Existing law establishes a system of public elementary and secondary schools operated and maintained by local educational agencies throughout the state. Existing law establishes the State Department of Education in state government, and vests the department with specified powers and duties relating to the state’s public school system.

This bill would require the department to establish a California Excellence in Service Learning Designation Program to publicly recognize and designate schoolsites and local educational agencies, as defined, that meet certain requirements related to service learning, as provided. The bill would require the department to develop an annual application process and adopt application criteria for the California Excellence in Service Learning Designation Program, as specified, and would provide that a California Excellence in Service Learning designation is valid for 3 years, after which a schoolsite or local educational agency seeking to renew its designation is required to reapply.