Public Schools - Maryland Civic Excellence Program - Established, the official text

WES MOORE, Governor                  Ch. 677

Chapter 677

                   (Senate Bill 204)

AN ACT concerning

        Public Schools – Maryland Civic Excellence Program – Established

FOR the purpose of establishing the Maryland Civic Excellence Program in the State
         Department of Education for certain public high school students; requiring the State
         Board of Education to establish the criteria and requirements for the Program in
         regulation; requiring that a certain capstone project be included in the Program;
         authorizing a local school system to participate in the Program to recognize students
         who meet criteria related to student proficiency in civics and civic literacy public
         high school students for their civic readiness and civic engagement; and generally
         relating to the Maryland Civic Excellence Program.

BY adding to
         Article – Education
         Section 7–137
         Annotated Code of Maryland
         (2025 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement)

         SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND,
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows:

                   Article – Education

7–137.

        (A) IN THIS SECTION, “PROGRAM” MEANS THE MARYLAND CIVIC
EXCELLENCE PROGRAM.

        (B) (1) THERE IS A MARYLAND CIVIC EXCELLENCE PROGRAM IN THE
DEPARTMENT THAT RECOGNIZES THE CIVIC READINESS AND CIVIC ENGAGEMENT
OF PUBLIC HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS IN THE STATE.

                (2) THE PURPOSE OF THE PROGRAM IS TO RECOGNIZE STUDENTS

AND PUBLIC SCHOOLS THAT PROMOTE THE CIVIC READINESS AND CIVIC

ENGAGEMENT OF STUDENTS IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS IN THE STATE.

(C) THE DEPARTMENT SHALL ADMINISTER THE PROGRAM.

(D) (C)      (1) NOT LATER THAN THE 2027–2028 SCHOOL YEAR, THE

DEPARTMENT STATE BOARD, IN CONSULTATION WITH EXPERTS AND

STAKEHOLDERS, SHALL DEVELOP GUIDELINES TO ASSIST PARTICIPATING LOCAL

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Ch. 677       2026 LAWS OF MARYLAND

SCHOOL SYSTEMS TO DETERMINE STUDENT PROFICIENCY IN CIVICS AND CIVIC
LITERACY ADOPT REGULATIONS TO ESTABLISH THE CRITERIA AND REQUIREMENTS
FOR AWARDING A SEAL OF CIVIC EXCELLENCE TO A QUALIFIED STUDENT WHO

ATTENDS A PUBLIC HIGH SCHOOL IN A PARTICIPATING LOCAL SCHOOL SYSTEM.

                (2) THE CRITERIA ESTABLISHED BY THE STATE BOARD SHALL
INCLUDE A REQUIREMENT THAT, IN ORDER TO RECEIVE A SEAL OF CIVIC
EXCELLENCE, A STUDENT MUST COMPLETE A CAPSTONE PROJECT THROUGH AN
EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITY THAT IS FOCUSED ON CIVIC SERVICE IN STATE,
COUNTY, OR LOCAL GOVERNMENT.

     (E) (D)  (1) THIS SUBSECTION APPLIES ONLY TO A A LOCAL SCHOOL

SYSTEM THAT PARTICIPATES MAY CHOOSE TO PARTICIPATE IN THE PROGRAM.

                (2) A PUBLIC HIGH SCHOOL IN A PARTICIPATING LOCAL SCHOOL
SYSTEM SHALL UTILIZE THE GUIDELINES ESTABLISHED UNDER SUBSECTION (D) OF
THIS SECTION TO ESTABLISH:

              (I) A MARYLAND CIVIC EXCELLENCE PROGRAM IN SCHOOLS;

              (II) APPLICATION CRITERIA TO ADMINISTER THE PROGRAM;

AND

                         (III) CRITERIA FOR AWARDING A STUDENT THE SEAL OF CIVIC
EXCELLENCE MAY NOT OPT OUT OF PARTICIPATING IN THE PROGRAM.

                (3) IF A LOCAL SCHOOL SYSTEM CHOOSES TO PARTICIPATE IN THE
PROGRAM, A PUBLIC HIGH SCHOOL SHALL IMPLEMENT THE PROGRAM, IN
ACCORDANCE WITH THE REGULATIONS ADOPTED BY THE STATE BOARD, BY

INCORPORATING A CIVIC SERVICE CAPSTONE PROJECT INTO AN EXTRACURRICULAR

ACTIVITY AT THE SCHOOL THAT:

                         (I) IS AN EXISTING EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITY AT THE TIME
THE LOCAL SCHOOL SYSTEM CHOOSES TO PARTICIPATE IN THE PROGRAM; OR

                         (II) IS A NEW EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITY THAT IS SUPERVISED
BY A PAID STAFF MEMBER.

     (F) (E)  A PARTICIPATING LOCAL SCHOOL SYSTEM THAT DETERMINES A

PUBLIC HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT HAS FULFILLED THE CRITERIA UNDER THE

PROGRAM MAY ESTABLISHED IN REGULATIONS ADOPTED IN ACCORDANCE WITH

SUBSECTION (C) OF THIS SECTION SHALL:

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                WES MOORE, Governor      Ch. 677

       (1) AWARD THE STUDENT A SEAL OF CIVIC EXCELLENCE; AND

                (2) RECOGNIZE THE AWARD BY AWARDING A CORD OR MEDAL OR BY
ATTACHING OTHER INSIGNIA ON THE STUDENT’S HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMA.

       (G) (F)  A PARTICIPATING LOCAL SCHOOL SYSTEM MAY COLLABORATE

WITH NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS, CIVIC ORGANIZATIONS, OR INSTITUTIONS OF

HIGHER EDUCATION TO SUPPORT THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE PROGRAM.

       (H) (G)  ON OR BEFORE JULY 1, 2028, AND EACH JULY 1 THEREAFTER,

EACH PARTICIPATING LOCAL SCHOOL SYSTEM SHALL SUBMIT TO THE DEPARTMENT

A REPORT ON THE PROGRAM BASED ON THE MOST RECENTLY COMPLETED SCHOOL

YEAR.

         SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect July
1, 2026.

Approved by the Governor, May 26, 2026.

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