6410 South Dante Avenue, Chicago, IL 60637
Phone: 773-324-1020 Fax: 773-359-0506
Illinois State Seal of Biliteracy
Mount Carmel High School is proud to offer the Illinois State Seal of Biliteracy, a state award that recognizes graduates who have reached a high level of proficiency in English and in at least one other language. Students who earn it receive an official seal on their diploma and a notation on their transcript.
Mount Carmel also offers the State Commendation toward Biliteracy, which recognizes students who are making strong progress toward that level.
Who can earn it?
Every Mount Carmel student. The Seal recognizes students who learned another language in our classrooms, at home, in their community, or anywhere else. There is no specific course requirement: what matters is the proficiency a student can demonstrate during high school (grades 9–12).
Why it matters
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All Illinois public colleges and universities accept the Seal as equivalent to two years of high school world language study for admission.
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Illinois public colleges and universities award college credit for the Seal. Students must request it within three years of graduating.
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It is an official credential for college applications, résumés and future careers, where bilingual skills are in high demand.
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It celebrates the languages and cultures our students bring to Mount Carmel.
How students qualify
Students must show proficiency in both English and another language, using tests approved by the Illinois State Board of Education. Scores must come from tests taken in grades 9–12.
Mount Carmel will offer the STAMP 4S test on campus in January 2027. It is available in Spanish and many other languages, including Arabic, Chinese, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Polish, Portuguese and Russian. Students who speak another language at home are encouraged to contact the coordinator. In some cases, students may qualify through a portfolio of their work.
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Approved methods at Mount Carmel
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Seal
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Commendation
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|---|---|---|---|
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English
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AP English Language and Composition
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4 or 5
|
3
|
|
ACT with writing (ELA score)
|
18
|
18
|
|
|
SAT Evidence-Based Reading and Writing
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480
|
480
|
|
|
Spanish and other languages
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STAMP 4S language test, offered at Mount Carmel (reading, writing, listening and speaking)
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6 in every section
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4 in every section
|
|
AP Language and Culture exams (for example AP Spanish Language)
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4 or 5
|
3
|
|
|
Latin
|
AP Latin
|
4 or 5
|
3
|
Mount Carmel will offer the STAMP 4S test on campus in January 2027. It is available in Spanish and many other languages, including Arabic, Chinese, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Polish, Portuguese and Russian. Students who speak another language at home are encouraged to contact the coordinator. In some cases, students may qualify through a portfolio of their work.
Cost to families
There is no cost to families for the STAMP language test: Mount Carmel covers it. AP and college entrance exams (ACT, SAT) follow their usual fees and registration process.
Questions?
Contact our Seal of Biliteracy Coordinator, Mr. Giovanni Minicucci, at gminicucci@mchs.org. More information is available on the Illinois State Board of Education website: isbe.net/multilingual.
