SB245 - Makes various changes relating to education. (BDR 34-827)

EXEMPT (Reprinted with amendments adopted on May 22, 2025) FIRST REPRINT S.B. 245 - *SB245_R1* SENATE BILL NO. 245–SENATORS LANGE, CRUZ-CRAWFORD; CANNIZZARO, DALY, DOÑATE, NGUYEN, PAZINA, SCHEIBLE AND TAYLOR FEBRUARY 26, 2025 ____________ JOINT SPONSORS: ASSEMBLYMEMBERS ANDERSON; AND NGUYEN ____________ Referred to Committee on Education SUMMARY—Makes various changes relating to education. (BDR 34-827) FISCAL NOTE: Effect on Local Government: May have Fiscal Impact. Effect on the State: Contains Appropriation not included in Executive Budget. ~ EXPLANATION – Matter in bolded italics is new; matter between brackets [omitted material] is material to be omitted. AN ACT relating to education; revising provisions relating to the State Seal of Civics Program; creating the Advisory Council on Civics Education; establishing the membership and duties of the Council; making an appropriation to the Nevada Center for Civic Engagement to raise awareness of and create awards for civics education; and providing other matters properly relating thereto. Legislative Counsel’s Digest: Under existing law, the Superintendent of Public Instruction is required to: (1) 1 establish a State Seal of Civics Program to recognize pupils who graduate high 2 school with a high level of proficiency in civics; (2) create a State Seal of Civics to 3 affix to the diploma of such pupils; (3) establish the criteria for the Program; and 4 (4) adopt regulations that set forth the criteria to designate a school, pupil or teacher 5 or other school employee as a Nevada School of Civic Excellence, Student Civic 6 Leader or Educator Civic Leader, respectively. (NRS 388.5933, 388.5935, 7 388.5937) Section 2 of this bill creates the Advisory Council on Civics Education 8 within the Department of Education and sets forth the provisions for membership 9 and service on the Council. Section 3 of this bill requires the Council to: (1) assist 10 the Superintendent with the development and implementation of the State Seal of 11 Civics Program; and (2) develop and set forth certain criteria for the Program. 12 Section 4 of this bill: (1) requires the Superintendent to develop the Program in 13 – 2 – - *SB245_R1* cooperation with the Council; (2) authorizes the Superintendent, in consultation 14 with the Council, to adopt any regulations necessary to carry out the provisions of 15 the Program; and (3) authorizes the Superintendent to apply for any available grants 16 and accept any donations or gifts for the support of the Program. Section 5 of this 17 bill revises the grade point average and examination requirements for a pupil to 18 receive the State Seal of Civics. Sections 5 and 6 of this bill revise provisions of 19 the Program to account for the duties of the Council. 20 Section 7 of this bill makes an appropriation to the Nevada Center for Civic 21 Engagement to raise awareness of civics education programs and create awards in 22 areas of civics education. 23 Section 8 of this bill requires the initial appointed members of the Council to 24 draw lots to stagger their initial terms. 25 THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEVADA, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEMBLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS: Section 1. Chapter 388 of NRS is hereby amended by adding 1 thereto the provisions set forth as sections 2 and 3 of this act. 2 Sec. 2. 1. The Advisory Council on Civics Education is 3 hereby created within the Department of Education. The Council 4 consists of: 5 (a) The Secretary of State or his or her designee; 6 (b) Two members who are appointed by the Governor, one of 7 whom is a representative of a business in this State and one of 8 whom is a representative of an industry in this State; 9 (c) Two members who are appointed by the Superintendent of 10 Public Instruction and who are employees of the Department; 11 (d) Two members who are appointed by the Executive Director 12 of the Nevada Center for Civic Engagement and who are staff 13 members of the Nevada Center for Civic Engagement or its 14 successor organization; 15 (e) One member who is appointed by the Chancellor of the 16 Nevada System of Higher Education; 17 (f) One member who is appointed by the Nevada Association of 18 School Administrators who is a principal of a public high school; 19 (g) One member who is appointed by the Clark County 20 Education Association and who is a teacher in a public high 21 school in an urban setting in southern Nevada; and 22 (h) One member who is appointed by the Nevada State 23 Education Association and who is a teacher in a public high 24 school in a rural setting or in northern Nevada. 