The New Jersey Department of Education encourages school districts throughout the state to participate in the New Jersey State Seal of Biliteracy program.

Graduating high school and adult high school students who have demonstrated proficiency in English and one or more additional languages are eligible to attain the New Jersey State Seal of Biliteracy, according to an NJDOE advisory. For detailed information on eligibility criteria, please visit the New Jersey State Seal of Biliteracy webpage.

To participate in the State Seal of Biliteracy program, school districts should identify or update their designated Biliteracy Coordinator in the County/District/School (CDS) information system. This information will be used for all communication about the Seal of Biliteracy. For additional assistance, please consult the CDS Manual for Regular School Districts and Charters.

NJDOE will host several webinars for implementing the Seal of Biliteracy, which are now open for registration; please see the NJDOE’s Calendar of Events website to register. Webinars will be held on Oct. 14, Oct. 26, Oct. 28, and Nov. 16, 2026. In addition, office hours will be held on Oct. 29.

Additional supports are offered throughout the year and available on the New Jersey State Seal of Biliteracy webpage under “Resources.”

The New Jersey State Seal of Biliteracy is now recognized as a Tier 1 Industry-Valued Credential (IVC) for Career and Technical Education (CTE) Programs of Study. This designation reflects the growing demand for multilingual employees across sectors including healthcare, business, hospitality, public service and logistics. As a Tier 1 IVC, the Seal of Biliteracy may contribute to CTE credential attainment outcomes while recognizing language proficiency as a valuable career asset across industries.

To streamline reporting, NJDOE will cross-reference Career and Technical Education student data submitted by Local Educational Agencies (LEAs) with Seal of Biliteracy recipients, eliminating the need for duplicate submissions. Recognition of the Seal of Biliteracy as a Tier 1 IVC will be reflected in School Performance Reports under College and Career Readiness, where it will contribute to both the Seal of Biliteracy and Career and Technical Education reporting categories.

For questions regarding the New Jersey State Seal of Biliteracy, contact SealofBiliteracy@doe.nj.gov. For questions regarding Industry-Valued Credentials, please contact CTE-IVC@doe.nj.gov.