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  • Why civic engagement must be integrated into the school dashboard

    Why civic engagement must be integrated into the school dashboard


    State Superintendent of Instruction Tony Thurmond and Chief Justice Patricia Guerrero honored Kennedy High in Anaheim for its outstanding civic learning programs.

    Credit: Courtesy Anaheim Union HSD

    The State Seal of Civic Engagement, approved by the State Board of Education in 2020, marked a vital progression in developing students who are not only academically strong but also civically active and socially aware.

    However, the absence of this seal in the College and Career Indicators (CCI) of the California School Dashboard represents a missed opportunity — until now. Recently, the State Board of Education has requested that the California Department of Education incorporate the seal into the CCI. By incorporating it, we can incentivize schools to cultivate civic responsibility, enhance the relevance of education and elevate student voices. This initiative offers a powerful chance to foster active citizenship, connect learning to real-world challenges, and inspire students to engage meaningfully with their communities.

    The Seal of Civic Engagement, which is affixed to a student’s diploma or certificate of completion, should be added alongside other key indicators like the State Seal of Biliteracy, ensuring it receives the attention it deserves. With local criteria including a minimum GPA of 2.0 in all social science courses and the completion of a civic engagement project, schools would now be held accountable to a higher standard of civic instruction. The inclusion of the civic engagement seal on the California School Dashboard is not only a recognition of student accomplishments but also a catalyst for broader shifts in educational practices that prioritize civic education.

    Incorporating the California Seal of Civic Engagement into the school dashboard will encourage schools to shift away from traditional instructional models and move toward more student-centered approaches. One of the primary benefits is the emphasis on elevating student voice and agency. Rather than positioning students as passive recipients of knowledge, the seal incentivizes schools to create opportunities for students to take on leadership roles, participate in community-based projects and engage in civic dialogue, and ultimately give students a reason to vote and participate in our democracy.

    Student-driven learning experiences will become a central focus, allowing students to take ownership of their education and the role they play in society. This shift fosters not only a deeper understanding of democratic principles but also a sense of responsibility and empowerment. As students take on active roles in addressing real-world challenges, they develop leadership, critical thinking and problem-solving skills, all while becoming more engaged in their communities.

    The connection between civic engagement and student well-being is becoming increasingly evident through research at UCLA and USC. By embedding service learning into the curriculum, schools can create more holistic learning experiences that connect academic content with community service. Civic engagement projects offer students a sense of purpose and belonging, which can significantly contribute to their mental health.

    When students work on projects that address real-world problems, they not only learn about the issues but also engage emotionally and intellectually with the material. Service learning provides an avenue for students to apply what they’ve learned in the classroom to make a tangible impact in their communities, which can enhance their sense of agency and improve their emotional well-being. Schools will be encouraged to develop instructional models that prioritize these types of experiences, ultimately supporting the mental and emotional health of students in ways that extend beyond traditional academic instruction.

    One of the most exciting opportunities provided by the California Seal of Civic Engagement is the potential to integrate civic engagement with career exploration. Schools can align civic projects with career pathway programs, providing students with hands-on learning experiences that are directly related to potential college majors and career interests.

    For example, students interested in public service, environmental sustainability or health care could engage in civic projects that allow them to explore these fields while still in high school. By linking civic engagement with career pathways, schools not only make learning more relevant but also provide students with early exposure to future career opportunities. This shift in instructional focus ensures that students are better prepared for both post-secondary education and the workforce.

    A key feature of the Seal of Civic Engagement is its potential to drive instructional shifts that address pressing societal issues. With its inclusion in the dashboard, schools will be incentivized to create project-based learning opportunities that tackle local and global challenges such as climate change, affordable housing, health care access and mental health.

    By engaging in civic projects that address these critical issues, students develop the skills necessary to analyze problems, research potential solutions and implement action plans. These hands-on experiences prepare students to think critically and creatively, making their learning more meaningful and applicable to real-world contexts. The seal encourages schools to foster a learning environment where students can connect their education to the challenges facing their communities and the world.

    The Seal of Civic Engagement also promotes active citizenship by encouraging schools to design lessons that emphasize democratic participation, voter registration and civic responsibility. By embedding these democratic practices into the curriculum, schools can ensure that students are not only knowledgeable about the issues but also understand the importance of participating in democratic processes.

    This instructional shift prepares students to be informed and engaged citizens beyond graduation, helping to create a more active and participatory democracy. Students who understand the value of their voice and their vote are more likely to carry those values into adulthood, becoming lifelong advocates for their communities and society at large.

    By nudging schools to prioritize civic education, we can prepare a generation of students who are not only academically accomplished but also socially conscious and ready to engage with the challenges of the modern world. From promoting student well-being to encouraging career exploration and addressing critical societal issues, including the Seal of Civic Engagement in the state’s accountability system is a vital step toward creating a more equitable and empowered future.

