Upper Dublin reports successful first year of Seal of Biliteracy pilot with 22 applicants

Upper Dublin School District administrators told the education committee May 7 that the district’s first year of offering the Seal of Biliteracy drew 22 applicants and that the assessment results will be announced to the district within about a week.

The district said 22 students applied for the seal; languages represented among applicants were 11 French, 5 Spanish, 4 Latin and 2 German. Staff explained students must achieve an “intermediate‑high” score on the STAMP (Avant) assessment — a proctored, four‑skill test that covers reading, writing, listening and speaking — to earn the state‑recognized seal.

Staff described their implementation as a pilot year. They said juniors who do not meet the score threshold on the STAMP assessment will be offered targeted feedback and an opportunity to retake the test in the fall. Administrators said the district will identify interested students early in the school year beginning in September to expand participation.

Committee members asked whether the seal is limited to languages taught by the district. Staff said a local review committee sets eligibility and can consider home‑taught or community languages; the district encouraged those options but noted some interested students chose instead to take a language offered by the high school because of workload concerns.

Staff also said regional district partners are developing implementation supports and that the statewide program is growing, with potential future linkages to college credit still in early development.