EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MAT TER ADDED TO EXISTIN G LAW.
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
Underlining indicates amendments to bill.
Strike out indicates matter stricken from the bill by amendment or deleted from the law by
amendment.
*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
Committee Report: Favorable with amendments
Senate action: Adopted
Read second time: February 22, 2024
CHAPTER ______
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 GENERA L 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 SENATE BILL 762
(2) THE PURPOSE OF THE PROGRAM IS TO RECOGNI ZE STUDENTS 1
AND PUBLIC SCHOOLS T HAT PROMOTE THE CIVI C READINESS AND CIVI C 2
ENGAGEMENT OF STUDEN TS IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS IN THE STATE. 3
(C) THE PROVISIONS OF THI S SECTION APPLY ONLY TO A LOCAL SCHOOL 4
SYSTEM THAT CHOOSES TO PA RTICIPATE IN AND ADM INISTER THE PROGRAM. 5
(D) BEGINNING WITH THE 2025–2026 SCHOOL YEAR , EACH PARTICIPATING 6
LOCAL SCHOOL SYSTEM SHALL: 7
(1) AWARD A STUDENT A SEAL OF CIVIC EXCELLENCE IF THE 8
STUDENT APPLIES AND MEETS THE CRITERIA E STABLISHED BY THE LOCAL SCHOOL 9
SYSTEM UNDER SUBSECT ION (E) OF THIS SECTION; AND 10
(2) DESIGNATE A PUBLIC SC HOOL AS A CENTER OF CIVIC 11
EXCELLENCE IF THE SCH OOL APPLIES AND MEET S THE CRITERIA ADOPT ED BY THE 12
LOCAL SCHOOL SYSTEM UNDER SUBSECTION (G) OF THIS SECTION. 13
(E) AT MINIMUM, A PARTICIPATING LOCA L SCHOOL SYSTEM ’S CRITERIA 14
FOR A SEAL OF CIVIC EXCELLENCE SHALL REQUIRE A STUD ENT TO: 15
(1) (I) TAKE THE MARYLAND COMPREHENSIVE ASSESSMENT FOR 16
GOVERNMENT ; AND 17
(II) MEET THE ASSESSMENT R EQUIREMENTS FOR 18
GRADUATIO N; 19
(2) EARN A GRADE OF A OR B IN EACH OF THE FOLLO WING HIGH 20
SCHOOL SOCIAL STUDIE S COURSES: 21
(I) UNITED STATES HISTORY; 22
(II) MODERN WORLD HISTORY; AND 23
(III) AMERICAN GOVERNMENT ; AND 24
(3) COMPLETE AND DEMONSTR ATE EVIDENCE OF AT L EAST 75 HOURS 25
OF STUDENT SERVICE , OF WHICH AT LEAST 30 HOURS SHALL BE DEDIC ATED TO A 26
SERVICE LEARNING PRO JECT WITH A FOCUS ON COMMUNITY AND CIVIC 27
ENGAGEMENT . 28
(F) A PARTICIPATING LOCAL SCHOOL SYSTEM SHALL ESTABLISH 29
APPLICATION CRITERIA TO ADMINISTER THE PROGRAM. 30 SENATE BILL 762 3
(G) AT MINIMUM, A PARTICIPATING LOCA L SCHOOL SYSTEM ’S CRITERIA 1
FOR A CENTER OF CIVIC EXCELLENCE DESIGNATION SHALL RE QUIRE A PUBLIC 2
SCHOOL TO HAVE AT LE AST 50% OF THE STUDENTS IN I TS GRADUATING CLASS WHO 3
HAVE EARNED A SEAL OF CIVIC EXCELLENCE. 4
(H) (1) A LOCAL SCHOOL SYSTEM THAT DETERMINES A ST UDENT HAS 5
FULFILLED THE CRITER IA UNDER THE PROGRAM SHALL : 6
(I) AWARD THE STUDENT A SEAL OF CIVIC EXCELLENCE; 7
(II) RECORD THE AWARD ON T HE STUDENT ’S OFFICIAL HIGH 8
SCHOOL TRANSCRIPT ; AND 9
(III) RECOGNIZE THE AWARD B Y ATTACHING AWARDING A CORD, 10
MEDAL, OR CORD OR MEDAL OR BY ATTACHING OTHER INSIGNIA ON TH E STUDENT’S 11
HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMA . 12
(2) A LOCAL SCHOOL SYSTEM THAT DETERMINES THAT A PUBLIC 13
SCHOOL HAS FULFILL ED THE CRITERIA UNDE R THE PROGRAM SHALL : 14
(I) DESIGNATE THE SCHOOL AS A CENTER OF CIVIC 15
EXCELLENCE; AND 16
(II) RECOGNIZE THE DESIGNA TION BY PROVIDING AN Y OF THE 17
FOLLOWING: 18
1. A BANNER; 19
2. A GOVERNOR’S CITATION; OR 20
3. A CITATION FROM THE DEPARTMENT . 21
(I) ON OR BEFORE JULY 1, 2026, AND EACH JULY 1 THEREAFTER , EACH 22
PARTICIPATING LOCAL SCHOOL SYSTEM SHALL SUBMIT TO THE DEPARTMENT A 23
REPORT ON THE PROGRAM BASED ON THE MOST RECENTLY COMPLE TED SCHOOL 24
YEAR. 25
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED , That this Act shall take effect July 26
1, 2024. 27