The new Civic Learning Award for California Public High Schools aims to encourage all schools to provide quality civics education and to educate students about the judiciary and its function in a democratic society.

The award is sponsored by California Chief Justice Tani Gorre Cantil-Sakauye, with other partners in the effort that include ACSA, the California County Superintendents Educational Services Association; California Federation of Teachers; California Parent Teacher Association; California Teachers Association; California School Boards Association; and Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson.

Awards will be made at three levels: Excellence, Distinction and Merit, and the chief justice will visit schools that receive the Award of Excellence. Award of Distinction schools will receive a visit from an Appellate Court justice, and Award of Merit schools will be visited by a superior court officer. All award-winning schools will receive plaques commemorating the award.

Applicants will be asked to describe their civics learning programs as they take place in the classroom through discussion of current events, in service learning, through extracurricular activities, in school governance, and through simulations of democratic processes. California’s secondary schools will be eligible to apply for the award during the 2012-13 school year.

Details and application information are available at www.cde.ca.gov/eo/in/civiclearningaward.asp, or www.courts.ca.gov/programs-lawrelated.htm. Applications are due Dec. 14.
Selection committee members will include representatives from ACSA, an Appellate Court justice, CCSESA, CFT, California PTA, CTA, CSBA, the SPI, a civic education researcher, a Superior Court judge, and a Supreme Court justice.