BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — Hundreds of schools across New York State now include a new curriculum.
The New York State Seal of Civic Readiness (NYSSCR) pushes students to make a difference in their community.
Through the combination of four domains, student education under the new initiative, would begin as early as kindergarten through their senior year of high school.
These domains are civic knowledge, skills and actions, mindsets and experiences.
"We designed it with equity in mind. we know that student's across the state are coming to us with a variety of backgrounds, a variety of resources at their fingertips and we really wanted the seal to be very flexible; honor their interests, honor their passions, and ultimately give them the skills and the tools of citizenships, so when they leave high school, they are ready to engage in the public sphere and I think that the work here in Amherst is such a wonderful example of that," Erie 1 Boces coordinator for staff development, curriculum and instruction, Jessica Karnes said.
Between the 2021-2022 school year, more than 100 New York schools participated in the pilot phase. Twenty-two were in Western New York. Amherst Central High School is one of them, and now in its second year.
More than 9,000 students in the state have graduated with this seal.
New York is one of seven states who have implemented its curriculum.
"Students are encouraged to pursue a number of different pathways through the social studies department, including academic coursework, project-based learning and community service. all of which could add to the points necessary," Amherst Central High School and government teacher, Anne Ward said.
Things like experience working in high school student government, research in building accessibility issues to becoming a certified translator for a program that helps families prevent behavior problems and researching inequities in the medical field for minorities.
To achieve the points necessary upon graduation, students must have six points, in which they are given a preliminary points tracking sheet for reference.
Amherst Central High School assistant principal, Scott Lawniczak said, "Students quickly realize they're pretty close once they're a senior and they may have already done things through club involvement or community service involvement, that get them right to where they essentially need to be to earn the seal of civic readiness."
Students who earn the seal will be recognized with an additional regalia at graduation and a seal logo on their diploma.
Lawniczak said, "It's one more way to show them, whether it's a future employer or a college admissions officer that they have gone above and beyond the bare bones or the minimum regents requirements and they've earned this additional endorsement. It shows, essentially, employees or employers that they have civic actions, skills and mindsets to be a collaborator. Someone who knows how to be a positive change agent whether that's in the community or in the workplace."
The curriculum can be modified for any school, any student or any interest.
"Making sure that our students can really start early of analyzing the importance of evidence, the importance of knowing the difference between facts and an opinion is essential for a lifetime of decision-making," NYS Education Department Commissioner Dr. Betty A. Rosa said.
It is a commitment that the state has made to empower students to take on responsibility in terms of their participation, in democracy.
"Part of this work is to help prepare students to be good citizens of a constitutional government. We want students to understand its history-- good and bad-- and also understand the political and economic systems that are the underpinnings of our country," NYS Department Deputy Commissioner Angelique Johnson-Dingle said.
