The Kentucky Civic Seal
The Kentucky Civic Seal program recognizes Kentucky students at all levels (elementary, middle, and high schoolers) who demonstrate exceptional civic performance through exhibiting their understanding, application, and reflection upon: local, state, and national governance; commitment to democratic principles and promoting the common good; informed participation in civic spaces; and reflection upon their role in modern civic life. The seal may be earned at each of the three grade-band commencements.
Earning the seal extends the strong civic emphasis within the current Kentucky Academic Standards for Social Studies. Whereas the standards’ emphasis on civic application of learning provides a foundation, the seal program is an opportunity for students to go above-and-beyond in demonstrating good citizenship.
Civic Seal White Paper
The White Paper, United We Stand: Examining Core Criteria for the Kentucky Civic Seal Program, explains:
The components of the Seal program
The research that informed the Seal
The positive academic and social outcomes of engaged civics
Why a Civic Seal?
Per the Annenberg Public Policy Center (2023), 1 in 6 Americans cannot name any of the three branches of government1. The same online study (new for the year 2023, as opposed to phone interviews of years past) found that only 1 in 20 can name the five freedoms protected under the First Amendment.
The Civic Seal empowers students and teachers to look beyond academic standards and learn by engaging in conversations, developing plans to better their communities, and participating in civic life.
1 "Annenberg Civics Knowledge Survey." Annenberg Public Policy Center. https://www.annenbergpublicpolicycenter.org/political-communication/civics-knowledge-survey/.