Seal of Civic Readiness
The Seal of Civic Readiness is a formal recognition that a student has attained a high level of proficiency in terms of civic knowledge, civic skills, civic mindset, and civic experiences. The Seal of Civic Readiness distinction on a high school transcript and diploma:Ìý
- shows the student’s understanding of a commitment to participatory government; civic responsibility and civic values;
- demonstrates to universities, colleges, and future employers that the student has completed an action project in civics or social justice; and
- recognizes the value of civic engagement and scholarship.
Criteria for the Seal of Civic Readiness
In order to obtain the Seal of Civic Readiness, a student must complete all requirements for a 91°µÍøÆƽâ°æ local or Regents diploma and earn a total of six points with at least two points in Civic Knowledge and at least two points in Civic Participation. Students may also earn points by completing a middle school Capstone project or a high school Capstone project.
| Civic Knowledge | Pts. | Civic Participation | Pts. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 credits of social studies | 1 | High School Civics Project (limit two times during grades 9-12) | 1.5 |
| Mastery level on Social Studies Regents Exam | 1.5* | Service-Learning Project (minimum 25 hours) and reflective civic learning essay/presentation/product | 1* |
| Proficiency level on Social Studies Regents Exam | 1* | Earned credit in an elective course that promotes civic engagement | .5* |
| Advanced social studies course(s) | .5* | Middle School Capstone Project (Grades 7 and 8 are only eligible for this point) | 1 |
| Research Project | 1 | Extra-curricular participation or work-based learning experience (minimum 40 hours) and an essay/presentation/product | .5* |
| Ìý | Ìý | Civics Capstone Project | 4 |
*Students may receive these points more than once.
Testing accommodations recommended in an individualized education program or section 504 Accommodations Plan must be provided for all State and districtwide assessments administered to students with disabilities, as consistent with State policy. * Students in schools with an alternate pathway for graduation approved by the Commissioner will be held to those schools' criteria.
The application to offer the Seal of Civic Readiness +1 Civics Pathway is now available for all districts and schools in theÌýSED Monitoring and Vendor Performance SystemÌýlocated within theÌýApplication Business Portal. Schools that wish to offer this pathway for the 2024-2025 school year must complete this initial application by August 1, 2024. Schools will be notified of their status on a rolling basis.
Classroom Resources
- Civic Readiness Projects for the NYSED Seal of Civic Readiness Part I
- Civic Participation Projects for the NYSED Seal of Civic Readiness Part II
- ​Elementary School Civic Readiness Definition
- Intermediate School Civic Readiness Definition
Educator Recognition
Presentations and Updates
- , May 2022
- Presentation to the Board of Regents, January 2020
- Civic Readiness Presentation Fall 2020
Voter Registration Resources for Students in 91°µÍøÆƽâ°æ
Participation in government and in our communities is fundamental to the success of American democracy. Students choose to complete the Civic Readiness Capstone project to demonstrate their readiness to make a positive difference in the public life of their communities through the applied combination of civic knowledge, skills and actions, mindset, and experiences.Ìý Through this project, students will apply knowledge and skills they have learned through their P-12 Social Studies education, as well as other subject areas.Ìý
In this Civic Readiness Capstone project, students will:
- Identify a civic issue (problem) facing them, their school, or their community.
- Analyze a civic issue (problem), evaluate alternative solutions, design and/or execute a solution for this problem.
- Take informed action to address the civic issue.
- Reflect on what they have learned about their school or community from the Capstone project.
- Make a presentation about their Civic Readiness Capstone project.
