State Seal of Civic Engagement.

Assembly Member Jackson frames a reform to the State Seal of Civic Engagement by tying future eligibility to a demonstrated understanding of preserving democracy and its vital institutions, to be added when the State Board next revises the criteria. The core change preserves the existing framework—requiring the Superintendent to develop criteria in consultation with credentialed history-social science teachers and to incorporate broad civic-learning practices—while adding a forward-looking element that explicitly foregrounds democracy preservation, with illustrative examples such as the free press, libraries, compulsory education, and the federalist system. The new content must not duplicate material already included in the criteria adopted at the prior revision.

Under current law, the Superintendent must incorporate the Six Proven Practices for Effective Civic Learning, consult with teachers, and consider criteria such as successful completion of civics-related courses, voluntary participation in community service or extracurricular activities, and other related requirements. The amendment maintains these elements and adds that, at the time of the Board’s next revision, the Superintendent shall propose revised criteria that require a demonstrated understanding of preserving democracy and its institutions, limited to content not already embedded in the previously adopted criteria. The State Board retains authority to adopt, reject, or modify the recommended criteria, with a scheduled action by January 31, 2021 on the initial recommendations, and participation by school districts in the program remains voluntary; no new appropriation is attached.

Policy context and implementation considerations: The measure embeds civic learning within a framework that emphasizes democratic literacy and institutional preservation, potentially broadening what counts toward eligibility beyond course completion or traditional grades, while leaving specifics of demonstration and assessment to future criteria and guidance. Implementation would involve the Superintendent coordinating revisions with teachers and the State Board updating the criteria at the next revision cycle; districts choosing to participate would need to align civics-related experiences with the revised standard. The bill does not authorize new funding, though fiscal oversight will review potential costs associated with developing revised criteria and related guidance. Timelines center on the Board’s next revision rather than a fixed date, with the 2021 action on initial criteria remaining a separate milestone.