Illinois State Seal of Biliteracy

OUR PROGRAM IN 60 SECONDS

OVERVIEW:

The Seal of Biliteracy is open to ALL students in ANY language!

West Aurora School District 129 has established a program to recognize high school graduates who have attained a high level of proficiency in one or more languages in addition to English. Two honors are available: the Seal of Biliteracy and the Commendation toward Biliteracy.

The Seal of Biliteracy is awarded to those whose proficiency level in English and a second language is equivalent to Intermediate-High or above, as determined by the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages. The Commendation toward Biliteracy is awarded to students whose English and/or second language proficiency level is rated at Intermediate-Low or Intermediate-Mid. Language proficiency testing will be offered with an associated cost.

A student meeting the requirements for the Seal of Biliteracy or Commendation toward Biliteracy will receive this designation on his/her transcript as well as the diploma upon graduation.

SEAL OF BILITERACY CRITERIA

English (ONE of the following):

SAT: Score of 480 EBRW (Evidence-Based Reading and Writing)
ACT: Composite score of 21 or English subject area score of 18
ACCESS for ELLs: Overall score of 4.8
AAPPL: Minimum score of I-5 (Intermediate High) on all components
AP English Language and Composition Exam: Score of 5

& World Language (ONE of the following):

AP Language and Culture Exam: Score of 4 or 5
AAPPL: Minimum score of I-5 (Intermediate High)on all components.
The following languages can be assessed with the AAPPL exam: Arabic, Chinese (Mandarin), French, German, Hindi, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, and Thai
Portfolio option for languages in which tests are not available. Please complete the “Speak Another Language?” Google Form on this page

COMMENDATION TOWARD BILITERACY CRITERIA

English (ONE of the following):

SAT: Score of 480 EBRW (Evidence-Based Reading and Writing)
ACT: Composite score of 21 or English subject area score of 18
ACCESS for ELLs: Literacy score of 3.5
AAPPL: Minimum score of I-1 (Intermediate Low) on all components
AP English Language and Composition Exam: Score of 4

& World Language (ONE of the following):

AP Language and Culture Exam: Score of 3
AAPPL: Minimum score of I-1 (Intermediate Low) on all components.
The following languages can be assessed with the AAPPL exam: Arabic, Chinese (Mandarin), French, German, Hindi, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, and Thai

BENEFITS

Here is what 2020 West High graduates Zoe and Antonio have to say!

Gold seal on high school diploma
Listed on high school transcript
Receive medal during special awards ceremony
Named in Senior Honors Night and Graduation bulletins
Obtain college credit at any public college or university in Illinois (Seal of Biliteracy only), in addition to many private and out-of-state universities
More competitive on college applications
Increased employment opportunities

HOW TO GET STARTED

HOW DO I GET STARTED?

9th-12th graders who take the AAPPL exam, AP French Language exam, AP Spanish Language exam, or ACCESS for ELLs exam and receive a score that meets the Seal or Commendation criteria are automatically added to the candidate database
The Seal of Biliteracy Coordinator will add SAT scores from the state-wide testing date to any senior candidates
If you have re-taken the SAT or ACT outside of the school day, please contact the Seal of Biliteracy Coordinator at jswartzloff@sd129.org to update your score in the database
If you speak a language not tested on the AAPL, you may be able to develop a language portfolio to earn the Seal of Bilteracy. Click the "Speak Another Language?" to begin the process and get added to the database.

AAPPL TESTING INFORMATION

During the 2020-2021 school year, the AAPPL exam will be administered online with remote proctoring through Language Testing International. Registration is now open for the AAPPL testing windows in September, November, January, and March. Students may test at any time during the testing window. You are permitted to break up the assessment over multiple days, but are only allowed to log into the testing website a total of four times; it is recommended to take the exam in two sittings. Please plan accordingly. Registration confirmation and login details will be sent to the student’s SD129 email address.

To register:

1. Submit the registration form by the deadline listed below. One registration form is required per language and per test window. Late registrations will not be accepted.

2. Pay the fee online or by cash/check by the deadline listed below.

Cost:

Whole Exam (Speaking, Writing, Listening & Reading) $24
Speaking Only $14
Writing Only $9
Listening & Reading Only (can only be taken together) $9

Payments can be made through the West Aurora Web Store or with cash/check by appointment with Ms. Boyd. AAPPL exam fees will be covered by any student who qualifies for a fee waiver; please contact Ms. Boyd at lboyd@sd129.org to confirm. No refunds.

AAPPL Testing Dates:

September 28-October 4, 2020 (Registration Deadline: Monday, 9/21)

November 16-22, 2020 (Registration Deadline: Monday, 11/9)

January 25-31, 2021 (Registration Deadline: Monday, 1/18)

March 8-14, 2021 (Registration Deadline: Monday, 3/1)

Please review the AAPPL Computer Proctoring Student Guide in its entirety prior to testing.