Grand Island Senior High celebrates first Seal of Biliteracy cohort; all 10 applicants awarded

Grand Island Senior High celebrated 10 students awarded the Nebraska Seal of Biliteracy at the Jan. 8 Board of Education meeting. Dr. Amanda Levos, the district’s K–12 English learner director and equity systems navigator, said the district submitted 10 applications for the November 1 cycle and all 10 were approved—three at the gold level and seven at the silver level.

Levos explained the Seal recognizes proficiency in English and an additional language and that the district used evidence such as AP coursework and AP exam scores (AP Spanish literature or language and culture with scores of 3 or higher) to document proficiency. She noted 11 students had taken the AP Spanish exam earlier, with 75% scoring 3 or higher; the Nebraska average for that assessment is about 45%.

Levos said the district purchased medallions to honor students and plans to add the Seal to student transcripts via the Synergy system. She outlined next steps to expand pathways for students who speak Arabic, Somali, German and other district languages, including pursuing alternate assessments (STAMP and partnerships with local testing centers) so more students can demonstrate proficiency without reliance solely on AP exams.

The board and staff congratulated the students; Mr. Fuentes introduced the student awardees for a photo opportunity.