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Ethnic Studies

CA State Ethnic Studies Requirement - Assembly Bill 101

  • CA State Assembly Bill 101 requires students beginning in the graduating class of the 2029-2030, complete a one-semester Ethnic Studies course as part of their high school graduation criteria.

  • Assembly Bill 101 (Chapter 661, Statutes of 2021) established expectations that local educational agencies (LEAs) with students in grades 9 to 12 will offer at least a one-semester course in ethnic studies beginning in the 2025-26 school year.

  • CA State Assembly Bill 2016 states the Ethnic Studies Model Curriculum will be used as a guide, not a mandate, for use within district instructional programs.

Ethnic Studies Overview

Legislative Requirements

Description and definition

Model Curriculum

A  guide for instructional programs

Features, Options, and Themes

Including options and themes for successful implementation

Ethnic Studies Resources

Teaching practices and resources for lesson planning

Suggested Timelines and Action Steps

Suggested timelines and action steps 

Ethnic Studies Foundational Skills

Basic skills that will be implemented

Topical Index

The following index is provided to assist in navigating the California Ethnic Studies Model Curriculum and related legislation.

Pupil instruction: high school graduation requirements: ethnic studies, Cal. Assemb. B. 101 (2020-2021), Chapter 661 (Cal. Stat. 2021)

Pupil instruction: ethnic studies, Cal. Assemb. B. 2016 (2015-2016), Chapter 327, pp. 1-2 (Cal. Stat. 2016)

Four Foundational Disciplines, pp. 3-4

State Board of Education Guidelines, pp. 4-6

Why Teach Ethnic Studies in a K-12 environment, pp. 8-9

Defining Ethnic Studies, pp. 9-10

A History of Ethnic Studies, pp. 10-12

The Benefits of Ethnic Studies, pp. 12-14

How Do You Teach Ethnic Studies in a K-12 Environment, pp. 14-15

Guiding Values of Ethnic Studies, pp. 15-16

Outcomes of Ethnic Studies, pp. 16-20

Stand-Alone Courses, p. 47

Integrating Ethnic Studies into Existing Courses, pp. 51-52

Thematic/ Comparative Race and Ethnic Studies Approach, pp. 52-53

Grade Level, pp. 53-55

Introduction to Ethnic Studies/ Course Outline, pp. 55-57

Sample Theme #1 Identity, p. 58-59

Sample Theme #2 History and Movement, pp. 59-61

Sample Theme #3 Systems of Power, pp. 61-62

Sample Theme #4 Social Movements and Equity, pp. 62-64

Sample Lesson and Unit Plan Templates, pp. 64-71

Fostering Democratic Classrooms, pp. 77-79

8 Outcomes of Ethnic Studies, pp. 79-80

Sample Lesson #1 Migration Stories and Oral History, (History and Movement), pp. 81-84

Sample Lesson #2 Social Movements and Student Civic Engagement, (Social Movements and Equity), pp. 85-90

Sample Lesson #3 Youth-Led Participatory Action Research, (Social Movements and Equity), pp. 90-93

Sample Lesson #4 Introducing Narratives (Systems of Power), pp. 94-97

Sample Lesson #5 Introducing Dominant Narratives (Systems of Power), pp. 98-105

Sample Lesson #6 Classical Africa and Other Major Civilizations (Identity), pp. 106-109

Sample Lesson #7 US Housing Inequality: Redlining and Racial Housing Covenants (Systems of Power), pp. 110-117

Sample Lesson #8 An Introduction to African American Innovators (Identity), pp. 118-128

Sample Lesson #9 Black Lives Matter and Social Change (Social Movements and Equity), pp. 129-131

Sample Lesson #10 Afrofuturism: Reimaging Black Futures and Science Fiction (Identity, Systems of Power), pp. 132-138

Additional Sample Topics (African American Studies), pp. 139-140

Sample Lesson #11 Salvadoran American Migration and Collective Resistance (History and Movement), pp. 141-153

Sample Lesson #12 US Undocumented Immigrants from Mexico and Beyond: Mojada: A Medea in Los Angeles (Systems of Power), pp. 154-158

Sample Lesson #13 The East LA Blowouts: An Anchor to the Chicano Movement, (Social Movements and Equity), pp. 159-163

Additional Sample Topics (Chicana/o/x and Latina/o/x), p. 164-165

Sample Lesson #14 Asian American and Pacific Islander Studies (History and Movement), pp. 166-173

Sample Lesson #15 Cambodian Americans— Deportation Breaking Families Apart (History and Movement), pp. 174-187

Sample Lesson #16 Chinese Railroad Workers (Systems of Power), pp. 188-193

Sample Lesson #17 Little Manila, Filipino Laborers, and the United Farm Workers (UFW) (Social Movements and Equity), pp. 194-200

Sample Lesson #18 Hmong Americans— Community, Struggle, Voice (History and Movement), pp. 201-209

Sample Lesson #19 Indian Americans: Creating Community and Establishing an Identity in California (History and Movement), pp. 210-215

Sample Lesson #20 The Japanese American Incarceration Experience Through Poetry and Spoken Word—A Focus on Literary Analysis and Historical Significance (Identity, Systems of Power), pp. 216-240

