CA State Seal of Civic Engagement
On September 10th, 2020, the State Board of Education unanimously approved a State Seal of Civic Engagement (SSCE) that enables California school districts to recognize graduating high school students who have demonstrated civic excellence. The SSCE represents a unique opportunity to galvanize attention and support for civic education in California. It prioritizes learning experiences that promote civic knowledge, informed civic action, and reflection. The SSCE also attends to the importance of civic-mindedness and a commitment to engaging with others in the school, in the community, or in broader society.
The resources below are aligned to the criteria for the SSCE to support your students in being recognized and celebrated for their civic engagement.
Implementation Resources
The California Department of Education has provided criteria and guidance for each component of the SSCE as well as civic learning resources to support districts in determining how to implement the Seal in their local context and to ensure it is accessible and inclusive.
The Authentic Preparation for Today (APT) working group (formerly PACCCRAS) has created the following resources to support districts and schools throughout the state in implementing the SSCE:
The Civic Engagement Research Group (CERG) has created a planning packet to help districts and schools begin implementing the Seal in their respective local contexts. The planning packet includes detailed steps and guiding questions that will allow educators to create an equity-focused inventory and action plan. To access the planning packet click here.
GENup is a California-based, nationwide student-led social justice organization and student-activist coalition that strives to advocate for education through the power of youth voices. GENup is organizing youth in communities across the state to advocate and support efforts to implement the SSCE. To find out more click here.
Research and recommendations from the LEADE Initiative will help school districts integrate a systemic commitment to civic learning alongside adopting the SSCE. In the report, Breaking New Ground with California’s State Seal of Civic Engagement: Lessons from Year 1, co-authors Erica Hodgin and Leah Bueso highlight the efforts of seven early adopters and provide recommendations for educators interested in rolling out the SSCE in their own districts and schools.
Additional research by LEADE highlights the degree to which school districts in California are focused on and devoting resources to civic priorities, as well as the approaches they are taking to fulfill the democratic aims of education:
CRITERIA #1:
Be engaged in academic work in a productive way
CRITERIA #2:
Demonstrate a competent understanding of U.S. and California constitutions; functions and governance of local governments; tribal government structures and organizations; the role of the citizen in a constitutional democracy; and democratic principles, concepts, and processes
Topic: Civic Knowledge
Students need a foundation of civic knowledge and understanding in order to fully and effectively participate in civic and political life. Through civic knowledge, students can build informed opinions and perspectives, know about the structures and functions of government, and understand how to create or support change. On this page you will find ideas, resources, articles, and blog posts focused on building students’ civic knowledge through a range of content areas that will support the aims of the SSCE criteria #2.
You can also find two online, no-cost, self-paced courses linked here for students and educators focused on “Understanding California’s Constitution” and “Understanding Tribal Governments” developed by the Los Angeles County Office of Education in collaboration with the Content, Literacy, Inquiry, and Citizenship (CLIC) Project.
CRITERIA #3:
Participate in one or more informed civic engagement project(s) that address real-world problems and require students to identify and inquire into civic needs or problems, consider varied responses, take action, and reflect on efforts
Topic: Civic Investigation & Research
Students’ informed civic engagement projects, as outlined in the SSCE criteria #3, often begin with some type of investigation and research into a real-world problem. This understanding is key to help students “identify and inquire into civic needs or problems, consider varied responses, [and] take action” in an informed manner. The videos and resources on this page will support students to investigate civic and political issues by analyzing evidence, determining the credibility of varied sources of information, recognizing multiple perspectives, and understanding the historical context of varied problems.
Topic: Civic Voice
Many civic engagement projects include publicly voicing or presenting students’ perspectives about civic and political issues with the goal of raising awareness. Explore the videos and resources on this page to learn a range of ways to support students’ in developing their civic voice, using digital tools to support students’ civic expression, and considering what information should be public and private in the digital age.
Topic: Civic Action
Taking informed action is a key component of SSCE criteria #3. On this page, you will find a number of examples and resources to help encourage students to take action drawing on what they have learned and considering a broad range of online, offline, and/or hybrid tactics they can take when responding to issues they care about.
CRITERIA #4:
Demonstrate civic knowledge, skills, and dispositions through self-reflection
Reflection has always been critical for civic identity development, better understanding of civic issues, analyzing the impact of our actions, and considering our own roles as a civic actor. To support student learning and growth, SSCE criteria #4 promotes self-reflection through a variety of formats (written, oral, digital, audio, video, multimedia, etc.). You will find a range of resources throughout our site that will help you support students’ civic reflection.
Oakland Unified School District’s Graduate Capstone Resources:
Read this blog post by Young Whan Choi
Watch this video from the Learning Policy Institute
Check out examples of student work
Explore the teacher-developed rubrics for various elements of the capstone project
MYPA’s Rubrics & Resources
Read “Supporting Students in Developing Persuasive Policy Arguments” to get ideas about how to assess your students’ ability to develop and present a persuasive and evidence-based policy argument at the culmination of a civic inquiry project
Learn about the MYPA rubric that was designed to provide educators with formative and summative support in assessing six core civic competencies: problem identification, research methods, policy proposal, collaboration, presentation and delivery, and response to questions
Multimedia Reflections
Watch this video about students using photojournalism to share about an issue important to them
Also check out this video to see an example of students’ creating a digital story
To learn about other digital formats for student reflections, explore KQED Teach’s Media Academy for Educators
Written Reflections
Check out the National Writing Project’s Civic Engaged Writing Analysis Continuum
Explore Read Write Think’s reflective writing rubric
Schoolwide or Districtwide Celebrations of Student Civic Engagement
Watch this video about Oakland Unified School District’s celebration of student civic engagement projects
CRITERIA #5:
Exhibit character traits that reflect civic-mindedness and a commitment to positively impact the classroom, school, community and/or society
Topic: Civic Discussion & Deliberation
One way students can demonstrate civic mindedness is by engaging in respectful and productive civic discussion and deliberation. On this page, you will find ways to integrate discussions of current events, civic and political topics, and controversial issues into the classroom. Engaging young people in discussions of local, national, and international issues has long been regarded as a core component of civic learning. In the SSCE guidance for Criteria #5, CDE highlights several cornerstones of civic discussion and deliberation such as “speaking and engaging others with respect, civility, and welcome, especially those who are different and/or have diverse racial or ethnic backgrounds or opposing views.”
CA-Specific Resources & Background Info:
Revitalizing K-12 Civic Learning in California: A Blueprint for Action (California Department of Education)
Civics, Government, and Service Learning Resources (California Department of Education)
Civic Learning Award for California Public Schools (California Department of Education)
History-Social Science Framework for California Public Schools (California Department of Education)
Civic Learning Initiative (Power of Democracy)
California History-Social Science Project (University of California, Davis)
California Democracy School Civic Learning Initiative (Los Angeles County Office of Education)
Civic Education in California (Facing History and Ourselves)
Regional Resources focused on the SSCE: