The Seal of Biliteracy for Indian languages: what parents should know

What is the Seal of Biliteracy?

The Seal of Biliteracy is an award given by a school, district or state to students who have reached proficiency in English and at least one other language by high-school graduation. It usually appears on the diploma or transcript.

California introduced the first state Seal of Biliteracy in 2011, and it is now offered in most US states. Each state, and often each district, sets its own rules.

Why it matters for Indian-American families

The Seal turns the language your child speaks at home into a recognised achievement. It shows colleges and future employers that your child can read, write and communicate in two languages, and it celebrates your family's heritage.

What students usually need

Requirements vary, but most programmes ask for two things:

• English: meeting English language arts requirements, through coursework, grades or tests
• The second language: showing proficiency, often around an intermediate level, through an approved assessment, an exam, or a district-approved portfolio or interview
• Many programmes assess all four skills: reading, writing, listening and speaking

Indian languages and assessments

Popular routes like the AP language exams don't cover Hindi, Telugu, Tamil or Kannada, so students of Indian languages usually rely on other assessments. Some testing providers offer less commonly taught languages, and some districts accept a portfolio or interview when no test is available.

Because options differ so much, the most important step is to ask your district's world-language coordinator early, ideally in 9th or 10th grade, which assessments they accept for your child's language.

How to prepare

Most heritage speakers understand and speak well, but reading and writing lag behind. Those are exactly the skills assessments check, so build them steadily over two or three years rather than cramming in senior year.

• Reading: graded storybooks, then newspapers or simple articles
• Writing: short paragraphs about daily life, then letters and essays
• Speaking: structured conversation on everyday topics and opinions
• Listening: films, songs and news in the language

How Ed Horizon can help

Our Hindi, Telugu, Tamil and Kannada courses include phonics, reading, writing and academic tracks, taught live one-on-one. Teachers can focus on the reading and writing skills that heritage speakers most often need, at times that fit US mornings and Saturdays.

A timeline from middle school to graduation

Planning ahead takes the pressure off senior year. A typical path looks like this:

• Grades 6 to 8: build reading and writing alongside speaking, with regular practice
• Grade 9: ask your district's world-language coordinator which assessments they accept for your child's language
• Grades 10 and 11: practise all four skills, try sample tasks, and build a folder of writing
• Grade 12: take the approved assessment and complete any application your district requires

Keep evidence as you go

Even if your district uses a test, a record of your child's work is useful. Some districts accept portfolios, and it helps your child see how far they've come.

• Dated writing samples: paragraphs, letters, short essays
• Short audio or video recordings of your child speaking
• Certificates from exams or courses in the language
• A reading log of books and articles

If your district doesn't assess your child's language

Some districts haven't yet set up assessments for every language. It's worth asking whether they would consider one, since districts sometimes add languages when families request them.

Either way, the skills your child builds are valuable in themselves: reading and writing a heritage language connects them to family, culture and history, Seal or no Seal.