New Jersey Department of Education

New Jersey State Seal of Biliteracy

 

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. The NJDOE, pursuant to P.L. 2015, c. 303 enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey, established the State Seal of Biliteracy program in 2016 to help students recognize the value and the tangible benefits of bilingualism.  Since its inception, a total 30,195 Seals of Biliteracy have been awarded.  This designation on a student’s high school diploma also provides employers and universities with a method of identifying bilingual candidates, students with 21st century skills, and those who have prioritized the study of other languages and cultures. Moreover, the State Seal of Biliteracy emphasizes the importance of both bilingualism, which facilitates improved communication and boosts the local economy, and cultural understanding, which promotes social acceptance. 

2023-2024 Timeline

January 1 – Testing window opens for juniors

February 8 – Deadline for senior testing (including all retakes)

March 1 – Districts update NJSMART SID Management Biliterate (3 fields) and ELA Pathway fields for graduating 12th graders and adult high school students.

May/June – Certificates uploaded to NJDOE Homeroom, Seal of Biliteracy section 

  1. District indicates participation by identifying the district Biliteracy coordinator through the CDS system. Directions for adding or changing the Biliteracy coordinator can be found in the CDS Manual for Regular School Districts and Charters. Questions about the CDS should be directed to CDShelp@doe.nj.gov
  2. District selects, orders and administers NJDOE approved World Language assessments to juniors and graduating seniors.  See the Acceptable Evidence of Proficiency section above for possible assessments and required scores.  
  3. District updates NJSMART SID Management Biliterate (3 fields) and ELA Pathway fields for graduating 12th graders and adult high school students. Refer to NJSMART Student Data Handbook for information on each field. 
  4. NJDOE verifies NJSMART data and assessment data before uploading certificates for graduating 12th graders and adult high school students who have earned the State Seal of Biliteracy in NJDOE Homeroom
  5. District downloads certificates from NJDOE Homeroom and distributes to graduating 12th graders and adult high school students. 
Atlantic County
  • Atlantic City School District 
  • Atlantic County Vocational School District
  • Egg Harbor Township School District
  • Greater Egg Harbor Regional High School District
  • Hammonton School District
  • Mainland Regional High School
Bergen County
  • Bergen County Vocational Technical School District
  • Bergenfield Borough School District
  • Bogota Public School District
  • Cliffside Park School District
  • Cresskill Public School District
  • Elmwood Park School District 
  • Englewood Public School District
  • Fair Lawn Public School District
  • Garfield Public School District 
  • Glen Rock Public School District 
  • Hackensack School District
  • Hasbrouck Heights School District 
  • Leonia Public School District 
  • Lodi School District
  • Lyndhurst School District
  • Mahwah Township Public School District 
  • Midland Park School District
  • New Milford Public School District
  • North Arlington School District
  • Northern Highlands Regional High School District
  • Northern Valley Regional High School District
  • Palisades Park School District 
  • Paramus Public School District
  • Park Ridge School District
  • Pascack Valley Regional High School District
  • Ramapo Indian Hills Regional High School District
  • Ramsey School District
  • Ridgefield School District
  • Ridgefield Park Public School District
  • Ridgewood Public School District 
  • River Dell Regional School District
  • Rutherford School District
  • Teaneck School District
  • Tenafly Public School District
  • Wallington Boro School District
  • Westwood Regional School District
Burlington County
  • Burlington County Institute of Technology School District
  • Cinnaminson Township School District
  • Delran Township School District
  • Lenape Regional High School District
  • Northern Burlington County Regional School District 
  • Pemberton Township School District 
  • Rancocas Valley Regional High School District
Camden County 
  • Black Horse Pike Regional School District
  • Camden County Technical School District
  • Cherry Hill School District
  • Eastern Camden County Regional School District 
  • Gloucester City Public School District 
  • Haddon Heights School District
  • Haddonfield School District 
  • Haddon Township School District
  • Pine Hill School District
  • Winslow Township School District
Cape May County
  • Lower Cape May Regional School District
  • Middle Township Public School District
  • Ocean City School District
  • Wildwood City School District
Cumberland County
  • Bridgeton City School District
  • Cumberland County Board of Vocational Education
  • Vineland Public School District
Essex
  • Belleville Public School District
  • Bloomfield Township School District
  • Caldwell-West Caldwell School District 
  • East Orange School District
  • Essex County Schools of Technology
  • Irvington Public School District
  • Livingston Board of Education School District
  • Millburn Township School District
  • Montclair Public School District
  • Newark Public School District
  • Nutley Public School District
  • Orange Board of Education School District 
  • South Orange-Maplewood School District
  • West Essex Regional School District
  • West Orange Public Schools
Gloucester County
  • Delsea Regional High School District
  • Kingsway Regional School District 
  • Monroe Township Public School District
  • Pitman Boro School District
  • Washington Township School District
  • West Deptford Township School District
  • Woodbury City Public School District
Hudson County
  • Bayonne School District
  • Harrison Public Schools
  • Hoboken Public School District 
  • Hudson County Schools of Technology School District 
  • Jersey City Public Schools
  • Kearny School District
  • North Bergen School District
  • Secaucus School District
  • Union City School District
  • Weehawken Public School District 
  • West New York School District
Hunterdon County
