On June 29, 2026, Pennsylvania Governor Shapiro signed House Bill No. 1877 into law, making it Act No. 19 of 2026. The law took effect immediately and allows Pennsylvania schools to issue the official Pennsylvania Seal of Biliteracy to any graduating high school student who demonstrates proficiency in English and at least one other world language, subject to PDE’s established criteria.
PDE Criteria & Toolkit
Beginning with the upcoming 2026-2027 school year, the Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) will establish criteria and a toolkit for Pennsylvania school districts, intermediate units, area career and technical schools, charter schools, cyber charter schools, and regional charter schools to award the Seal of Biliteracy to eligible students graduating from high school.
The law does not indicate when PDE will release its criteria and toolkit, though Pennsylvania schools can reasonably expect guidance no later than the beginning of the 2026-2027 school year.
Student Eligibility
To qualify for the Seal of Biliteracy, a student must (1) complete all requirements to earn their high school diploma; (2) meet any English proficiency criteria established by PDE; and (3) meet any world language proficiency criteria establish by PDE.
School Obligations
Schools that award the Seal of Biliteracy to eligible students must note the Seal on the students’ high school transcripts and report certain information to PDE.
No later than October 31, 2027, and each year thereafter, schools that have issued the Seal to eligible students in the prior school year must report (1) the number of graduating students who were awarded the Seal; (2) the number of English learners who were awarded the seal; (3) a list of languages for which the Seal was awarded; and (4) any other information required by PDE.
PDE’s Report
No later than December 1, 2027, and each year thereafter, PDE will issue a report on the efficacy of the Seal to the Chairperson and Minority Chairperson of the Education Committees of both the Pennsylvania Senate and House of Representatives, including the information reported to PDE by schools.
Bottom Line for Schools
For Pennsylvania schools, the Seal of Biliteracy program presents a meaningful opportunity to recognize students’ language skills and highlight the value of multilingualism in college, career, and workforce readiness.
In his sponsor memorandum, Representative Joseph D’Orsie noted that other states have successfully implemented similar seal of biliteracy programs, offering their students a “competitive advantage.” Now, through its own seal of biliteracy program, Pennsylvania can help students stand out in an increasingly diverse and global society while encouraging schools to celebrate language learning as an asset.
Through this bipartisan law, the Pennsylvania General Assembly has signaled its strong support of students who develop proficiency in more than one language and for schools that prepare graduates to succeed in a multilingual workforce. Schools should watch for PDE’s criteria and toolkit so they can be ready to implement the program and promote this new recognition opportunity for eligible students.