Sample Lesson #21 Korean American Experiences and Interethnic Relations (History and Movement), pp. 241-250

Sample Lesson #22 The Immigrant Experience of Lao Americans (History and Movement), pp. 251-254

Sample Lesson #23 Historical and Contemporary Experiences of Pacific Islanders in the United States (History and Movement, Identity), pp. 255-267

Sample Lesson #24 South Asian Americans in the United States (History and Movement), pp. 268-310

Sample Lesson #25 Vietnamese American Experiences— The Journey of Refugees (History and Movement), pp. 311-322

Additional Sample Topics (Asian American and Pacific Islanders), pp. 323-324

Sample Lesson #26 This is Indian Land: The Purpose, Politics, and Practice of Land Acknowledgment (Identity), pp. 325-333

Sample Lesson #27 Develop or Preserve? The Shellmound Sacred Site Struggle (Social Movements and Equity), pp. 334-338

Sample Lesson #28 Native American Mascots (Identity), pp. 339-346

Additional Sample Topics (Native Americans), pp. 347-349

Affirming Identity, p. 350

Exploring and Embracing Your Own Community, p. 350-351

Complicating Single Stories, pp. 351-352

Sharing a Wide of Democratic Participation, pp. 352-353

Widening Our Universe of Obligation, pp. 353-354

Seeking Models of Interethnic Bridge Building, pp. 354-355

Sample Lesson #29 The Sikh American Community in California (History and Movement), pp. 356-359

Sample Lesson #30 Antisemitism and Jewish Middle Eastern Americans (Identity), 360-365

Sample Lesson #31 Jewish Americans: Identity, Intersectionality, and Complicating Ideas of Race (Identity), pp. 366-382

Sample Lesson #32 An Introduction to Arab American Studies (Identity), pp. 383-399

Sample Lesson #33 Armenian Migration Stories and Oral History (History and Movement), pp. 400-409

Safe Spaces and Community-Building Activities, pp. 412-413

Affirmations, Chants, and Energizers, pp. 414-418

Critical Conversations, pp. 418-419

Connecting Ethnic Studies to Local Demographics, pp. 419-420

CA Museums and Historic Sites, pp. 420–424

Other Model Curriculum, p. 424

UC-Approved Course Outlines Overview, pp. 428-429

Full Year, Grade Levels 9-12, English, English, 430-434

Half Year, Grade Levels 9-12, College-Preparatory Elective, History-Social Science, pp. 435-439

Full Year, Grade Levels 9-12, College-Preparatory Elective, History-Social Science, pp. 440-446

Full Year, Grade Levels 11 & 12, College-Preparatory Elective, History-Social Science, pp. 447-451

Full Year, Grade Levels 9-12, College-Preparatory Elective, History-Social Science, pp. 452-471

Full Year, Grade Levels 9, College-Preparatory Elective, History-Social Science, pp. 472-476

Full Year, Grade Levels 11 & 12, English, English, pp. 477-483

Full Year, Grade Levels 11, English, English, pp. 484-491

Half Year, Grade Levels 11 & 12, College-Preparatory Elective, History-Social Science, pp. 492-504

Half Year, Grade Levels 10-12, College-Preparatory Elective, History-Social Science, pp. 505-510

Full Year, Grade Levels 10-12, College-Preparatory Elective, English, pp. 511-522

Full Year, Grade Levels 9-12, College-Preparatory Elective, History-Social Science, pp. 523-527

Full Year, Honors, Grade Levels 11, History-Social Science, US History, pp. 528-549

Full Year, Honors, Grade Levels 11, English, English, pp. 550-557

Full Year, Grade Levels 9-12, College Preparatory Elective, History-Social Science, pp. 558-573

Full Year, Grade Levels 11 & 12, English, English, pp. 574-583

Full Year, Grade Levels 10-12, College-Preparatory Elective, English, pp. 584-595

Full Year, Grade Levels 9 & 10, Language Other Than English, LOTE Level 4+, pp. 596-599

Full Year, Grade Levels 9-12, Visual and Performing Arts, Visual Arts, pp. 600-604

Full Year, Grade Levels 11 & 12, College-Preparatory Elective, History-Social Science, pp. 605-611

Full Year, Grade Levels 9-12, Visual and Performing Arts, Theater, pp. 612-615

Full Year, Grade Levels 10-12, College-Preparatory Elective, History-Social Science, pp. 616-623

Full Year, Grade Levels 9-12, College-Preparatory Elective, History-Social Science, pp. 624-639

Full Year, Grade Levels 12, English, English, pp. 640-653

Full Year, Grade Levels 9, College-Preparatory Elective, History-Social Science, pp. 654-659

Full Year, Grade Levels 11 & 12, College-Preparatory Elective, History-Social Science) pp. 660-667

Half Year, Online, Grade Levels 9-12, History, History-Social Science, pp. 668-671

Half Year, Grade Levels 9 - 12, College-Preparatory Elective, History-Social Science, pp. 672-679

Half Year, Grade Levels 9 - 12, College-Preparatory Elective, History-Social Science, pp. 680-687