  • Delaware Valley Regional High School District
  • South Hunterdon Regional School District
  • Hunterdon Central Regional High School District
  • Hunterdon County Vocational School District
  • North Hunterdon-Voorhees Regional High School District
Mercer County
  • Area Vocational Technical School District of Mercer County
  • East Windsor Regional School District 
  • Ewing Township School District
  • Hamilton Township Public School District
  • Hopewell Valley Regional School District 
  • Lawrence Township Public Schools District
  • Trenton Public Schools
  • West Windsor-Plainsboro Regional School District
Middlesex County
  • Carteret Public School District
  • East Brunswick Township School District
  • Edison Township School District
  • Highland Park Boro School District
  • Metuchen Public School District
  • Middlesex Borough School District
  • Middlesex County Vocational and Technical School District
  • Monroe Township School District
  • New Brunswick School District
  • North Brunswick Township School District
  • Old Bridge Township School District
  • Perth Amboy Public School District
  • Piscataway Township School District
  • Sayreville School District
  • South Amboy School District
  • South Brunswick School District
  • South Plainfield School District
  • South River Public School District
  • Spotswood Public School District
  • Woodbridge Township School District
Monmouth County
  • Asbury Park School District
  • Freehold Regional High School District
  • Henry Hudson Regional School District
  • Holmdel Township School District
  • Keyport School District
  • Long Branch Public School District
  • Matawan-Aberdeen Regional School District
  • Middletown Township Public School District
  • Monmouth County Vocational School District
  • Monmouth Regional High School 
  • Neptune Township School District
  • Township of Ocean School District
  • Red Bank Regional School District
  • Rumson-Fair Haven Regional High School District
  • Shore Regional High School District 
  • Wall Township Public School District
Morris County
  • Butler Public School District
  • School District of the Chathams
  • Dover Public School District
  • Hanover Park Regional High School District
  • Kinnelon School District
  • Madison Public School District
  • Montville Township School District
  • Morris County Vocational School District
  • Morris Hills Regional School District
  • Morris School District
  • Mount Olive Township School District
  • Mountain Lakes Public School District
  • Parsippany-Troy Hills Township School District
  • Pequannock Township School District
  • Randolph Township School District
  • Roxbury Township School District
  • West Morris Regional High School District
Ocean County
  • Barnegat Township School District
  • Brick Township Public School District 
  • Jackson Township School District
  • Lakewood Township School District
  • Ocean County Vocational Technical School District
  • Point Pleasant Borough School District
  • Point Pleasant Beach School District
  • Southern Regional School District
  • Toms River Regional School District
Passaic County
  • Clifton Public School District
  • Passaic City School District
  • Passaic County Manchester Regional High School District 
  • Passaic County Technical-Vocational School District
  • Paterson Public School District
  • West Milford Township Public School District
Salem County
  • Penns Grove-Carneys Point Regional School District
Somerset County
  • Bernards Township School District
  • Bound Brook School District
  • Bridgewater-Raritan Regional School District
  • Franklin Township Public School District
  • Hillsborough Township Public School District
  • Manville School District
  • Montgomery Township School District
  • North Plainfield School District
  • Somerset County Vocational and Technical School District
  • Somerville Public School District
  • Watchung Hills Regional High School District
Sussex County
  • High Point Regional High School District
  • Hopatcong Brought School District
  • Sparta Township Public School District
  • Vernon Township School District
Union County
  • Berkeley Heights School District
  • Clark Township Public School District
  • Cranford Public School District
  • Elizabeth Public Schools
  • Hillside Public School District
  • Kenilworth School District
  • Linden Public School District
  • New Providence School District
  • Plainfield Public School District
  • Rahway Public School District
  • Roselle Park Public School District
  • Scotch Plains-Fanwood School District
  • Springfield Public School District
  • Summit Public School District 
  • Township of Union School District
  • Union County Vocational-Technical School District
  • Westfield Public School District
Warren County
  • Hackettstown Public School District 
  • Warren Hills Regional School District
Charters
  • Academy Charter High School
  • Bergen Arts and Science Charter School
  • Passaic Arts and Science Charter School 
  • Paterson Arts and Sciences Charter School
  • Paterson Charter School for Science and Technology 
  • Mastery Schools of Camden, Inc.
  • Trenton STEM to Civics Charter School
  • LEAP Academy University Charter School
  • An act establishing the State Seal of Biliteracy P.L. 2015, c. 303
  • A district board of education may award a New Jersey State Seal of Biliteracy to any student who has met all requirements in N.J.A.C. 6A:8-5.2 

Contact Us

Office of Supplemental Educational Programs

Lori Ramella

Bilingual Coordinator

lori.ramella@doe.nj.gov

Office of Standards

Lavinia Rogers

World Languages Coordinator

lavinia.rogers@doe.nj.gov

 

The resources provided on this webpage are for informational purposes only. All resources must meet the New Jersey Department of Education’s (NJDOE) accessibility guidelines. Currently, the NJDOE aims to conform to Level AA of the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG 2.1). However, the NJDOE does not guarantee that linked external sites conform to Level AA of the WCAG 2.1. Neither NJDOE nor its officers, employees or agents specifically endorse, recommend or favor these resources or the organizations that created them. Please note that the NJDOE has not reviewed or approved the materials related to the programs.

Page Last Updated: 07/17/2023

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