In March 2017 Colorado signed into law SB17-123 that gives school districts authority to grant a  diploma endorsement in biliteracy to a student who demonstrates proficiency in English and at least one other language. The bill established the requirements a graduating high school student must meet to obtain the biliteracy endorsement.

The Colorado Seal of Biliteracy is awarded to graduating high school students who can read, speak, listen and write at a high level in English, as well as another language. In order to earn the Seal, students must demonstrate their high proficiency in both English and another language using the approved criteria below.

1.  Complete all graduation requirements

Students must fulfill all BVSD graduation requirements in order to earn the Seal. Students who are not yet high school seniors may complete all other requirements prior to their senior year.

You must apply by February 15th to receive a cord. Students who don't apply by the deadline will not receive a cord. AP and IB test results are not received until July. Students taking these tests will also not be able to receive a cord at graduation. Spring STAMP assessment results will arrive in time to receive a cord.

324 students earned the Seal and were recognized at graduation in May 2019.

• 84 (26%) of those students self-reported bilingual households
• 7 Languages (home and WL) were assessed for the Seal
  • Spanish, French, German, Chinese,Latin, Japanese, Russian

• 19 Home Languages Self-Reported

The district is working on scheduling a date in March for students to take the AVANT and AAPPL tests at various sites. The AAPPL assessment for Thai can be taken by reaching out to Yamil Herrera to arrange.  The cost will be below $20 and will be paid through RevTrak.

BVSD accepts two assessment pathways for students to achieve the Seal of Biliteracy in ASL. The American Sign Language Proficiency Interview (ASLPI) and the Sign Language Proficiency Interview (SLPI) are both assessments that are offered through outside vendors. Information for how to access can be found through the links provided. As with AP and IB assessments, these ASL assessments must be scheduled and facilitated at the school level. Score information will be submitted to the teacher and the teacher can then communicate that information to the BVSD Development of Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Education.

The AVANT and AAPPL Results will be sent to the district within 2 weeks of the exam. Students will receive results from BVSD. This time frame will allow for students who achieve proficiency to receive a cord, certificate, and be recognized at graduation.

For AP and IB tests, if a student takes these exams prior to senior year, the district will receive the results on time. Students taking the IB and AP tests in their senior year will not receive results until July (after graduation) and will therefore not receive a green cord, certificate, or be recognized at graduation. Students can submit results to the district to have the official Seal of Biliteracy printed on their transcript.

Yes, a student can apply for the Seal prior to completing these assessments. Students taking the AVANT and AAPPL will receive results two weeks after the exam is taken. This time frame will allow for students who achieve proficiency to receive a cord, certificate, and be recognized at graduation.

Students taking the IB and AP tests in their senior year will not receive results until July (after graduation) and will therefore not receive a green cord, certificate, or be recognized at graduation. Students can submit results to the district to have the official Seal of Biliteracy printed on their transcript.

Teachers and Counselors have access to review a student’s data in Infinite Campus.  Based on a review of data in IC and comparison with the criteria for the Seal of Biliteracy, a student's teachers and/or counselors can acknowledge that a student is “On track to achieve the Seal” when writing college recommendation letters.

If a student meets the criteria for the Seal of Biliteracy using data available in Infinite Campus, then that student will have the Seal of Biliteracy achievement noted on the official BVSD transcript following graduation. If a student meets the criteria for the Seal using data not available through Infinite Campus, then that student will only have the Seal of Biliteracy achievement noted on the transcript by filling out the application form prior to the deadline so that the data may be updated accordingly. (Note: Cords and Certificates, too, will only be given at the graduation ceremony to students who fill out the application for the Seal prior to the deadline, regardless of whether the data is in IC)