Please visit the Civic Readiness Capstone Project page for more information.ÌýÌý
1Based on the 91°µÍøÆƽâ°æ Social Studies Practices, Grades 9-12, the 91°µÍøÆƽâ°æ Performance Level Descriptors for the GlobalÌýHistory & Geography II and the U.S. History & Government Regents exam, the NYSED Definition of Civic Readiness, and the
Seal of Civic Readiness Approved SchoolsÌý
- 7 Valleys (OCM BOCES)
- A School Without Walls
- Academy for College Preparation and Career Exploration
- Academy Charter School -Hempstead
- Academy Charter School - Uniondale
- Academy of American Studies
- Academy of Innovative Technology
- Academy of Medical Technology
- Adirondack High School
- Adolescent Day Treatment (OCM BOCES)
- Afton High School
- Akron High SchoolÌýÌý
- Albany Leadership CS-GIRLSÌý
- Albany High School
- Alexander Middle School High School
- Alexander Hamilton High School
- Alfred-Almond Junior-Senior HS
- American Dream Charter School
- Amherst High School
- Amsterdam High School
- Arlington High School
- Athena High School
- Attica Senior High School
- Auburn High School
- Avoca Central School
- Avon High School
- Babylon Junior-Senior High School
- Baldwin High School
- Ballston Spa Senior High School
- Barack Obama School of Social Justice
- Barker Central School
- Batavia High School
- Bay Shore Senior High School
- Bayport-Blue Point High School
- Beacon High School
- Bedford Academy High School
- Beekmantown High School
- Bellport Senior High School
- Benjamin N. Cardozo High School
- Berne-Knox-Westerlo Junior-Senior HS
- Bethlehem Central Senior High School
- Bethpage High School
- Binghamton High School
- Birchwood High School
- Bloomfield High School
- Bradford Central School
- Brewster High School
- Brockport High SchoolÌý
- Bronx Academy for Software Engineering
- Bronx Compass High School
- Bronx Envision Academy
- Bronx Haven High School
- Bronx High School for Medical Science
- Bronx High School for Writing and Communication Arts
- Bronx Latin
- Bronx Latin High School
- Bronx Leadership Academy
- Bronx Prep Charter School
- Bronxville High School
- Bronxwood Preparatory Academy
- Brookfield High School
- Brooklyn Laboratory Charter SchoolÌý
- Brooklyn School for Music & Theatre
- Brownsville Academy High School
- Buffalo Academy of Science
- Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake Senior High SchoolÌý
- Byram Hills High School
- Byron-Bergen Junior/Senior High School
- Cairo-Durham High School
- Caledonia-Mumford Middle/High School
- Cambridge Junior-Senior High School
- Canajoharie Senior High SchoolÌý
- Careers In Sports High School
- Carle Place Middle Senior High School
- Carmel High School
- Carthage Senior High School
- Cassadaga Valley Middle/High School
- Castleton Academy High School of Oceanside
- Cattaraugus-Little Valley High SchoolÌý
- Cazenovia High School
- Center Moriches High School
- Centereach High School
- Central Islip Senior High School
- Central Valley AcademyÌý
- Charles D'Amico High School
- Charles O Dickerson Trumansburg High School
- Charles W Baker High School
- Chateaugay High School
- Chautauqua Lake High School
- Cheektowaga High School
- Chenango Valley High SchoolÌý
- Cherry Valley-Springfield Central
- Chester Academy Middle/High School
- Chittenango High School
- Churchville-Chili High School
- Cicero-North Syracuse High School
- Cincinnatus High School
- City College Academy of the Arts
- Civic Leadership Academy
- Clara Barton High School
- Clarence Senior High School
- Clarkstown North Senior High School
- Clarkstown South Senior High School
- Clayton A Bouton High School
- Cleveland Hill High School
- Clyde-Savannah High School
- Cohoes High School
- Colonie Central High School
- Columbia High School
- Commack High School
- Comsewogue High School
- Connetquot High School
- Connie Lekas High School
- Cooperstown Jr/Sr High School
- Copenhagen High School
- Corcoran High School
- Corinth High School
- Corning-Painted Post High School
- Cortland Alternative School (OCM BOCES)
- Cortland High School
- Crossroads (OCM BOCES)
- Dalton-Nunda Secondary School
- Dansville High School
- Deer Park High School
- Delaware Academy High School
- Democracy Prep Charter School
- Democracy Prep Endurance Charter School
- Democracy Prep Harlem Charter School
- Denzel Washington School-Arts
- Depew High School
- Deposit Middle-Senior High School
- Division Avenue Senior High School
- Dover High School
