SB 1048

SB1048:v96#DOCUMENT

Bill Start

CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2025–2026 REGULAR SESSION

Senate Bill

No. 1048

An act to add Article 8 (commencing with Section 51480) to Chapter 3 of Part 28 of Division 4 of Title 2 of the Education Code, relating to pupil instruction.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST

SB 1048, as amended, Becker. State Seal of Climate Literacy.

Existing law establishes the State Seal of Civic Engagement to recognize pupils who have demonstrated excellence in civics education and participation and have demonstrated an understanding of the United States Constitution, the California Constitution, and the democratic system of government, as provided, and establishes the State Seal of Biliteracy to recognize high school graduates who have attained a high level of proficiency in speaking, reading, and writing in one or more languages in addition to English.

This bill would establish the State Seal of Climate Literacy for the purpose of giving high school pupils personal agency to help them and their communities understand and adapt to the effects of climate change. The bill would require the Superintendent of Public Instruction, on or before July 1, 2027, to recommend to the State Board of Education criteria for awarding a State Seal of Climate Literacy to pupils who have demonstrated mastery in climate literacy disciplines, green skills or technical green skills, as defined, and any and all other best practices for climate literacy. The bill would require the Superintendent, in developing the criteria, to consider including (1) the successful completion of at least 2 approved courses in the area of climate literacy and (2) the successful completion and presentation of a climate literacy final experiential learning project, as provided. The bill would require the Superintendent to also recommend to the state board the criteria necessary to award a State Seal of Climate Literacy with specified distinctions. The bill would require the state board, on or before November 15, 2027, January 1, 2028, to adopt, or adopt with modifications, the criteria recommended by the Superintendent. The bill would require the Superintendent to, among other things, prepare and deliver to participating local educational agencies an appropriate insignia to be affixed to the diploma or transcript of the pupil indicating that the pupil has been awarded a State Seal of Climate Literacy by the Superintendent. The bill would make a local educational agency’s participation in awarding the State Seal of Climate Literacy voluntary. For a local educational agency that chooses to participate, the bill would require the local educational agency agency, beginning with the 2028–29 school year, to, among other things, establish a process for determining if a pupil has met the criteria necessary to earn a State Seal of Climate Literacy and on or before September 15, 2028, and on or before September 15 of each year thereafter, provide specified data to the State Department of Education. Literacy.

Digest Key

Vote: MAJORITY Appropriation: NO Fiscal Committee: YES Local Program: NO

Bill Text

The people of the State of California do enact as follows:

SECTION 1.

Article 8 (commencing with Section 51480) is added to Chapter 3 of Part 28 of Division 4 of Title 2 of the Education Code, to read:

Article 8. State Seal of Climate Literacy

51480.

(a) The State Seal of Climate Literacy is established for the purpose of giving high school pupils personal agency to help them and their communities understand and adapt to the effects of climate change.

(b) A local educational agency’s participation in awarding the State Seal of Climate Literacy to pupils under this article is voluntary.

51481.

(a) On or before July 1, 2027, the Superintendent shall recommend to the state board criteria for awarding a State Seal of Climate Literacy to pupils who have demonstrated mastery in climate literacy disciplines, green skills or technical green skills, and any and all other best practices for climate literacy. In developing criteria for the State Seal of Climate Literacy, the Superintendent shall consider including both of the following criteria:

(1) Successful completion of at least two approved courses in the area of climate literacy. Approved courses may include, but are not limited to, all any of the following:

(A) High-school-level or advanced placement courses that cover physical science, life science, or earth science.

(B) Dual or concurrent enrollment, career technical education, or high-school-level courses that integrate climate literacy.

(C) Courses that integrate the state’s environmental principles and concepts pursuant to Section 71301 of the Public Resources Code or courses that integrate the state’s Seeds to Solutions curriculum.

(D) Courses that integrate the state’s Native American Studies model curriculum developed pursuant to Section 51226.9.

(2) Successful completion and presentation of a climate literacy final experiential learning project that focuses on the causes and effects of climate change in the pupil’s local community community, and demonstrates an academic understanding and practical application of climate literacy through the practical application of climate literacy that addresses as it relates to local climate issues present in the pupil’s community. Final projects shall be conducted on a voluntary basis, be independent from pupil coursework, and may include, but are not limited to, all any of the following:

(A) A capstone project centered on the pupil’s community, including both the community’s effect on and on, or vulnerability to to, climate change. change, or both.

(B) Field experiences or practica related to the coursework described in paragraph (1). practica.

(C) Internships, externships, or employment with climate literacy or green career experiential learning providers.

(D) One or more community projects with a climate literacy experiential learning provider.

(E) Hands-on laboratory experiments.

(F) Original artwork or writing.

(G) Pupil-led and designed programming that has an effect on the pupil’s community and other pupils.

