Maine Township High School District 207 is proud to announce that it will award the Illinois Seal of Biliteracy to students who have attained a high level of proficiency in one or more languages in addition to English. This Seal of Biliteracy also carries national recognition.
Where will this recognition be placed?
Students meeting the requirements for the Seal of Biliteracy will receive this recognition on their transcripts as well as receive an official seal that can be placed on their diplomas.
What qualifies to receive the Seal of Biliteracy?
In order to obtain the Seal of Biliteracy, a student must show proficiency in both English and an additional language (can be a native language). The Seal of Biliteracy is awarded to those who demonstrate proficiency in English and whose second language proficiency level is equivalent to Intermediate High, as determined by the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL).
What are the specific requirements that must be met to ​demonstrate proficiency in English?
- Earn a minimum composite score of 18 on the ACT test (ELA English portion) , a score of 480 or higher on the Evidence-Based Reading and Writing section on the SAT, OR meet the exit criteria on the English language ACCESS test with a score of 4.8/6.0 while in high school. Students then must demonstrate proficiency in a language other than English by scoring a 6 or higher on the STAMP exam in all four domains: reading, writing, speaking, and listening (Standards-based Measurement of Proficiency) OR earn a 4 or 5 on the Advanced Placement Language and Culture exam in the designated language.
What are the specific requirements that must be met to show second​ language proficiency?
- Earn a 4 or 5 on the Advanced Placement Language and Culture exam. Maine South has the following five languages in the course program: Italian, Spanish, Chinese, French, and German.
- Additional languages can be tested for certification through private organizations. Please see link here for more information.
The languages taught at our school District will take the STAMP test along with languages such as Arabic, Greek, Hindi, Korean, Polish, Russian, and Ukrainian. Other languages will be tested with ALTA language services. Some of the languages include Albanian, Croatian, Serbian, Turkish, and many more.
The Seal of Biliteracy STAMP and/or ALTA exam will take place at Maine Township District 207 East, West and South High Schools for seniors on December 4 and December 5, 2025. The second round of testing will take place on March 12 and March 13, 2026 for junior students and any remaining seniors.
Who can I contact for more information about the Seal of Biliteracy?
- Maine East: Rachel Guel at 847-692-8429
- Maine South: Tona Costello at 847-692-8134
- Maine West: Raquel Rodriguez 847-803-5951