Program Authorization
The 2022 California State Budget established the California Serves Program (California Education Code [EC] Section 51475
), a collaboration between the California Department of Education (CDE) and California Volunteers
. The California Serves Program will promote access to effective service learning for students in grade twelve, with the goal of expanding access for high school graduates in obtaining a State Seal of Civic Engagement (SSCE) through service learning.
Program Outline
The CDE, in partnership with California Volunteers, will:
- Review the available evidence on ways to incorporate effective service learning for students in grades nine through twelve.
- Provide recommendations to the Legislature on evidence-based strategies to expand access to high-quality service-learning programs in California high schools, and promote equitable access to these programs.
- Develop and post information on evidence-based strategies for expanding access to high-quality service-learning programs that may be used by teachers and local educational agencies (LEAs).
- Develop model uniform metrics, based on the recommended criteria for the SSCE, for the measurement of student progress toward academic, civic engagement, and other learning objectives, including awarding the SSCE.
- Use the evidence, recommendations, and metrics identified to administer the California Serves Grants Program.
California Serves Grants
Beginning with the 2022–23 fiscal year, $5 million will be appropriated annually to the CDE to award in grants to eligible LEAs participating in the California Serves Grant Program. The CDE will develop and administer this grant program in collaboration with California Volunteers, including developing criteria for the awarding of grants, developing an application process, requesting data from participating LEAs, and awarding grants.
Under this program, eligible LEAs may receive up to $500,000 annually in grants, which may be used for:
- Paid planning time for teachers to increase the use of service learning in instruction.
- Professional development on service learning for administrators and teachers.
- Purchase of instructional materials to help integrate service learning in instruction.
- Participation costs, including materials or travel expenses related to service learning activities.
- Personnel costs for coordinating service learning at the LEA or a school site.
- Participation costs associated with grant program evaluation.
Per EC Section 51475(d), in order to be eligible to apply for this grant, at least 55 percent of the pupils enrolled in the applicant LEA shall be unduplicated pupils as defined in EC Section 2574 or 42238.02, as applicable. Please review the California Serves Eligibility spreadsheet to determine your LEA’s unduplicated pupil rate and eligibility to apply for this grant:
California Serves Grant 2024–25 Eligibility (XLSX)
Grant Web Pages and Timelines
| Activity | Date |
|---|---|
| Request for Applications (RFA) Release | Week of December 2, 2024* |
| Application Workshop Webinar | Monday, December 16, 2024* |
| Notice of Intent to Apply Due | Thursday, January 9, 20205, by 4 p.m.* |
| Application due to the CDE | Monday, January 27, 2025 by 4 p.m.* |
| Intent to Award posted | Week of March 10, 2025* |
| Last day for California Serves Grant appeals to be received by the CDE | One week after the Intent to Award is posted* |
| Final Awards Posted | Week of April 28, 2025* |
*Timeline subject to change.
Application Workshop Webinar
Applicants are invited to attend an informational webinar to learn more about the requirements of the California Serves Grant Program RFA. The application webinar will be held on Monday, December 16, 2024, from 9:30 to 11 a.m.
Zoom registration for December 16, 2024 Webinar
.
Previous California Serves Grant Cycles
2023-24
The 2023–24 school year was the second year of this program. For more information, please visit the 2023–24 California Serves Grant Program Funding Results web page.
California Serves Grant 2023–24 Eligibility (XLSX)
2022-23
In the 2022–23 school year, the CDE began the pilot year of this program. In May of 2023, the CDE posted the final awards for the initial year of funding. For more information, please visit the 2022–2023 California Serves Grant Program Funding Results web page.
Reports to the Legislature
EC Section 51475 requires that CDE, in partnership with California Volunteers, provide recommendations to the Legislature, consistent with Section 9795 of the Government Code and consistent with the recommended criteria and implementation guidance for the SSCE pursuant to this article, on evidence-based strategies to expand access to high-quality service-learning programs in California high schools and promote equitable access to these programs.
California Serves: Strategies to Expand High-Quality and Accessible Service-Learning Programs in California High Schools (Coming Soon)
EC Section 51475 also requires the CDE, on or before November 5, 2024, and in partnership with California Volunteers, to submit an annual report to the Legislature on participation in the California Serves grant program. Annual reports to the Legislature will be posted here as soon as they become available.
Recommendations for Service-Learning
EC Section 51475 requires that CDE, in partnership with California Volunteers, provide recommendations to the Legislature, consistent with Section 9795 of the Government Code and consistent with the recommended criteria and implementation guidance for the SSCE pursuant to this article, on evidence-based strategies to expand access to high-quality service learning programs in California high schools and promote equitable access to these programs.
Service-learning recommendations are under review, and will be posted here as soon as they are available.
Model Uniform Metrics
EC Section 51475 requires that CDE, in partnership with California Volunteers, develop model uniform metrics, based on the recommended criteria for the SSCE, for the measurement of pupil progress toward academic, civic engagement, and other learning objectives.
Model uniform metrics are under development, and will be posted here as soon as they are available.