(b)The Superintendent shall also recommend to the state board the criteria necessary for a participating local educational agency to additionally award to a pupil who meets the requirements for the State Seal of Climate Literacy, one or both of the following distinctions:

(1)A State Seal of Climate Literacy with Industry Distinction to recognize a pupil who demonstrates proficiency in technical green skills through coursework or the pupil’s final experiential learning project together with an authorization for a local educational agency to identify the technical green skills needed for a climate-impacted or green career by collaborating with local businesses, nonprofit organizations, and industry leaders.

(2)A State Seal of Climate Literacy with Higher Education Distinction to recognize a pupil who earns college credit in attaining the State Seal of Climate Literacy.

(c)

(b) In developing criteria pursuant to subdivisions (a) and (b), subdivision (a), the Superintendent may partner with nonprofit organizations and shall ensure, to the greatest extent feasible, that the criteria adhere to all of the following:

(1) Provide all pupils in participating local educational agencies with an opportunity to earn the State Seal of Climate Literacy.

(2) Recognize pupil excellence and outstanding achievement.

(3) Are not based primarily on pupil achievement that is already recognized through grades or other standard measures of pupil achievement.

(4) Result in a seal that confers a benefit to pupils beyond high school, signaling to employers and institutions of higher education the pupil’s readiness to contribute to a sustainable and resilient future.

(d)

(c) On or before November 15, 2027, January 1, 2028, the state board shall adopt, or adopt with modifications, all criteria recommended by the Superintendent pursuant to this section.

51482.

The Superintendent shall do all of the following:

(a) (1) Prepare and deliver to participating local educational agencies an appropriate insignia to be affixed to the diploma or transcript of the pupil indicating that the pupil has been awarded a State Seal of Climate Literacy by the Superintendent.

(2) The Superintendent may partner with nonprofit organizations to determine the best design for the insignia described in paragraph (1) and the fulfillment of the insignia to be affixed to the diploma or transcript.

(b) (1) Provide other information it deems necessary for local educational agencies to successfully participate in awarding the State Seal of Climate Literacy to pupils.

(2) The department may partner with nonprofit organizations to provide the information pursuant to paragraph (1), which may include any of the following:

(A) Guidance or criteria to support implementation.

(B) Sample project frameworks.

(C) Professional development resources.

(D) Guidance for developing partnerships with community-based organizations, industry leaders, or institutions of higher education.

(E) Resources for determining if a pupil has met the criteria necessary to earn a State Seal of Climate Literacy.

(c) (1) Provide information to pupils who earn a State Seal of Climate Literacy about postsecondary opportunities and career pathways that leverage the knowledge and skills that pupils develop through earning the State Seal of Climate Literacy.

(2) The department may partner with nonprofit, labor, or private sector organizations to provide the information pursuant to paragraph (1).

51483.

After the state board adopts criteria for the State Seal of Climate Literacy pursuant to subdivision (d) of Section 51481, Beginning with the 2028–29 school year, a participating local educational agency shall do all of the following:

(a) Maintain appropriate records in order to identify pupils who have earned a State Seal of Climate Literacy.

(b) Affix the appropriate insignia to the diploma or transcript of each pupil who earns a State Seal of Climate Literacy.

(c) Provide information to pupils about available options and supports, including, but not limited to, approved courses, experiential learning, or final projects that pupils may complete to meet the criteria to earn a State Seal of Climate Literacy.

(d) Establish a process for determining if a pupil has met the criteria necessary to earn a State Seal of Climate Literacy.

(e)On or before September 15, 2028, and on or before September 15 of each year thereafter, provide all of the following data to the department:

(1)The names of schools that awarded the State Seal of Climate Literacy.

(2)The number of pupils from each school of the local educational agency that received a State Seal of Climate Literacy.

(3)Evidence of how pupils who received a State Seal of Climate Literacy met the adopted criteria, including, but not limited to, any final projects, coursework, or providers that the pupils worked with.

51484.

For purposes of this article, the following definitions apply:

(a) “Climate literacy” means an understanding of the essential principles of the earth’s climate system, assessing scientifically credible climate information, learning to communicate about the climate in a meaningful manner, and making informed and responsible decisions regarding actions that may affect the climate.

(b) “Climate literacy experiential learning provider” means a provider that facilitates a pupil’s final project, including, but not limited to, a school organization or club, local media outlet, business, nonprofit organization, or industry focused on green skills or technical green skills.

(c) “Green jobs” or “green career” means occupations or employment positions that reduce harmful effects on the climate, adapt processes to minimize their effect on the climate, recognize and mitigate the disproportionate social effects of climate change, support the economic, social, and environmental sustainability of communities, or contribute to the well-being and resilience of present and future generations.

(d) “Green skills” means the adaptable knowledge, abilities, values, and attitudes to live in, develop, and support an evolving, sustainable, and resource-efficient society.

(e) “Local educational agency” means a school district, county office of education, or charter school.

(f) “Technical green skills” means skills that fulfill the requirements of green jobs and that support the transition to a low-carbon sustainable economy.