- Dr. Richard Izquierdo, Health And Science Charter School
- Dreamyard Preparatory School
- Dundee Junior-Senior High School
- Dunkirk Senior High School
- Eagle Academy for Young Men
- Earl L Vandermeulen High School
- East Aurora High School
- East Bronx Academy for the Future
- East Islip High School
- East Meadow High School
- East Ramapo CSD
- East Rockaway Junior-Senior High School
- East Syracuse Minoa Central High School
- East Syracuse Minoa CSD
- East Upper High School
- Eastport-South Manor Jr-Sr High School
- Edenwald School
- Edison Career and Technology High School
- Edmund W Gordon Brooklyn Laboratory
- Elba Junior-Senior High School
- Elmont High School
- Elwood/John Glenn High School
- Energy Tech High School
- Esperanza Preparatory Academy
- Eugenio Maria De Hostos Charter High SchoolÌý
- Eximius College Preparatory Academy
- Explorations Academy
- Fairport Senior High School
- Falconer Middle/High School
- Fallsburg Junior-Senior High School
- Farmingdale High School
- Fayetteville Manlius Senior High School
- Fillmore Central School
- Floral Park High School
- Flushing High School
- Fonda-Fultonville Senior High School
- Forest Hills High School
- Fort Plain Junior-Senior High School
- Francis Lewis High School
- Franklin Central High School
- Franklin Delano Roosevelt High School
- Franklinville Junior-Senior High School
- Frederick Douglass Academy III
- Freeport High School
- Frewsburg Junior-Senior High School
- Frontier Senior High School
- G. Ray Bodley High School
- Galway Jr/Sr High School
- Gananda/R A Cirillo High School
- Garden City High School
- Gates Chili High School
- Gen Douglas Macarthur Senior High SchoolÌý
- Geneseo Middle School High School
- George W. Hewlett High School
- Germantown Junior-Senior HS
- Glen Cove High School
- Glens Fall High School
- Gloversville High School
- Gloversville Middle School
- Gorton High School
- Goshen Central High School
- Gotham Collaborative High School
- Gowanda High School
- Gramercy Arts High School
- Grand Island High School
- Granville Junior/Senior High School
- Green Tech High Charter School
- Greene High School
- Greenport High School
- Greenville High School
- Greenwich Junior-Senior High School
- Griffith Institute High School
- Grover Cleveland High School
- Guilderland High School
- H. Frank Carey High School
- Hadley-Luzerne High School
- Haldane High School
- Half Hollow Hills High School East
- Half Hollow Hills High School West
- Hamburg High School
- Hamilton Junior-Senior High School
- Hammondsport Junior/Senior High School
- Hampton Bays High School
- Harborfields High School
- Harlem Prep Charter School
- Harpursville Junior-Senior High School
- Harrison High School
- Hartford Middle/High School
- Hauppauge High SchoolÌý
- Health Opportunities High School
- Health Science Charter School
- Hempstead High School
- Hendrick Hudson High School
- Henninger High School
- Herkimer High School
- Hermon-Dekalb High School
- Herricks High School
- Hicksville UFSD
- High School for Construction Trades, Engineering, and Architecture (HSCTEA)
- High School for Global Citizenship
- High School for Service & Learning at Erasmus
- High School for Violin and Dance
- High School of World Cultures
- Highland High School
- Hilton High School
- Hinsdale Central School
- Holland High School
- Holland Patent Central High School
- Holley High School
- Hornell Junior/Senior High School
- Hudson Falls CSD
- Hudson High School
- Hudson Valley P-Tech (Rockland BOCES)
- Huntington High School
- Ichabod Crane Senior High School
- Indian River High School
- Information Technology High School
- Innovation Tech (OCM BOCES)
- Institute of Tech-Syracuse Central
- In-Tech Academy
- Inwood Early College
- Irondequoit High School
- Iroquois Senior High School
- Island Trees High School
- Islip High School
- James I O'neill High School
- James Madison High School
- James Monroe Upper School
- Jamestown High School
- Jamesville-Dewitt High School Jamesville-Dewitt High School
- Jasper-Troupsburg Junior/Senior High School
- Jill Chaifetz Transfer School
- Joseph C Wilson Magnet High School
- John Adams High School
- John Bowne High School
- John C Birdlebough High School
- John F. Kennedy High School
- John Jay Senior High School
- Johnson City Senior High School
- Johnston High School
- Jordan-Elbridge High School
- KAPPA International High School
- Kenmore East Senior High School
- Kenmore West Senior High School
