EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MAT TER ADDED TO EXISTIN G LAW.
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
*sb0762*
SENATE BILL 762
F1 4lr1037
SB 271/23 – EEE
By: Senators Kagan and Ready
Introduced and read first time: February 1, 2024
Assigned to: Education, Energy, and the Environment
A BILL ENTITLED
AN ACT concerning 1
Education – Maryland Civic Excellence Program – Established 2
FOR the purpose of establishing the Maryland Civic Excellence Program as a voluntary 3
program in which local school systems may participate to recognize students and 4
public schools that promote the civic readiness and civic engagement of students in 5
public schools in the State; and generally relating to the establishment of the 6
Maryland Civic Excellence Program. 7
BY adding to 8
Article – Education 9
Section 4–142 10
Annotated Code of Maryland 11
(2022 Replacement Volume and 2023 Supplement) 12
SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 13
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 14
Article – Education 15
4–142. 16
(A) IN THIS SECTION , “PROGRAM” MEANS THE MARYLAND CIVIC 17
EXCELLENCE PROGRAM ESTABLISHED U NDER THIS SECTION . 18
(B) (1) THERE IS A MARYLAND CIVIC EXCELLENCE PROGRAM. 19
(2) THE PURPOSE OF THE PROGRAM IS TO RECOGNI ZE STUDENTS 20
AND PUBLIC SCHOOLS T HAT PROMOTE THE CI VIC READINESS AND CI VIC 21
ENGAGEMENT OF STUDEN TS IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS IN THE STATE. 22
2 SENATE BILL 762
(C) THE PROVISIONS OF THI S SECTION APPLY ONLY TO A LOCAL SCHOOL 1
SYSTEM THAT CHOOSES TO PARTICIPATE IN AN D ADMINISTER THE PROGRAM. 2
(D) BEGINNING WITH THE 2025–2026 SCHOOL YEA R, EACH PARTICIPATING 3
LOCAL SCHOOL SYSTEM SHALL: 4
(1) AWARD A STUDENT A SEAL OF CIVIC EXCELLENCE IF THE 5
STUDENT APPLIES AND MEETS THE CRITERIA E STABLISHED BY THE LO CAL SCHOOL 6
SYSTEM UNDER SUBSECT ION (E) OF THIS SECTION; AND 7
(2) DESIGNATE A PUBLIC SC HOOL AS A CENTER OF CIVIC 8
EXCELLENCE IF THE SCHOOL APPLIE S AND MEETS THE CRIT ERIA ADOPTED BY THE 9
LOCAL SCHOOL SYSTEM UNDER SUBSECTION (G) OF THIS SECTION. 10
(E) AT MINIMUM, A PARTICIPATING LOCA L SCHOOL SYSTEM ’S CRITERIA 11
FOR A SEAL OF CIVIC EXCELLENCE SHALL REQUIRE A STUDENT TO : 12
(1) (I) TAKE THE MARYLAND COMPREHENSIVE ASSESSMENT FOR 13
GOVERNMENT ; AND 14
(II) MEET THE ASSESSMENT R EQUIREMENTS FOR 15
GRADUATION ; 16
(2) EARN A GRADE OF A OR B IN EACH OF THE FOLLO WING HIGH 17
SCHOOL SOCIAL STUDIES COURSES: 18
(I) UNITED STATES HISTORY; 19
(II) MODERN WORLD HISTORY; AND 20
(III) AMERICAN GOVERNMENT ; AND 21
(3) COMPLETE AND DEMONSTRATE EVIDENCE OF AT LEAST 75 HOURS 22
OF STUDENT SERVICE , OF WHICH AT LEAST 30 HOURS SHALL BE DEDICATED TO A 23
SERVICE LEARNING PRO JECT WITH A FOCUS ON COMMUNITY AND CIVIC 24
ENGAGEMENT . 25
(F) A PARTICIPATING LOCAL SCHOOL SYSTEM SHALL ESTABLISH 26
APPLICATION CRITERIA TO ADMINISTER THE PROGRAM. 27
(G) AT MINIMUM, A PARTICIPATING LOCA L SCHOOL SYSTEM ’S CRITERIA 28
FOR A CENTER OF CIVIC EXCELLENCE DESIGNATION SHALL RE QUIRE A PUBLIC 29
SCHOOL TO HAVE AT LE AST 50% OF THE STUDENTS IN I TS GRADUATING CLASS WHO 30
HAVE EARNED A SEAL OF CIVIC EXCELLENCE. 31 SENATE BILL 762 3
(H) (1) A LOCAL SCHOOL SYSTEM THAT DETERMINES A ST UDENT HAS 1
FULFILLED THE CRITER IA UNDER THE PROGRAM SHALL : 2
(I) AWARD THE STUDENT A SEAL OF CIVIC EXCELLENCE; 3
(II) RECORD THE AWARD ON T HE STUDENT ’S OFFICIAL HIGH 4
SCHOOL TRANSCRIPT ; AND 5
(III) RECOGNIZE THE AWARD B Y ATTACHING A CORD , MEDAL, OR 6
OTHER INSIGNIA ON TH E STUDENT’S HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOM A. 7
(2) A LOCAL SCHOOL SYSTEM THAT DETERMINES THAT A PUBLIC 8
SCHOOL HAS FULFILLED THE CRITERIA UNDER T HE PROGRAM SHALL : 9
(I) DESIGNATE THE SCHOOL AS A CENTER OF CIVIC 10
EXCELLENCE; AND 11
(II) RECOGNIZE THE DESIGNA TION BY PROVIDING AN Y OF THE 12
FOLLOWING: 13
1. A BANNER; 14
2. A GOVERNOR’S CITATION; OR 15
3. A CITATION FROM THE DEPARTMENT . 16
(I) ON OR BEFORE JULY 1, 2026, AND EACH JULY 1 THEREAFTER , EACH 17
PARTICIPATING LOCAL SCHOOL SYSTEM SHALL SUBMIT TO THE DEPARTMENT A 18
REPORT ON THE PROGRAM BASED ON THE MOST RECENTLY COMPLETED S CHOOL 19
YEAR. 20
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect July 21
1, 2024. 22