Breaking New Ground with California’s State Seal of Civic Engagement: Lessons from Year 1
By Erica Hodgin and Leah Bueso
At a time of great concern about the health of our democracy, California has taken a significant step to recognize the importance of civic and democratic education. On September 10th, 2020, the California State Board of Education unanimously approved the State Seal of Civic Engagement (SSCE), an initiative awarding students who have demonstrated excellence in civics with a seal on their diploma. In the first year of implementation of the SSCE, a total of 5,359 SSCE insignias were awarded to students.
Over the course of the 2020–2021 school year, we interviewed students and practitioners working in county offices of education, in district offices, in an alternative education program, and at school sites, who were assisting their local education agency (LEA) in rolling out the SSCE. These participants were selected from across various regions of the state, including Northern, Central, and Southern California, as well as urban, suburban, and rural areas, in order to allow us to understand how the SSCE is being implemented in different geographical and community contexts.