| 1 | 1 | | 1.1 A bill for an act |
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| 2 | 2 | | 1.2 relating to education; providing for a civic seal designation for high school students; |
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| 3 | 3 | | 1.3 proposing coding for new law in Minnesota Statutes, chapter 120B. |
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| 4 | 4 | | 1.4BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: |
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| 5 | 5 | | 1.5 Section 1. [120B.112] MINNESOTA CIVIC SEAL DESIGNATION. |
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| 6 | 6 | | 1.6 Subdivision 1.Establishment.(a) A Minnesota Civic Seal designation is established |
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| 7 | 7 | | 1.7for high school students who have demonstrated excellence in civics education and |
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| 8 | 8 | | 1.8engagement. The purpose of this designation is to encourage civic learning, promote active |
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| 9 | 9 | | 1.9participation in democratic institutions, and recognize students who have achieved a high |
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| 10 | 10 | | 1.10level of civic knowledge, skills, and community involvement. |
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| 11 | 11 | | 1.11 (b) A student must meet the following minimum criteria to be awarded the Minnesota |
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| 12 | 12 | | 1.12Civic Seal: |
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| 13 | 13 | | 1.13 (1) successfully complete coursework in civics, government, or a related subject that |
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| 14 | 14 | | 1.14meets or exceeds the state's academic standards for civic education; |
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| 15 | 15 | | 1.15 (2) participate in a civics-related project-based assessment that demonstrates an |
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| 16 | 16 | | 1.16understanding of civic engagement, public policy, or government operations, and complete |
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| 17 | 17 | | 1.17a self-reflection evaluating the learning experience, impact, and personal growth gained |
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| 18 | 18 | | 1.18from the project; |
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| 19 | 19 | | 1.19 (3) engage in at least one civic activity outside the classroom, such as voting in a student |
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| 20 | 20 | | 1.20election, attending a public meeting, participating in a community service project, |
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| 21 | 21 | | 1.21participating in Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps, or engaging in a policy advocacy |
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| 22 | 22 | | 1.22initiative; |
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| 23 | 23 | | 1Section 1. |
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| 35 | 32 | | 2.2and a commitment to democratic principles; and |
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| 36 | 33 | | 2.3 (5) meet any additional criteria established by the department, ensuring that all students, |
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| 37 | 34 | | 2.4regardless of background, have equitable access to earning the civic seal. |
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| 38 | 35 | | 2.5 (c) The department-developed criteria under paragraph (b), clause (5), must be broad |
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| 39 | 36 | | 2.6enough to allow any student in any region or community of the state to earn the seal without |
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| 40 | 37 | | 2.7having to spend personal resources to access the criteria or activity. No specific out-of-school |
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| 41 | 38 | | 2.8or partisan civic program or provider shall be named or required as criteria. A school district |
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| 42 | 39 | | 2.9or individual school must not be obligated to participate in the civic seal program. |
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| 43 | | - | 2.10 Subd. 2.Criteria development.(a) The commissioner must work with the Minnesota |
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| 44 | | - | 2.11Civic Education Coalition to convene a working group to establish specific criteria and |
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| 45 | | - | 2.12guidelines for awarding the Minnesota Civic Seal. The working group membership must |
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| 46 | | - | 2.13include civic educators, professional development providers, at least one high school student, |
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| 47 | | - | 2.14and other civic engagement experts. |
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| 48 | | - | 2.15 (b) The commissioner must review and approve the criteria and guidelines by July 31, |
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| 49 | | - | 2.162026. The criteria and guidelines must be broad enough to allow a student from any region |
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| 50 | | - | 2.17or background to earn the civic seal without requiring any personal financial expenditure |
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| 51 | | - | 2.18or participation in a specific out-of-school program. |
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| 52 | | - | 2.19 Subd. 3.School district or charter school participation.(a) Participation in the |
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| 53 | | - | 2.20Minnesota Civic Seal program is voluntary for school districts and charter schools. A school |
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| 54 | | - | 2.21district or charter school that opts into the program must: |
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| 55 | | - | 2.22 (1) provide information to all secondary students regarding the opportunity to earn the |
