Establishes State Seal of Civic Readiness to recognize certain students attaining high level of proficiency in civics.

A4901

ASSEMBLY, No. 4901

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

222nd LEGISLATURE

�

INTRODUCED MAY 7, 2026

Sponsored by:

Assemblywoman� MAUREEN ROWAN

District 2 (Atlantic)

Assemblyman� ANTHONY ANGELOZZI

District 8 (Atlantic and Burlington)

Assemblyman� KENYATTA STEWART

District 35 (Bergen and Passaic)

Co-Sponsored by:

Assemblyman Kearney, Assemblywomen Reynolds-Jackson, Dunn
and Assemblyman Schaer

SYNOPSIS

���� Establishes State Seal of Civic Readiness to
recognize certain students attaining high level of proficiency in civics.

CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT

���� As introduced.

��

An Act

establishing the State Seal of Civic Readiness
and supplementing Title 18A of the New Jersey Statutes.

����
Be It
Enacted
by the Senate and General Assembly of
the State of New Jersey:

���� 1.� a. The State Seal of Civic
Readiness is established to recognize high school graduates who have attained a
high level of proficiency in civic knowledge, skills, and applied engagement.
The State Seal of Civic Readiness shall be awarded by the local board of
education to graduating high school seniors who meet the criteria established
by the State Board of Education pursuant to subsection b. of this section.
School district participation in this program shall be voluntary.

���� b. The State Board of
Education shall promulgate rules pursuant to the "Administrative Procedure
Act," P.L.1968, c.410 (C.52:14B-1 et seq.), establishing criteria for the
award of a State Seal of Civic Readiness. The criteria shall build directly
upon the State�s existing high school graduation requirements in social studies
or any other subject area and shall not establish additional high school
graduation requirements. ���� The criteria shall provide multiple flexible
pathways and be designed to ensure equitable access for students in every
school district by utilizing existing school, district, and community
resources.� The criteria shall require a student to demonstrate:

���� (1) proficiency in civic
knowledge, including the United States Constitution, the New Jersey
Constitution, the federal and State legislative process, and constitutional
rights and civil liberties, through successful performance in relevant social
studies coursework consistent with existing graduation requirements or through
other State-required assessments;

���� (2) voluntary engagement in approved
community service or an extracurricular activity with a civic focus, including:

���� (a) volunteering for a
charitable or religious organization that provides services to the poor or sick;

���� (b) participating in Scouting
America, Girl Scouts, Model Congress, the American Mock Trail Association, or
similar youth organizations;

���� (c) participating in Junior
Reserve Officer Training Corps or the Civil Air Patrol;

���� (d) participating in political
campaigns, government internships, or civic or legislative programming;

���� (e) participating in
school-sponsored extracurricular activities with a focus in civics; or

���� (f) enlisting in the United
States Armed Forces prior to graduation; and

���� (3) completion of a capstone
project or portfolio relating to citizenship in the community.

���� c.��� The Commissioner of
Education shall prepare and deliver to participating school districts a
certificate to be awarded to the student and an appropriate insignia to be
affixed to the transcript of the student indicating that the student has been
awarded the State Seal of Civic Readiness. The commissioner shall also provide
any information the commissioner deems necessary for a school district to
successfully participate in the program. A participating school district shall
maintain appropriate records in order to identify students who have earned the
State Seal of Civic Readiness and shall award the certificate and affix the
appropriate insignia to a qualifying student�s transcript.

���� d. The commissioner shall
submit a report to the Governor, and the Legislature pursuant to section 2 of
P.L.1991, c.164 (C.52:14-19.1), by September 1 of each school year that
includes the number of students awarded the State Seal of Civic Readiness in
the previous school year.

���� 2. This act shall take effect
immediately and shall first apply to the second full �school year following the
date of enactment.

STATEMENT

���� This bill establishes the
State Seal of Civic Readiness to recognize high school graduates who have
attained a high level of proficiency in civic knowledge, skills, and applied
engagement. Under the bill, the State Seal of Civic Readiness would be awarded
by the local board of education to graduating high school seniors who meet
criteria established by the State Board of Education. The bill provides that
school district participation in this program is voluntary.

���� The bill requires the State
Board of Education to promulgate rules establishing criteria for the award of a
State Seal of Civic Readiness. The criteria would build directly upon the
State�s existing high school graduation requirements in social studies or any
other subject area and would not establish additional high school graduation
requirements. �The criteria would provide multiple flexible pathways and is
required to be designed to ensure equitable access for students in every school
district by utilizing existing school, district, and community resources. Under
the bill the criteria would require a student to demonstrate:

���� (1) proficiency in civic
knowledge, including the United States Constitution, the New Jersey
Constitution, the federal and State legislative process, and constitutional
rights and civil liberties, through successful performance in relevant social
studies coursework consistent with existing graduation requirements or through
other State-required assessments;

���� (2) voluntary engagement in an
approved community service or extracurricular activity with a civic focus; and

���� (3) completion of a capstone
project or portfolio relating to citizenship in the community.

���� The bill requires the
Commissioner of Education to prepare and deliver to participating school
districts a certificate to be awarded to the student and an appropriate
insignia to be affixed to the student�s transcript indicating the awarding of
the State Seal of Civic Readiness. The commissioner would also provide any
information the commissioner deems necessary for a school district to
successfully participate in the program. The bill requires a participating
school district to maintain appropriate records in order to identify students
who have earned the State Seal of Civic Readiness and to award the certificate
and affix the appropriate insignia to a qualifying student�s transcript.�

���� Finally, the bill requires the
commissioner to submit a report to the Governor and the Legislature by
September 1 of each school year that includes the number of students awarded
the State Seal of Civic Readiness in the previous school year.