25 2. After the initial terms, the term of each member of the 26 Council appointed pursuant to paragraphs (b) to (h), inclusive, of 27 subsection 1 is 2 years, and members shall serve at the pleasure of 28 their appointing authority. 29 – 3 – - *SB245_R1* 3. Any vacancy occurring in the membership of the Council 1 must be filled in the same manner as the original appointment not 2 later than 30 days after the vacancy occurs. 3 4. The Council shall select from its members a Chair and a 4 Vice Chair who shall hold office for 1 year and who may be 5 reselected. 6 5. The Council shall meet at the call of the Chair as often as 7 necessary to perform its duties pursuant to section 3 of this act. 8 6. A majority of the members of the Council constitutes a 9 quorum for the transaction of business, and a majority of those 10 members present at any meeting is sufficient for any official 11 action taken by the Council. 12 7. The members of the Council serve without compensation, 13 except that each member is entitled to receive the per diem 14 allowance and travel expenses provided for state officers and 15 employees generally while engaged in the official business of the 16 Council. 17 8. A member of the Council who is an officer or employee of 18 this State or a political subdivision of this State must be relieved 19 from his or her duties without loss of regular compensation to 20 prepare for and attend meetings of the Council and perform any 21 work necessary to carry out the duties of the Council in the most 22 timely manner practicable. A state agency or political subdivision 23 of this State shall not require an officer or employee who is a 24 member of the Council to: 25 (a) Make up the time he or she is absent from work to carry 26 out his or her duties as a member of the Council; or 27 (b) Take annual leave or compensatory time for the absence. 28 Sec. 3. The Advisory Council on Civics Education created by 29 section 2 of this act shall: 30 1. Assist the Superintendent of Public Instruction with the 31 development and implementation of the State Seal of Civics 32 Program established pursuant to NRS 388.5933. 33 2. Develop a process by which pupils may apply to receive the 34 State Seal of Civics. 35 3. Review applications submitted pursuant to subsection 2 36 and recommend qualifying pupils to the Superintendent of Public 37 Instruction for receipt of the State Seal of Civics. 38 4. Develop a rubric and set forth a satisfactory score to 39 determine if a pupil meets the requirements for a satisfactory score 40 in citizenship for the purposes of NRS 388.5935. 41 5. Set forth the requirements for completing a service 42 learning project for the purposes of NRS 388.5935. 43 – 4 – - *SB245_R1* 6. Set forth the criteria to earn a designation as a Nevada 1 School of Civic Excellence, a Student Civic Leader or an Educator 2 Civic Leader. 3 7. Set forth the criteria for distributing any gifts, grants of 4 donations for the support of the State Seal of Civics Program, if 5 any, to any schools that provide civics programs pursuant to NRS 6 388.5933, 388.5935 and 388.5937 and sections 2 and 3 of this act. 7 Sec. 4. NRS 388.5933 is hereby amended to read as follows: 8 388.5933 1. The Superintendent of Public Instruction shall , 9 in cooperation with the Advisory Council on Civics Education 10 created by section 2 of this act, establish a State Seal of Civics 11 Program to recognize pupils who graduate from a public high 12 school, including, without limitation, a charter school and a 13 university school for profoundly gifted pupils, who have attained a 14 high level of proficiency in civics. 15 2. The Superintendent of Public Instruction shall [:] , in 16 cooperation with the Advisory Council on Civics Education: 17 (a) Create a State Seal of Civics that may be affixed to the 18 diploma and noted on the transcript of a pupil to recognize that the 19 pupil has met the requirements of NRS 388.5935; and 20 (b) Deliver the State Seal of Civics to each school district, 21 charter school and university school for profoundly gifted pupils 22 that participates in the State Seal of Civics Program. 23 3. Any school district, charter school and university school for 24 profoundly gifted pupils may participate in the State Seal of Civics 25 Program by notifying the Superintendent of Public Instruction and 26 the Advisory Council on Civics Education of its intent to 27 participate in the Program. 28 4. Each board of trustees of a school district and governing 29 body of a charter school or university school for profoundly gifted 30 pupils that participates in the State Seal of Civics Program shall: 31 (a) Identify the pupils who have met the requirements to be 32 awarded the State Seal of Civics; and 33 (b) Affix the State Seal of Civics to the diploma and note the 34 receipt of the State Seal of Civics on the transcript of each pupil 35 who meets those requirements. 