The Seal of Biliteracy: Successes and challenges to implementation

Abstract

The present study examined the perspectives of language administrators and teachers regarding Seal of Biliteracy (SoBL) implementation. Utilizing three school districts in Illinois as case studies, this study investigated the ways in which the SoBL was implemented in each district, offering insight into what worked well in each unique school context as well as the challenges that stakeholders encountered while putting the policy into practice. This mixed‐methods study employed a concurrent triangulation design, where quantitative and qualitative data were collected concurrently, analyzed separately, and combined to confirm and cross‐validate findings. Data sources included teacher surveys, interviews of world language administrators and teachers, and artifacts. The two most prominent themes that emerged from the research question regarding the successes of the SoBL were the change to instruction and assessment and increased world language retention and enrollment. The two most prominent themes regarding the challenges of implementation were the lack of extended sequences of study and the challenge of disseminating information about the award. The hope is that insights from these three districts will inform and ease implementation for others wishing to put this policy into practice.