New Jersey State Seal of Biliteracy
What is the New Jersey State Seal of Biliteracy?
The New Jersey State Seal of Biliteracy is an award given by the New Jersey Department of Education (NJDOE) in recognition of students who have studied and attained proficiency in at least one language in addition to English by high school graduation. Students who are able to obtain the NJ Seal of Biliteracy will receive a certificate and be able to include this achievement on their college applications.
How does a student obtain the New Jersey State Seal of Biliteracy?
In order for a student to obtain the NJ Seal of Biliteracy they must demonstrate proficiency in a language other than English. This can be done by obtaining a qualifying score on any of the exams listed at the following link: https://www.nj.gov/education/standards/worldlang/SealofBiliteracy.shtml#additional
While Allentown High School will accept scores from any of the exams listed at this link, we encourage students to take the STAMP exam in their preferred language. Only scores from tests taken between January 1st of a student’s junior year and a February deadline date of a student’s senior will be accepted. (The February deadline date changes yearly, but is usually near the end of the 1st week in February.)
In addition, students need to meet the English Language Arts graduation requirements set by the state before the February deadline of their senior year. The ELA graduation requirements are required for all NJ students in order to graduate from NJ public high schools.
Please note that if you took the AP Spanish Language and Culture exam during your junior year and scored a 4 or 5, this would count as a qualifying exam.
Will Allentown High School offer any qualifying assessments on campus?
Yes, Allentown High School will offer the STAMP Exam in a students requested language around the 2nd week of January. Students will need to register for the STAMP Exam through AHS no later than November 1st in order take the STAMP Exam at AHS in January. Students can fill out the STAMP Exam request form and pay for the exam at this LINK. Once on the page, scroll down until you see the “High School AP/STAMP Exam Payment” icon. This payment link can also be found under the Parents Tab of the AHS website under “Activity Registration Payment.”
Answers to additional questions regarding the New Jersey State Seal of Biliteracy can be found at this link: https://www.nj.gov/education/standards/worldlang/SealofBiliteracy.shtml#additional
Students can also speak with their guidance counselor or Mr. Crosby in the main office for more information.
Any student who has taken a qualifying exam on their own between January 1st of their junior year and the February deadline of their senior year, who would like to apply for the New Jersey State Seal of Biliteracy should see Mr. Crosby in the main office.