- Kings Park High School
- King's School
- Kingston High School
- L A Webber Middle-High School
- La Fargeville Central School
- Lackawanna High School
- Lake George Junior-Senior High School
- Lake Shore Senior High School
- Lakeland High School
- Lancaster High School
- Lansing High School
- Lansingburgh Senior High School
- Lawrence High School
- Leaders in Our Neighborhood CS Lion
- Letchworth Senior High School
- Lewiston-Porter High School
- Liberty High School
- Lincoln High School
- Linden Hill High School
- Lindenhurst Senior High School
- Linnaeus W. West High School
- Little Falls Middle School
- Little Falls High School
- Liverpool High School 1
- Livonia Middle/High School
- Lockport High School
- Locust Valley High School
- Long Beach High School
- Long Island City High School
- Long Lake Central School
- Longwood High School
- Lyme Central School
- Lynbrook Senior High School
- Lyons Senior High School
- Mahopac High School
- Maine-Endwell Senior Hs
- Malverne High School
- Maple Hill Jr/Sr High School
- Marcellus High School
- Margaretville Central School
- Marion Junior-Senior Hs
- Marlboro High School
- Martin Van Buren High School
- Maryvale High School
- Massapequa High School
- Massena Senior High School
- Mechanicville Jr/Sr High School
- Mexico High School
- MHS AMES Campus
- Middletown High School
- Midlakes Middle/High School
- Milford Central School
- Mineola High School
- Minerva Deland School
- Minisink Valley High School
- Mohonasen High School
- Monroe-Woodbury High School
- Monticello High School
- Moravia Junior/Senior High School
- Morris Central School
- Morristown Central School
- Mount Vernon Steam Academy
- Mt Morris Middle/Senior High School
- Mt Pleasant-Cottage School
- Mt Vernon High School
- Mynderse Academy Seneca Falls
- Nanuet Senior High School
- New Dorp High School
- New Dorp High School
- New Hartford Senior High School
- New Hyde Park High School
- New Paltz Senior High School
- New Rochelle High School
- New Visions Charter High School-Adv Ma/Sci II
- New Visions Charter High School-Adv Ma/Sci III
- New Visions Charter High School-Adv Ma/Sci IV
- New Visions Charter High School-Adv Math/Science
- New Visions Charter High School-Humanities II
- New Visions Charter High School-Humanities IV
- Newark Senior High School
- Newark Valley Senior HS
- Newburgh Free Academy
- Newburgh High School
- Newfane Senior High School
- Newfield High School
- Newtown High School
- Niagara Falls High School
- Niagara-Wheatfield Senior High School
- North Babylon High School
- Northeast College Preparatory High School
- North Rockland High School
- North Rose-Wolcott High School
- North Salem Middle/ High School
- North Shore Senior High School
- North Syracuse Junior High School
- North Tonawanda High School
- Northport Senior High School
- Northville High School
- Norwich High School
- Norwood-Norfolk School
- Nottingham High School
- Nuasin Next Generation Charter School
- Nyack High School
- Nyack Senior High School
- Oakfield-Alabama Middle/High School
- Oceanside Senior High School
- Ogdensburg Free Academy
- Olean Senior High School
- Olympia High School
- Oneida Senior High School
- Oneonta Senior High School
- Onondaga Senior High School
- Onteora High School
- Oppenheim-Ephratah-St JohnsvilleÌý Jr/Sr High School
- Orchard View Alternative High School
- Ossining High School
- Otselic Valley Central School
- Oxford Academy High School
- Oyster Bay High School
- Padilla High School
- Palmyra-Macedon Senior High School
- Pan American International High School
- Patchogue-Medford High School
- Paul D Schreiber Senior High School
- Paul J Gelinas Junior High School
- Paul V Moore High School
- Pavilion Junior/Senior High School
- Pawling High School
- Pearl River High School
- Peekskill High School
- Pelham Lab High School
- Pelham Memorial High School
- Pelham Preparatory Academy
- Pembroke Junior-Senior High School
- Perry Junior-Senior High School
- Pine Bush Senior High School
- Pine Plains CSD
- Pioneer Senior High School
- Plainedge Senior High School
- Plainview-Old Bethpage/JFK High School
- Poland Junior-Senior High School
- Port Byron Senior High School
- Port Jervis Senior High School
- Port Richmond High School
- Potsdam Senior High School PCSD
- PS 042 Occupational Training Center
- PS 084 Erie County Health Care Center for Children
- PS 131 Academy School
- PS 156 Frederick Law Olmsted
- PS 192 Buffalo Academy for Visual and Performing Arts