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| 56 | | - | 2.23civic seal and the criteria for being awarded the recognition; |
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| 57 | | - | 2.24 (2) maintain appropriate records to identify students who have earned the civic seal; and |
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| 58 | | - | 2.25 (3) affix the appropriate insignia to the diploma of each student who earns the civic seal |
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| 59 | | - | 2.26and record the designation on their official transcript. |
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| 60 | | - | 2.27 (b) A district or charter school must not charge a fee to a student or the student's family |
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| 61 | | - | 2.28for participation in earning the civic seal. |
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| 62 | | - | 2.29 (c) A school district or charter school must submit an application for approval to the |
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| 63 | | - | 2.30commissioner to participate. The application must include a narrative that describes the |
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| 64 | | - | 2.31district or charter school's program implementation plan. |
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| 40 | + | 2.10 Subd. 2.Criteria development.(a) The commissioner must convene a working group |
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| 41 | + | 2.11to establish specific criteria and guidelines for awarding the Minnesota Civic Seal. The |
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| 42 | + | 2.12working group membership must include civic educators, professional development |
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| 43 | + | 2.13providers, at least one high school student, and other civic engagement experts. |
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| 44 | + | 2.14 (b) The criteria and guidelines must be broad enough to allow a student from any region |
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| 45 | + | 2.15or background to earn the civic seal without requiring any personal financial expenditure |
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| 46 | + | 2.16or participation in a specific out-of-school program. |
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| 47 | + | 2.17 Subd. 3.School district or charter school participation.(a) Participation in the |
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| 48 | + | 2.18Minnesota Civic Seal program is voluntary for school districts and charter schools. A school |
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| 49 | + | 2.19district or charter school that opts into the program must: |
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| 50 | + | 2.20 (1) provide information to all secondary students regarding the opportunity to earn the |
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| 51 | + | 2.21civic seal and the criteria for being awarded the recognition; |
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| 52 | + | 2.22 (2) maintain appropriate records to identify students who have earned the civic seal; and |
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| 53 | + | 2.23 (3) affix the appropriate insignia to the diploma of each student who earns the civic seal |
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| 54 | + | 2.24and record the designation on their official transcript. |
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| 55 | + | 2.25 (b) A district or charter school must not charge a fee to a student or the student's family |
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| 56 | + | 2.26for participation in earning the civic seal. |
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| 57 | + | 2.27 (c) A school district or charter school must submit an application for approval to the |
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| 58 | + | 2.28commissioner to participate. The application must include a narrative that describes the |
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| 59 | + | 2.29district or charter school's program implementation plan. |
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| 60 | + | 2.30 Subd. 4.Insignia and recognition.(a) The Department of Education must develop and |
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| 61 | + | 2.31distribute an official insignia to be affixed to the diplomas of students who earn the Minnesota |
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| 62 | + | 2.32Civic Seal. |
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| 66 | | - | S2565-1 1st EngrossmentSF2565 REVISOR CR 3.1 Subd. 4.Insignia and recognition.(a) The Department of Education must develop and |
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| 67 | | - | 3.2distribute an official insignia to be affixed to the diplomas of students who earn the Minnesota |
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| 68 | | - | 3.3Civic Seal. |
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| 69 | | - | 3.4 (b) The department may also provide additional materials to schools to recognize and |
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| 70 | | - | 3.5celebrate students who achieve the civic seal designation. |
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| 71 | | - | 3.6 EFFECTIVE DATE.This section is effective for the 2026-2027 academic school year |
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| 72 | | - | 3.7and applies to students graduating in 2027 and later. |
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| 64 | + | 25-04408 as introduced02/28/25 REVISOR CR/LJ 3.1 (b) The department may also provide additional materials to schools to recognize and |
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| 65 | + | 3.2celebrate students who achieve the civic seal designation. |
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| 66 | + | 3.3 EFFECTIVE DATE.This section is effective for the 2026-2027 academic school year |
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| 67 | + | 3.4and applies to students graduating in 2027 and later. |
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