Committee approves bill to create Connecticut State Seal of Civics Education and Engagement after debate over criteria and nonpartisanship

The Education Committee voted to report House Bill 7009, which would establish the Connecticut State Seal of Civics Education and Engagement, to the floor after extended discussion about how criteria would be set, whether participation would be mandatory, and how to ensure the program remains nonpartisan.

Proponents said the State Department of Education would set state-level criteria and local districts would opt in and verify student achievement, similar to the state’s existing Seal of Biliteracy. Opposition or concern centered on who determines benchmarks, how to ensure balanced input into criteria, and whether the project would create unintended mandates for districts.

Representative Brown, sponsor and chair of the civics education task force, explained the intent: the State Department of Education “would set the criteria for school districts to adopt, and then the school district itself... would use that as the measuring tool to determine whether or not the student achieved the civic seal,” modeled after the Seal of Biliteracy.

Representative Cepjes said she was unsure of the need for another seal and asked who would review benchmarks and decide whether a student earned the seal. “Who would, look at these benchmarks and these successes or, hard work that's been put into this and made the decision as to if someone gets the seal or not?” Cepjes asked.

Representative Howard said civics engagement is important and argued for including requirements that students interact with elected officials as part of the seal criteria: “A requirement for a civics field to engage with a an elected official who actually has to do that work and work, with other people, is important.” The sponsor said that interaction with legislators was part of the intended criteria mix and that the task force favored a portfolio-based approach with multiple pathways rather than a single test.

Several members stressed the program should be voluntary for districts. Senator Summers asked directly whether adoption would be mandatory; the sponsor responded that the seal would be an opt-in program and not a mandate.

Representative Pulis, who described experience implementing the Seal of Biliteracy in her district, said the biliteracy program increased student participation and engagement and helped students with college applications. She urged adopting a similarly flexible, multi-assessment model for civics.

The bill was moved to the floor by motion and carried by roll call. Several members flagged the bill for additional work and indicated they would vote no in committee today to signal changes they would like to see before floor action; the sponsor and other supporters urged continued refinement of the criteria with stakeholder input.

If adopted, the State Department of Education would create standards for districts to apply and districts would choose whether to implement the seal and how to verify student accomplishments.