News

Huron offers STAMP exam for Seal of Biliteracy for the first time

Lakshya Jaiganesh and Annabella Mi

March 9, 2026

French teacher and co-World Language Department Chair Mary Clair Wissman posing next to the Seal of Biliteracy bulletin.

On April 7, from 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., the annual Standards-Based Measurement of Proficiency (STAMP) exam for the Seal of Biliteracy will be held on Huron campus. The Seal of Biliteracy is an award, given by the Michigan Department of Education, that acknowledges one’s fluency in two or more languages.

This is the first year that the STAMP test will be available to take at Huron. The deadline for purchasing the exam is March 15, with a fee of $24.90. French teacher and co-World Language Department chair Mary Clair Wissman encourages students to apply, with financial assistance available upon request.

“We have so many students here at Huron who do speak many languages,” Wissman said. “And we’re trying to get as many students as we can to take it.”

The STAMP test assesses proficiency in reading, writing, listening, and speaking and is offered in 53 languages, including Latin and American Sign Language (ASL).

While both juniors and seniors are eligible to take the STAMP test, only seniors can apply for the Seal of Biliteracy to be included on their transcript.

“It can show employers that you are fluent in more than one language,” Wissman said. “And it also can show colleges the same thing.”

In Ann Arbor Public Schools (AAPS), those who qualify for the Seal of Biliteracy need to meet all graduation requirements and demonstrate “Intermediate High” proficiency in a second language.

This proficiency level is not limited to a score of six on the STAMP exam. It can also be shown through a score of at least four on an Advanced Placement (AP) language exam, a score of at least four on a International Baccalaureate (IB) Higher Level (HL) exam and a score of at least five on an IB Standard Level (SL) exam. A transcript from education in another country after sixth grade is also applicable.

“This year, so far, we have seven signed up, but we know there are more than that,” Wissman said. “Huron has traditionally had the most students that [have] the Seal of Biliteracy. And so we want to continue that tradition.”

For more information, the Seal of Biliteracy website can be visited here. The Michigan portal of it can be found here. Visit here for AAPS-specific information on the exam application.

About the Contributors

Lakshya Jaiganesh, Copy Editor

Lakshya is currently in 11th grade and this is her first year on the Emery’s staff. Lakshya is part of Huron’s band program, Indian Student Association, and BPA, and in her free time, she likes watching movies, cooking, and listening to music. Lakshya’s favorite movie is The Imitation Game and her favorite flavor of ice cream is butter pecan.

Annabella Mi, Managing Editor

Annabella is currently in ninth grade and this is her first year in The Huron Emery, but is her fourth year of newspaper! She loves to harp around in the orchestra, hit golf balls in the driving range, eat Salty Carmel ice cream in Blank Slate or watch rom-coms with her friends, including her favorite movie “Mr. Peabody and Sherman”.

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