy recognizes any multilingual high school students who can demonstrate proficiency in English and at least one language other than English. Students who may be eligible for the seal include:
- English Language Learners who are proficient in a language other than English.
- Students of World Languages, such as French, Spanish or Chinese.
- Bilingual speakers of English and a heritage language other than English.
- Bilingual speakers of English and a less commonly taught language, such as Vietnamese, Somali, or Arabic.
- Bilingual speakers or students of American Sign Language.
- Bilingual speakers or students of Indigenous Languages.
- Students of Classical languages.
All students who have met the requirements are encouraged to apply for the Seal, regardless of language background or any identified condition that may exclude demonstration of language proficiency in one of the modes of communication, conditions such as blindness, deafness or hearing impairment, cognitive disability, or learning disability. Contact the World Language Education Specialist at the Nebraska Department of Education regarding any accommodation needs or additional questions.
Learn more about the Nebraska Seal of Biliteracy: