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Barnstable High School honors 57 graduates who earned Seals of Biliteracy across seven languages
Summary
Barnstable High School recognized about 57 graduates — roughly 17% of the class — who earned state and global Seals of Biliteracy across seven languages; the district subsidized testing to boost participation and highlighted college credit benefits tied to the credentials.
Barnstable High School presented awards May 6 to students who earned Seals of Biliteracy, recognizing high proficiency in English and one or more additional languages.
Principal Jason Canet and world language department head Cody Small described the Seal of Biliteracy as a state-recognized credential that may carry college credit and workplace benefits. This year the district provided free testing for eligible students, increasing participation; staff reported 120 students took more than 130 assessments across seven languages (Chinese, French, Haitian Creole, Jamaican Creole, Latin, Portuguese, and Spanish). Preliminary counts presented at the meeting included 14 global seals, 32 standard state seals, and 11 seals with distinction, for roughly 57 total seal recipients — about 17% of the graduating class.
Students who earned or pursued seals described benefits for college applications, resumes and future careers: one student said her state seal helped her stand out in admissions; another earned three seals and said the credentials fit aspirations in international relations and government.
District educators described procedures for retesting individual sections when students narrowly miss a component, and noted the district's testing subsidy removed a barrier that limited participation in prior years.
Next steps: the district will continue outreach to multilingual learners, track year-to-year participation, and publicize student achievements and potential college-credit arrangements with partner institutions.
