IN CLASS: This feature is part of an ongoing education column highlighting the various activities that engage school communities.
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STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — More New York City public school students have received a biliteracy endorsement on their high school diploma.
The city education department announced a notable increase in the number of students awarded the prestigious New York State Seal of Biliteracy, which recognizes high-level proficiency in listening, speaking, reading, and writing in one or more languages in addition to English.
Last school year, more than 2,500 high school students across 133 schools earned this seal — representing a 29% increase in recipients and a 24% expansion in participating schools compared to the previous 2023-2024 school year.
“Multilingualism is a superpower in today’s world, and our students’ ability to communicate across languages opens doors to greater opportunity, deeper cultural understanding, and continued success throughout life,” said Schools Chancellor Melissa Aviles-Ramos. “The growing number of students earning the Seal of Biliteracy across our schools is a testament to their dedication, the support of our educators, and our commitment as a school system to prepare every student for success in a diverse and dynamic world.”
Students across city public schools have multiple pathways to earn the seal. Many students fulfill the requirements by completing culminating projects in both English and a world language, which are often integrated into existing courses such as 12th-grade English or advanced language classes, or developed during dedicated instructional time.
Additionally, students enrolled in bilingual education programs can apply their academic experience directly toward the seal, while others qualify through successful completion of advanced world language coursework or proficiency assessments.
Newly arrived multilingual learners can also use academic records from schools outside the United States where instruction was delivered in a language other than English to demonstrate their language proficiency.
In addition to earning this seal, students can apply it toward their postsecondary education. Eleven City University of New York colleges offer between three and eight college credits to students who have earned the seal.
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Do you have a story idea for the In Class education column? Email education reporter Annalise Knudson at aknudson@siadvance.com.