Students at Smith Vocational have diverse skills and talents and for many, that includes the career readiness skill of multilingualism. Smith Vocational is proud to award all qualifying graduates with the Massachusetts State Seal of Biliteracy.

 

“The State Seal of Biliteracy is an award provided by state approved districts that recognizes high school graduates who attain high functional and academic levels of proficiency in English and a world language in recognition of having studied and attained proficiency in two or more languages by high school graduation. Our vision is to help students recognize the value of their academic success and see the tangible benefits of being bilingual. The State Seal of Biliteracy takes the form of a seal that appears on the transcript or diploma of the graduating senior and is a statement of accomplishment for future employers and for college admissions.” - DESE

 

To qualify for the Massachusetts State Seal of Biliteracy, a junior or senior student must show their English proficiency by earning a Proficient or Advanced score on the 10th grade ELA MCAS and also fulfill all of the graduation requirements of Smith Vocational & Agricultural High School.

 

In a partner language, students will take a district approved assessment to show at least an Intermediate High level [1] of proficiency, as defined by ACTFL. This testing will be done during the school day and the cost is currently covered by Smith Vocational.* Students may test in any language and need to show proficiency in all four domains: reading, writing, listening, and speaking. Students must speak and write, for example, if both exist in the partner language.

 

Smith Vocational values the diverse backgrounds and experiences of our students and encourages life-long learning of languages and cultures here at our school, at home, and in the community.

 

If you have any questions, please contact Michael Parks (mparks@smithtec.org) or Aaron Mendelsohn (amendelsohn@smithtec.org).

 

*Subject to grant funding and approval

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