36 5. The Superintendent of Public Instruction may : 37 (a) Apply for any available grants and accept any gifts, grants 38 or donations for the support of the State Seal of Civics Program 39 and its activities pursuant to NRS 388.5933, 388.5935 and 40 388.5937 and sections 2 and 3 of this act. 41 (b) In consultation with the Advisory Council on Civics 42 Education, adopt regulations as necessary to carry out the 43 provisions of this section and NRS 388.5935. 44 – 5 – - *SB245_R1* Sec. 5. NRS 388.5935 is hereby amended to read as follows: 1 388.5935 [1.] A school district, charter school or university 2 school for profoundly gifted pupils that participates in the State Seal 3 of Civics Program established pursuant to NRS 388.5933 must 4 award a pupil, upon graduation from high school, a high school 5 diploma with a State Seal of Civics if the pupil: 6 [(a)] 1. Earns at least a [3.25] 3.0 grade point average on a 4.0 7 grading scale [or, if a different grading scale is used, a 3.85 8 weighted grade point average on a] or any grading scale approved 9 by the Superintendent of Public Instruction. 10 [(b)] 2. Demonstrates proficiency in civics by earning: 11 [(1)] (a) At least 3 credits in social studies; 12 [(2)] (b) A score of at least [90] 80 percent on the 13 examination for civics required pursuant to NRS 389.009; and 14 [(3)] (c) A satisfactory score in citizenship. 15 [(c)] 3. Completes a service learning project. 16 [2. The Department shall develop a rubric and set forth a 17 satisfactory score to determine if a pupil meets the requirements for 18 a satisfactory score in citizenship for the purposes of subparagraph 19 (3) of paragraph (b) of subsection 1. 20 3. The Department shall provide guidance to public schools 21 regarding the requirements for completing a service learning project 22 for the purposes of paragraph (c) of subsection 1.] 23 Sec. 6. NRS 388.5937 is hereby amended to read as follows: 24 388.5937 [1.] The Superintendent of Public Instruction may 25 designate: 26 [(a)] 1. A school district, charter school or university school 27 for profoundly gifted pupils as a Nevada School of Civic 28 Excellence; 29 [(b)] 2. A pupil as a Student Civic Leader; or 30 [(c)] 3. A teacher or other school employee as an Educator 31 Civic Leader. 32 [2. The Superintendent of Public Instruction shall adopt 33 regulations that set forth the criteria to earn a designation pursuant 34 to subsection 1.] 35 Sec. 7. 1. There is hereby appropriated from the State 36 General Fund to the Nevada Center for Civic Engagement the sum 37 of $20,000 to raise awareness of civics education programs, 38 including, without limitation, creating an Internet website containing 39 information about civics education programs, distributing brochures 40 and educational materials on civics education programs to students, 41 teachers, school administrators and parents or guardians of students 42 and creating awards in areas of civics education. 43 2. Upon acceptance of the money appropriated by subsection 1, 44 the Nevada Center for Civic Engagement agrees to: 45 – 6 – - *SB245_R1* (a) Prepare and transmit a report to the Interim Finance 1 Committee on or before December 18, 2026, that describes each 2 expenditure made from the money appropriated by subsection 1 3 from the date on which the money was received by the Nevada 4 Center for Civic Engagement through December 1, 2026; 5 (b) Prepare and transmit a final report to the Interim Finance 6 Committee on or before September 17, 2027, that describes each 7 expenditure made from the money appropriated by subsection 1 8 from the date on which the money was received by Nevada Center 9 for Civic Engagement through June 30, 2027; and 10 (c) Upon request of the Legislative Commission, make available 11 to the Legislative Auditor any of the books, accounts, claims, 12 reports, vouchers or other records of information, confidential or 13 otherwise, of the Nevada Center for Civic Engagement, regardless 14 of their form or location, that the Legislative Auditor deems 15 necessary to conduct an audit of the use of the money appropriated 16 by subsection 1. 17 3. Any remaining balance of the appropriation made by 18 subsection 1 must not be committed for expenditure after June 30, 19 2027, by the entity to which the appropriation is made or any entity 20 to which money from the appropriation is granted or otherwise 21 transferred in any manner, and any portion of the appropriated 22 money remaining must not be spent for any purpose after 23 September 17, 2027, by either the entity to which the money was 24 appropriated or the entity to which the money was subsequently 25 granted or transferred, and must be reverted to the State General 26 [Text truncated for display. Full text available on LegiScan.]