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Committee reviews civics education bill, hears fiscal estimate and questions about a new 'Civic Seal'
Summary
The House Finance Committee reviewed Senate Bill 23, which would require civics instruction options and create a department-administered 'Civic Seal' for students who attain high proficiency. The fiscal note estimates $58,000 in year one and $5,000 annually thereafter for the seal and regulatory work. Committee set an amendment deadline of May 15 at 5 p.m.
The House Finance Committee took up Senate Bill 23 on May 12, a measure that would set civics requirements and create a department-recognized "Civic Seal" to mark high proficiency in civics on a student's transcript and diploma.
Kelly Manning, deputy director for the Division of Innovation and Education Excellence, presented the fiscal note for SB23 and said the estimated first-year cost is $58,000, with $5,000 in recurring annual costs. Manning told the committee that the first-year estimate covers work to update regulations, convene a working group of educators to develop a rubric for evaluating materials and to define the civic seal, and the design, printing and shipping of a civic education seal. She said the working group would help determine the standards for evaluating open-source materials to be posted to the department website.
Representative Hannon asked Manning to define the Civic Seal. Manning said, "The Civic Seal is something that we've seen other states implement and it's a recognition of, what the individual students have accomplished and there's a standard that is set for what that would encompass." She said the department would adopt regulations to recognize students who "have attained a high level of proficiency in civic knowledge, civic skills, civic mindset and civic experiences by fixing the seal of civic readiness on the student's transcript and diploma."
Tim Lampkin, staff to Senator Stevens and the bill sponsor's office, described how students could meet the bill's requirements: by completing a course in comparative or U.S. government, passing a standard written test, or completing a project-based assessment. Lampkin said the bill leaves many implementation details to regulation and to districts, and that the department and a working group would determine the specific performance measures for awarding the seal. He also said the sponsor might accept an amendment to clarify whether award of the civic seal is automatic for students who meet standards or requires an application/recognition process.
Representative Ballard asked whether military-connected students who move frequently would be automatically waived from testing or need a specific accommodation. Lampkin and staff replied that exemptions and transfers are typically addressed in regulation and local district processes, and that the bill's exemption language contemplates students who transfer in having already met comparable requirements.
The committee received no public testimony on SB23. Co-chair Foster set an amendment deadline for SB23 of Friday, May 15 at 5 p.m. The committee did not vote on the bill at this meeting; it reconvened that afternoon to hear additional items.
