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LegiSchool Project
The LegiSchool Project is a civic education collaboration between California State University, Sacramento, and the California State Legislature, administered by the Center for California Studies. The Project’s mission is to engage California’s high school students in matters of public policy and state government by creating opportunities for students and state leaders to meet and share ideas on issues affecting Californians. In doing so, we hope to motivate young people to take an interest in the public life around them and to encourage their active participation in our political process.
For the 2025-2026 school year, LegiSchool will continue to offer both in-person and online programming. Our student-led Town Hall Meetings, Summer Civics Institute, contests and curriculum materials are all ways that students can learn to take initiative, be involved and connect to state government and public service. LegiSchool's programs are designed to provide a broad, easy-to-understand background on the complex issues faced by the state.
Learn more about LegiSchool by reading the LegiSchool blog!
Want to know more about this year's plan? Check out the 2024/25 Legischool Newsletter!
Want to get on our mailing lists about Town Halls, Contests, and Internship opportunities? Fill out our online form.
Town Hall Meetings
Teachers and students will be able to participate in our Town Hall Meetings by joining us at Downtown Sacramento. Our Town Hall Meetings gives students the chance to discuss important policy issues and will feature high school students as our panel moderators. State Capitol tours are provided for each participating class and transportation costs are covered by LegiSchool. . Please contact rotcehernandez@csus.edu to register your class.
2025-2026 Town Hall Meetings
- October 24, 2025: Education Access
- December 12, 2025: Public Health & Wellness
- February 20, 2026:Criminal Justice & Public Safety
- April 24, 2026: Environment and Climate Action
Recordings of previous Town Hall Meetings
If you are an educator interested in registering your class to our Town Hall Meetings, please contact legischool@csus.edu for more information. Supplemental curriculum guides are offered for each Town Hall Meeting and transportation costs are fully covered by LegiSchool.
Contests
LegiSchool facilitates contests each year that are available to California high school students. See below for date and topic information for each contest. If you have any questions, please email legischool@csus.edu.
Video Contest
Join students from across the state and participate in our newest contest! Whether through ASMR, skits, dances, memes, fan cams, lip-syncing or funny edits, show us how creative you can be when discussing the political process! Information coming soon.
Deadline: November 21, 2025
Essay Contest
Even if you’re not 18 yet, your voice in democracy starts now! In California, 16 and 17 year olds can preregister to vote, so that when you turn 18, you’ll be automatically ready to cast a ballot. Voting is one of the most powerful ways to make your voice heard and shape the future of your community.
This year, we want to hear from YOU: Why do you think voting matters? How can voting impact issues you care about most, like education, public safety, or health? And what do you think it takes to make sure more young people are engaged in the voting process?
All high school students are invited to submit their essay response to our annual LegiSchool Essay Contest! Selected winners will be chosen to participate in the Legislative Summit in Sacramento, where they’ll share their ideas directly with policymakers.
Deadline: January 31, 2026
2026 LegiSchool Civics Virtual Institute
The LegiSchool Civics Virtual Institute gives a select number of California high school students the unique opportunity to participate in an intensive 4-week online summer program that explores important policy issues in California and provides students the tools to develop leadership and professional skills. Students will meet virtually on Mondays, Wednesday and Friday afternoons from June 22 – July 17.
Students will learn about each of the three branches of government with an emphasis on public service and the political process. Activities include: online discussions to learn more about state agencies and the judicial branch, research projects focused on important California policy issues, and speaker sessions and professional workshops led by the branch experts themselves.
A stipend will be provided to the student upon completion of the summer program. The internship is open to all sophomore, junior and senior high school students in California. The LegiSchool Civics Virtual Institute is a summer internship program and is not a Sacramento State college course.
Applications for 2025 are now closed. Please check back in 2026.