The Legislative Advocacy Team, February 16, 2026
California State PTA has taken a support position on Senate Bill 1048, authored by State Senator Josh Becker and sponsored by Ten Strands and Undaunted K12. PTA has also signed on as a co-sponsor of the bill, which was introduced on February 12. Here is some preliminary information for PTA members.
What would a State Seal of Climate Literacy signify?
The intent of SB 1048 is to create a voluntary climate literacy diploma endorsement program for California high school students. Participating school districts would offer students the opportunity to graduate with a Seal of Climate Literacy on their diplomas, signifying their completion of relevant science and climate literacy coursework and hands-on experiential learning projects in their communities. In attaining the Seal, students will gain college-preparatory and career-relevant skills and experiences that will enable them to both understand and act on the challenges of a changing climate.
The choice of approved courses in the area of climate literacy would be up to school districts. They could include existing high-level science courses, career technical courses (including through dual enrollment), and courses in other subject areas that integrate the state’s environmental principles and concepts. Students would also need to complete a final experiential learning project that focuses on the effects of climate change in the pupil’s local community and which demonstrates an academic understanding of climate literacy.
The bill also calls for the creation of two special distinctions to recognize students who demonstrate proficiency in technical green skills or earn college credit while attaining the Seal of Climate Literacy.
Why is a State Seal needed?
California students are feeling the impacts of climate change in their communities and at school. During the 2025 fall semester, for example, they lost 55,000 hours of instructional time due to extreme weather, including wildfires, flooding, and heatwaves. As students feel these impacts, it is clear they want more climate education. For example, a recent UN study found that 98% of young people surveyed felt climate education should be taught in primary, secondary, and higher education classrooms.
Research shows that employers are seeking climate-literate workers who have both technical knowledge and essential skills. Climate change is reshaping the workforce, and students need preparation that reflects that reality.
The California Seal of Climate Literacy will recognize students who develop the skills to understand climate change and its impacts, to engage their communities with innovative solutions, and to prepare for careers and further study in environmental fields.
The first state to adopt the Seal of Climate Literacy was Colorado, doing so in 2024. What began as a student-led movement there has become a growing national effort to recognize climate-ready graduates. Today, states across the country are considering adoption of this model in the hope that it helps prepare students for their futures.
Why Is California State PTA Supporting This Bill?
California State PTA has a long history of supporting the need for students to be educated about environmental issues.
More than a decade ago, PTA Convention delegates adopted a resolution affirming that Climate Change is a Children’s Issue. As part of that resolution, our organization committed to urging school districts to educate students on climate and energy literacy, and human sustainability.
But California State PTA first went on record in 2007 supporting a comprehensive K-12 environmental education curriculum for all students. That position statement, entitled Environmental Health and Environmental Education, states:
“… protecting the environment and human health is a complex, interconnected and perpetual endeavor. PTA encourages schools, families, and communities to support environmental decision-making processes that are open to all and that are based on stewardship of the environment and concern for the people who live in it, especially the most vulnerable, our children.”
What Can PTA Members Do?
PTA members can help raise awareness about SB 1048 and the Seal of Climate Literacy by spreading the word within their local units and councils. Share this blog post, the SB 1048 (Becker) bill language, and California State PTA’s resolution Climate Change is a Children’s Issue. Sign up for advocacy information and Take Action alerts. Our students want and need to be climate literate and the Seal of Climate Literacy can help further that goal.
California State PTA’s Legislative Advocacy Commission voted to support and co-sponsor SB 1048 on February 13, 2026. For more information on California State PTA legislative positions, visit capta.org.