- PS 195 City Honors School
- PS 197 Math, Science & Tech Preparatory School
- PS 198 International Preparatory School
- PS 206 South Park High School
- PS 207 Lafayette International High School
- PS 208 Riverside Academy
- PS 212 Leonardo Davinci High School
- PS 301 Burgard High School
- PS 302 Emerson School of Hospitality
- PS 304 Hutchinson Central Technical High School
- PS 305 Mckinley High School
- PS 309 East Community High School
- PS 355 The New Buffalo School of Culinary Arts And Hospitality Management
- PS 358-367 Pathways Academy
- PS 363 Lewis J. Bennett School of Innovative Technology
- PS 366 Research Lab for Bioinformatics & Life Sciences
- PS 415 Middle Early College High School
- Public Service Leadership Aca-Fowler
- Putnam Valley High School
- Queens Metropolitan High School
- Queens Technical High School
- Queensbury High School
- Randolph High School
- Red Creek High School
- Riverhead High School
- Riverside High School
- Robert Cushman Murphy Jr High School
- Robert F. Kennedy High School
- Robert H. Goddard High School
- Rochester Early College International High School
- Rocky Point High School
- Rome Free Academy
- Roosevelt High School
- Roselyn High School
- Roy C Ketcham Senior High School
- Royalton-Hartland High School
- Rush-Henrietta Senior High School
- Rye High School
- Rye Neck Senior High School
- S S Seward Institute
- Sachem High School East
- Sachem High School North
- Sackets Harbor Central School
- Salamanca High School
- Sandy Creek High School
- Sanford H Calhoun High School
- Saratoga Springs High School
- Saugerties Senior High School
- Saunders Trade And Technical High School
- Sauquoit Valley High School
- School of the Arts
- School 58 - World of Inquiry School
- Schroon Lake Central School
- Scotia-Glenville Senior High School
- Seaford Senior High School
- Sewanhaka High School
- Shaker High School
- Shelter Island High School
- Shenendehowa High School
- Shoreham-Wading River High School
- Sidney High School
- Silver Creek High School
- Skaneateles Senior High School
- Sleepy Hollow High School
- Smithtown High School-East
- Smithtown High School-West
- Sodus High School
- South Brooklyn Community High School
- South Glens Falls Senior High School
- South Jefferson High School
- South Lewis High School
- South Kortright Central School
- South Orangetown CSD
- South Seneca Middle/High School
- South Side High School
- Southern Cayuga High School
- Southwestern Senior High School
- Spackenkill High School
- Spencer-Van Etten High School
- Spencerport High School
- Springville-Griffith Inst. High School
- St. Lawrence High School
- St. Regis Falls Central School
- Starpoint High School
- Stars Alternative High School (OCM BOCES)
- Stillwater Middle School High School
- Stissing Mountain Junior/Senior High School
- Suffern Senior High School
- Sullivan West High School
- Susan E Wagner High School
- Susquehanna Valley Senior High School
- Sweet Home Senior High School
- Syosset Senior High School
- Taconic Hills Junior/Senior HighÌý
- Tamarac Middle School High School
- Tappan Zee High School
- Tarrytown High School
- The Bronx High School of Science
- The Bronx School for Law, Government, and Justice
- The East New York Arts and Civics High School
- The Laboratory School of Finance and Technology
- The Marie Curie High School for Medicine, Nursing, and Health Professions
- The Metropolitan Soundview High School
- The Renaissance Charter School
- Thomas A. Edison CTE High School
- Thomas High School
- Thomas R Proctor High School
- Tonawanda Middle/High School
- Tottenville High School
- Transition Program (OCM BOCES)
- Tri-Valley Secondary School
- Tully Junior-Senior HS
- Tupper Lake Middle-High School
- Turning Point (OCM BOCES)
- Tyburn Acad-Mary Immaculate
- Unatego High School
- Union Springs High School
- Union Square Academy for Health Sciences
- Uniondale High School
- Union-Endicott High School
- University Neighborhood High School
- Urban Action Academy
- Urban Assembly School for Green Careers
- Utica Academy of Science
- Valley Central High School
- Valley Stream Central High School
- Valley Stream North High School
- Valley Stream South High School
- Veritas Academy
- Vernon-Verona-Sherrill Sr High School
- Vestal Senior High School
- Virtual Pathways High School
- W. Tresper Clarke High School
- Walt Whitman High School
- Walter G O'connell Copiague High School
- Walter Panas High School
