Establishes State Seal of Civic Engagement Pilot Program.

S4371

SENATE, No. 4371

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

222nd LEGISLATURE

�

INTRODUCED JUNE 1, 2026

Sponsored by:

Senator� RAJ MUKHERJI

District 32 (Hudson)

SYNOPSIS

���� Establishes State Seal of Civic Engagement Pilot
Program.

CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT

���� As introduced.

��

An Act

establishing the State Seal of Civic
Engagement
Pilot Program 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. There is established in
the Department of Education the two-year State Seal of Civic
Engagement
Pilot Program. The
pilot program shall establish the State Seal of Civic Engagement 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
Engagement
shall be awarded
by the local board of education to graduating high school seniors participating
in the program who meet the criteria established by the State Board of
Education pursuant to subsection b. of this section.

���� 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
Engagement
under the pilot program
. The criteria shall require a student to
demonstrate:

���� (1) completion of a United
States Government, Civics, or Advanced Placement Government course with a grade
of a B- or higher;

���� (2) a passing score on a
State-approved Civic Literacy Assessment modeled on the Advanced Placement
Government exam; and

���� (3) at least 10 hours of
verified community service or civic engagement activities that contribute to
the public good and promote participation in community or democratic practices.
Eligible activities may include volunteer service with nonprofit organizations,
service-learning projects, participation in community-based initiatives, or
other activities approved by school districts consistent with Department of
Education guidelines.

���� c. A school district that
wishes to participate in the pilot program shall apply in a manner to be
determined by the Commissioner of Education. The commissioner shall select five
school districts to participate in the pilot program, including at least one
district in each of the northern, central, and southern regions of the State,
and shall seek a cross section of school districts from urban, suburban, and
rural areas of the State. The pilot program shall award grants to participating
school districts in an amount to be determined by the commissioner to cover the
costs of the pilot program.� Grants awarded pursuant to the pilot program shall
be supported by funds appropriated by the Legislature for the purposes of the
program, and the commissioner shall seek out additional funding from
appropriate federal or private civic education organizations.�

���� d. A school district participating
in the pilot program shall assign a school administrator, educator, or school
guidance counselor to verify that a student has successfully fulfilled the
criteria required pursuant to subsection b. of this section.

���� e. The department shall issue
guidance to school districts participating in the pilot program, including
identifying an exam to fulfill the requirement pursuant to paragraph (2) of
subsection b. of this section. The department shall also maintain a record of
school districts participating in the pilot program. The department may work
with civic education organizations and institutions of higher education to aid
in the establishment of the pilot program.

���� f. The commissioner 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 Engagement. A participating school district shall maintain
appropriate records in order to identify students who have earned the State
Seal of Civic Engagement and shall award the certificate and affix the
appropriate insignia to a qualifying student�s transcript.

���� g. At the conclusion of the
pilot program, 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), that
includes the number of students awarded the State Seal of Civic Engagement and
the commissioner�s recommendation on expansion of the program to all school
districts in the State.

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

STATEMENT

���� This bill establishes in the
Department of Education the two-year State Seal of Civic
Engagement
Pilot Program.
Under the pilot program, the State Seal of Civic Engagement would be
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
Engagement

would be awarded by the local board of education to graduating high school
seniors participating in the program who meet the criteria established by the
State Board of Education under the bill.

���� The bill requires the State
Board of Education to develop regulations establishing criteria for the award
of a State Seal of Civic
Engagement
under the pilot program
. The criteria would require a student to
demonstrate:

���� (1) completion of a United
States Government, Civics, or Advanced Placement Government course with a grade
of a B- or higher;

���� (2) a passing score on a
State-approved Civic Literacy Assessment modeled on the Advanced Placement
Government exam; and

���� (3) at least 10 hours of
verified community service or civic engagement activities that contribute to
the public good and promote participation in community or democratic practices.

���� The bill requires a school
district that wishes to participate in the pilot program to apply in a manner
to be determined the Commissioner of Education. The commissioner would select
five districts to participate in the pilot program, including at least one
district in each of the northern, central, and southern regions of the State,
and would seek a cross section of school districts from urban, suburban, and
rural areas of the State. The bill provides that a school district
participating in the pilot program would assign a school administrator,
educator, or school guidance counselor to verify that a student has
successfully fulfilled the criteria required under the bill.

���� The bill requires the department
to issue guidance to school districts participating in the pilot program. The
department would also maintain a record of school districts participating in
the pilot program. The bill permits the department to work with civic education
organizations and institutions of higher education to aid in the establishment
of the pilot program.

���� The bill requires the commissioner
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
transcript of the student indicating that the student has been awarded the
State Seal of Civic Engagement. A participating school district would be
required to maintain appropriate records in order to identify students who have
earned the State Seal of Civic Engagement and award the certificate and affix
the appropriate insignia to a qualifying student�s transcript.

���� At the conclusion of the pilot
program, the bill requires the commissioner to submit a report to the Governor
and the Legislature that includes the number of students awarded the State Seal
of Civic Engagement, and the commissioner�s recommendation on expansion of the
program to all school districts in the State.