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    Michael Matsuda is superintendent of Anaheim Union High School District in Southern California.

    The opinions in this commentary are those of the author. We welcome guest commentaries with diverse points of view. If you would like to submit a commentary, please review our guidelines and contact us.





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  • California foundations launch initiative to boost youth civic engagement 

    California foundations launch initiative to boost youth civic engagement 


    As Californians gear up for elections that have the potential to shape the lives of young people in fundamental ways, a consortium of mostly California foundations have set up a fund to elevate the role of public schools in promoting civic leadership and democratic participation. 

    It is a key part of what the nearly dozen foundations who are participating in the project are calling the California Thriving Youth Initiative, a multiyear effort “to support the learning, leadership, and well-being of adolescents in California.”

    The goal is to “create the conditions for young people, especially students of color, to practice civic engagement and democracy inside and outside public school,” said Kathryn Bradley, director of the Purpose of Education Fund at the Stuart Foundation.

    The foundation initiated the effort with a seed investment of $30 million, which will be administered by the Los Angeles-based California Community Foundation,

    “Nothing is more important than young people participating in and improving our democracy,” said Jesse Hahnel of the Crankstart Foundation, one of the other foundations participating in the initiative.  

    Even though young people will be affected by government policies for longer than any other age group — and thus arguably have more of a stake in election outcomes than any other age group — they have historically lagged behind in their voting patterns. 

    In the 2020 elections, for example, 47% of 18- to 24-year-olds voted in California, compared with 67% of voters 65 and older.

    The good news is that, in recent years, more and more of them are casting ballots. Just a decade before, a mere 18% of eligible 18– to 24-year-olds voted in the national elections. 

    The Stuart Foundation’s Bradley says there is a need to think about civic education more broadly than just traditional civics or American government classes. 

    Students, she said, need opportunities for civic engagement that “allow them to practice democracy right now.”

    To that end, a range of promising approaches have emerged in recent years, which the initiative hopes to build on. Since 2020, for example,  California students have been able to earn a “State Seal of Civic Engagement” that is affixed to their high school diploma. It is now one of a half-dozen states offering a similar certification.  

    To be awarded the seal, students must demonstrate “excellence in civic education,” which includes completing a civic engagement project of some kind, in addition to completing courses in history, government and civics. 

    Encouragingly, the number of seals has more than doubled to nearly 13,000 in 2022-23. But these represent just over 2% of California’s nearly 400,000 students who graduate each year, and so far, only a small proportion of California high schools are participating in the program. 

    Debunking stereotypes that today’s generation isn’t overly interested in community engagement, a recent national survey by the nonprofit YouthTruth showed that 60% of high school students “want to help others and work across differences to improve society.”  But it also found that fewer than half said they had learned the necessary skills in school in order to do so.

    What’s more, civic participation varied by parents’ education levels and students’ racial or ethnic background. “Those with parents holding advanced degrees stand out as most civically prepared, while Latino students are significantly less civically empowered than other racial groups,” the survey found. 

    Schools have a central role to play in changing that, and Bradley points to numerous examples in California where schools are engaging students from all backgrounds in civic education projects. 

    At the most recent annual Civics Day in Long Beach Unified, students described how they had successfully worked to get trash cans placed at their local beach. Students had to contact the local Public Works Department, which involved sending emails and making phone calls. “They were able to identify the levers of change in their community, and the people of influence that they needed to reach,” Bradley said. 

    At Oakland High, a goal of the Law and Justice Pathway Students is to help “students become active participants in advocating for positive social change in their community.” In Mallory Logan’s social studies class, students have researched homelessness in their school and district and had an impact on the district’s staffing patterns to assist unhoused students. 

    As part of Project Soapbox, organized by the decades-old Mikva Challenge, students in the Anaheim Union High School District issue calls to action on topics such as the death penalty, gun laws and college tuition.  It is just one of numerous civic education initiatives underway in Orange County schools.

    “These initiatives show that young people do have strong civic dispositions, that they want to help others, they want to work across lines of difference,” said Bradley. “They just need more opportunities within their schools and within their core content coursework to do it.”

    In addition to promoting civic engagement, the foundation partnership is also launching a “Youth Thriving Through Learning Fund,” which will support initiatives to help adolescents in California “actively pursue their goals for careers, work and civic life.” 

    “Today’s students are building the communities we will all live in together in the future,” said Kent McGuire of the Hewlett Foundation, one of the partnering foundations. “In this critical moment, when our public institutions are under attack, we need to do everything we can to support them.” 

    Four foundations involved with this initiative  — the Stuart Foundation, the Hewlett Foundation, the College Futures Foundation, and the McClatchy Foundation — are among over 20  foundations providing support to EdSource. EdSource maintains full control of its editorial content. 





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