Comprehensive Black History & Culture Education in K-12
The bill requires the state board of education to adopt standards related to Black historical and cultural studies (standards). on or before July 1, 2026. For school years beginning on or after July 1, 2028, local Local education providers shall incorporate the standards into courses for public elementary and secondary school students in the state. The bill aligns the timeline for the development, adoption, and implementation of the standards with the 6-year cycle that the state board of education currently uses for revising the state academic standards.
The bill creates the Black historical and cultural studies advisory committee (committee) in the department of education (department) to recommend standards and related materials and to contribute technical assistance at the request of local education providers implementing the standards. The committee's recommendations must advance developmentally appropriate but comprehensive instruction that features factual accounts of the struggles and contributions of Black Americans in all fields of endeavor. In particular, the bill requires the committee to include among its recommendations suggested updates to make the state's history and civics standards current, accurate, and comprehensive.
Using the committee's recommendations, the department shall create and maintain a resource bank of research-based, scholarly articles and promising program materials and curricula pertaining to Black historical and cultural studies.
(Note: Italicized words indicate new material added to the original summary; dashes through words indicate deletions from the original summary.)
(Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.)