As the new school year commences, Vida Charter School (Vida) is celebrating achievements in biliteracy among their graduating sixth graders. Before summer break, nine graduates earned the Global Seal of Biliteracy (Global Seal) for Functional Literacy, and 12 graduates earned Pathway Awards, which indicates their progress toward attaining the Global Seal. In most school systems, these awards first become accessible to students during their senior year of high school.
A public, tuition-free school, Vida teaches grades K–6 in Spanish and English using a dual language model, bridging content learning across all subjects to both languages. Students receive an equal balance of Spanish and English instruction aligned with Pennsylvania State Academic Standards. As a result, students cultivate bilingualism—the ability to converse in two languages—and biliteracy—the ability to read and write in two languages.
School year 2026–2027 will mark the third year Vida has offered the opportunity for sixth graders to pursue the Global Seal. A lifelong credential, the Global Seal is a worldwide standard of multilingual proficiency. To earn it, students at Vida take the Avant Standards-based Measurement of Proficiency (STAMP) 4S, which measures four lingual skills: reading, listening, speaking, and writing.
Dr. Christine Miller, Vida’s Executive Director, notes that pursuing this certificate is quite an endeavor. “Avant STAMP 4S is recommended for eighth-grade students and older,” she says. “Because our students are younger, they must perform at high levels in both English and Spanish, whereas a high school student only takes the assessment in their second language. There are four sections in the assessment, one for each skill. For our learners, that increases to eight total, for all four skills in both languages.”
The PA State Legislature recently established the official Pennsylvania Seal of Biliteracy under Section 1511.2, which will be implemented beginning in the 2026–2027 school year. This requires the state to provide standardized criteria for schools to formally recognize graduating high school seniors who demonstrate intermediate-high proficiency in English along with one or more world languages. Many Vida alumni have graduated from local high schools earning the Pennsylvania Seal of Biliteracy. “We are proud to see they are maintaining high levels of academic proficiency in Spanish,” says Dr. Miller.
Students who earn the Global Seal at Vida score five or higher on a scale of one to nine in all eight sections. The Pathway Awards demonstrate levels of proficiency that lead up to Functional Literacy: Novice Middle, Novice High, and Intermediate Low. Students who earn Pathway Awards in these areas receive green, yellow, and black ribbons, respectively, to signify their achievements. Dr. Miller says, “These students are certainly on the path to earn the Global Seal and/or Pennsylvania Seal of Biliteracy during their school experience, and we are excited to celebrate their progress.”
She also notes that learning in two languages can be a transformative experience. “New students begin a remarkable journey when they first enter our classrooms, as many of them have not previously been immersed in English or Spanish environments,” she says. Vida students are quick to share their enjoyment of learning in both languages. One sixth grader says, “Vida gives you the opportunity to speak two languages. That really helps me, because half my family speaks Spanish, so now I can speak with them, too.” Another sixth grader agrees: “Vida shares the fact that everybody is welcome, and we’re all basically the same.”
Many of the students who attained the Global Seal or a Pathway Award have been with Vida since kindergarten. In 2025, four students earned the Global Seal and nine earned Pathway Awards. This year, the number of students who earned the Global Seal more than doubled, and the number who earned Pathway Awards increased by 25%.
“These are remarkable accomplishments, for the students themselves and for our entire community,” says Dr. Miller. “We are thrilled to see what the upcoming school year will bring!”
While Vida’s school year begins on August 17, it’s not too late to enroll. Visit vidacs.org to learn more or enroll your student today!
About Vida Charter School
Vida Charter School is a tuition-free, bilingual, public school located in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. Vida has served students in kindergarten through sixth grade in a dual-language immersion model for over 15 years. With a commitment to bilingualism, diversity, and holistic child development, Vida provides a nurturing environment where every student can thrive academically, socially, and culturally as global citizens.