- Wantagh Senior High School
- Ward Melville Senior High School
- Warrensburg Junior-Senior Hs
- Warwick Valley High School
- Washington Saratoga Warren Hamilton Essex BOCES
- Washingtonville Senior High School
- Waterloo High School
- Watertown Senior High School
- Waterville Jr/Sr High School
- Watervliet Junior/Senior High School
- Watkins Glen Central High School
- Waverly High School
- Webster-Schroeder High School
- Weedsport High School
- Wellington C Mepham High School
- Wells School
- West Babylon Senior High School
- West Canada Valley Junior-Senior HS
- West Genesee Senior High School
- West Hempstead Secondary School
- West Islip Senior High School
- West Seneca East Senior High School West
- West Seneca West Senior High School West
- Westbury High School
- Westfield High School
- Westhill High School
- Wheatley School
- White Plains Senior High School
- Whitesboro High School
- Whitney Point Senior High School
- William Floyd High School
- Williamsburg Charter High School
- Williamsburg Preparatory High School
- Williamson Senior High School
- Williamsville East High School
- Williamsville North High School
- Williamsville South High School
- Wilson Middle/High School
- Windsor Central High School
- Worcester Central School
- World Academy for Total Community Health
- World View High School
- Yonkers High School
- Yonkers Montessori Academy
- York Middle/High School
- Yorktown High School
Ìý
Updated September 23, 2024. This list will be updated periodically.Ìý
The Civic Readiness Task Force was appointed by the Board of Regents to provide recommendations on the Civic Readiness initiative.ÌýPresented in January 2020, the recommendationsÌýincluded a definition of Civic Readiness, the elements of a Civic Capstone Project, and aÌýSeal of Civic Readiness.
- , January 2020
1.Ìý Who awards the NYSSCR to the students?
The NYSSCR is an award given by a school that has been approved by NYSED to grant the Seal. The school formally recognizes students who have demonstrated proficiencies in civic knowledge and participation by high school graduation.
2.ÌýIf a special appeal was granted, in which the student obtains the credit with a lower score, can students earn one point for proficiency in civic knowledge?Ìý
Yes.Ìý If a special appeal was granted,ÌýÌýin which the student obtains the credit with a lower score, students can earn one point for proficiency in civic knowledge.ÌýÌýPlease see Q20 (below) from the FAQ in the Seal of Civic Readiness Handbook:Ìý
Q20: If a student scores Mastery on a Regents Exam, do they get points for proficiency and mastery?
A: No. Students will earn either 1.0 or 1.5 depending on their score on exams. A student will earn 1 point for scores between 65-84 and 1.5 point for each score between 85-100. Students who are eligible for 55-64 safety nets and 45 variances will also earn 1 credit per exam.
3.Ìý Who provides the physical Seal and any graduation regalia to the students?
It is the school’s or district’s decision whether to provide physical printed seals. The Department does not provide physical seals, howeverÌýNYSED does provide a high resolution downloadable image that can be found on ourÌýwebsite.Ìý
4. How does a district report the NYSSCR?
Per the , students who receive a NYSSCR must be reported with Program Service Code 8313 — Received Seal of Civic Readiness in the year in which they complete all requirements for a Regents or Local diploma, even if the criteria for receiving the NYSSCR were met in a prior year. Districts will include Program Service Code 8313 on the student’s transcripts to indicate the earning of the NYSSCR. If a student passed only one Regents exam in social studies and one Regents exam in English, math, science, and earned the NYS Seal of Civic Readiness (as reported with Program Service Code 8313), the student must be reported with the Career Path Code CIVIC because the student used the NYS Seal of Civic Readiness in lieu of the second Regents social studies exam to fulfill the graduation requirements. ÌýÌý
School districts must ensure that the students earning the Seal are identified in their local student management system and the data sent to SIRS prior to the August 16th closing of the data warehouse. Regional information centers (RIC) may have an earlier deadline. School districts should consult with their district data coordinator for any questions about preparing the data for state reporting.
Ìý
