Frequently Asked Questions

 Q: How is NYSED going to give credit for regents exams in order to meet the knowledge requirements Due to pandemic exemptions & June 2022 USH cancellation. 

A: For students who receive an exemption, schools will use their course averages to determine points.

• Pass-84% = 1 point

• 85% and above = 1.5 points

Q: Does the HS Capstone project presentation have to be a traditional presentation, stand in front of an audience and verbally present, the way it reads it is it doesn't have to be a verbal presentation per se. That a written presentation, as in a portfolio or some other end result is acceptable. Is that correct? That students don't necessarily have to stand in front of a group and present? It looks like the state purposely worded it like this as to give districts more choice and wiggle room, especially since the idea of civic participation is more than just being able to speak in front of a crowd.

"Presentation: Prepare and make a presentation about your Civic Readiness Capstone Project. Choices: Portfolio, a final product,  presentation, or performance."  NYS Seal of Civic Readiness Handbook p.51

A: "Yes we want teachers to design this with the flexibility for all of their students.  This interpretation is correct.  We don’t want a student who has anxiety about public speaking to feel excluded from engaging in civics."    

Q: How can students earn the 1 or 1.5 points for taking the Regents Exam if no Regents Exam was offered and they received an exemption?

A: Students who received an exemption should use their course average to determine their points for this category.  If a student has a passing course average below 85, they should receive 1 point (proficiency) for this category.  If a student has a passing course average of 85 or above, they should receive 1.5 points (mastery) for this category.

Q: If a student from out of state enters high school in 10th/11th grade, can points be awarded for the Regents Exams?

A: No.  The only way a student can earn points on the Regents Exam is by taking the Regents Exam or receiving an exemption.

Q: Can out-of-state students be awarded points for electives taken out of state?

A: Yes, if the local Seal of Civic Readiness (SCR) committee determines out-of-state electives rooted in civics are allowable, and if the student successfully completes the application of knowledge component.

Q: What can count for ENL students coming from another country who are missing exams, electives or coming to us with credits from another country.

A: Out-of-country electives rooted in civics may count if the student successfully completes the application of knowledge component.  Social studies courses taken outside of the country may count towards the 1 point for social studies courses.  

Q: Does an advanced class need to be rooted in all four domains of civic readiness to qualify for points on the Seal of Civic Readiness?

A: No.  Advanced social studies courses must be rooted in at least one of the four domains of civic readiness.  Most advanced social studies courses qualify because they enhance a student’s civic knowledge.

Q: Does an elective need to be rooted in all four domains of civic readiness to qualify for points on the Seal of Civic Readiness?

 A: Yes.  Electives need to be rooted in all four domains of civic readiness, and they must demonstrate evidence of civic participation/civic experiences because these points count towards the civic participation category on the Seal.   

Q: Students receive 1 point for completing 4 credits of social studies. Can .5 point be awarded if they take two years of social studies courses? 

 A: No. Points cannot be broken up because the four years of social studies courses demonstrate a summation of civic knowledge. 

Q: Can a middle school student earn points on the Seal outside of the Middle School Capstone? 

A: No.  Students may only earn 1 point in 7th or 8th grade by completing a middle school capstone project. 

Q: What do teachers have to do to “bank” their projects in 8th grade?

A: You don't have to apply to do middle school capstone, guidance just tracks points towards the seal.

Q: What needs to be reported to the state?  Do we have to submit student work?

A:  Only report to the state when a student has earned the seal, nothing else. (not amount of points, how they earned the point, their project)

Q: Can students “bank” their projects if their district has not applied for participation in the seal?

A: Yes, if you apply later one and the middle schoolers did the project you can retroactively apply those points.

Q: What is the different between Community Service and Service Learning? 

A: Service learning goes beyond the concept of ‘helping out’ or ‘volunteering’ by combining specific learning goals and outcomes into the community-based activity based on their verified needs.  Use the 5 stages of inquiry based service learning listed above to think about how these common activities could be strengthened to become service learning. 

Q: How are these projects graded? 

A: Evaluation criteria will be locally determined ● Recommend evaluation based on performance indicators included in Social Studies Practice A: Gathering, interpreting and using evidence. 

Q: When can students complete the Research Project? 

A: Any 9-12 Social Studies Course OR any other creative options that your SCR agrees on (during an elective, or as part of an intensive extra-curricular, etc…)