From English Learner Education Updates, presentation to the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education, October 30, 2018, slides 9-12

The Department is finalizing guidance for the Seal of Biliteracy, but it has not yet been released. Please check the DESE website for updates and more information: http://www.doe.mass.edu/ell/ 

The State Seal of Biliteracy is awarded to students who have attained a high level of  proficiency in English and a foreign language beginning with the graduating class of 2019.

Two tiers of the Seal:

• The State Seal of Biliteracy
• The State Seal of Biliteracy with Distinction

State Seal of Biliteracy

English Criteria:

• Meets all graduation requirements; AND
• Meets the English Language Arts requirement of the Competency Determination;
  OR
• Students who are required to complete an Educational Proficiency Plan to satisfy
  the requirements of the Competency Determination must attain a minimum score
  of 240 on the MCAS retake or a composite score of 4.2 on ACCESS* English
  Language Development test.  *English Learners only.

Foreign Language Criteria:

• Meets all graduation requirements; AND
• Students must attain a minimum of “Intermediate High” on the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL) proficiency guidelines (e.g., a score of 4 on an Advanced Placement exam) on one of the aligned nationally recognized and readily available assessments approved by the Department;
  OR
• An alternative evidence method established by the Department in guidance.

State Seal of Biliteracy with Distinction

English Language Arts Criteria:

• Students must meet or exceed a scaled score of 260 (Advanced) on the current grade 10 version of ELA MCAS.

Foreign Language Criteria:

• Students must attain “Advanced Low” or above on the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL) proficiency guidelines (e.g., a score of 5 on an Advanced Placement exam) on one of the aligned assessments approved by the Department.