On September 10, 2020, the State Board of Education (SBE) adopted criteria and guidance to award a State Seal of Civic Engagement (SSCE) to California students who demonstrate excellence in civics education and participation, and an understanding of the United States Constitution, the California Constitution, and the democratic system of government.
Local educational agencies that choose to adopt programs to award the SSCE are encouraged to use the SBE-adopted statewide criteria and guidance to design and implement local programs that engage students civically, creating pathways that culminate in students earning the SSCE on a transcript, diploma, or certificate of completion in grades 11 or 12.
Connect with your Content, Literacy, Inquiry, and Citizenship Project Regional Lead to learn more about, or express interest in, implementing the SSCE. Additionally, the California Department of Education (CDE) created and is maintaining two web pages to support local efforts.
CDE Web Pages
State Seal of Civic Engagement
The CDE landing page for information about the SSCE. This page contains an overview of the SSCE, official criteria and implementation guidance, and information about procedures to award and order the SSCE insignia. As the CDE develops additional resources to support local implementation of the SSCE, they will be posted here.
Resources to Support Civic Engagement
General guidance and resources from nonprofit organizations to help support civic engagement for students, educators, and district leaders. Includes resources to support civic engagement through distance learning.
Report on Civic Learning in California
Reclaiming the Democratic Purpose of California's Public Schools
Housed at UCLA and UC Riverside, the Leveraging Equity and Access in Democratic Education (LEADE) initiative works to ensure students have access to high quality civic learning opportunities. LEADE created this report, which assesses the degree to which districts are focused on and devoting resources to civic priorities. The link above provides access to the full report, an executive summary, and a press release.
