Local education agencies (LEAs) have two years to develop, adopt or integrate high-quality ethnic studies courses to meet the high school graduation requirement mandated by Assembly Bill 101 and the California Education Code. Schools must offer an ethnic studies course by the 2025-2026 school year. 

In the latest Let Me Add to That podcast episode “New Graduation Requirement: Ethnic Studies”, Dr. Michelle Herczog, LACOE’s Coordinator III for History and Social Sciences, says there is flexibility when it comes to how districts can comply. 

“The Ethnic Studies Model Curriculum is not a lesson plan to just drop in, it is designed to provide guidance for Districts across California to help them implement Ethnic Studies,” said Dr. Herczog. “We want to study stories of oppression but also the contributions of marginalized groups in many areas of society that really make up the richness of our diverse nation,”  

According to Dr. Herczog, some of the innovative ways districts are meeting the requirements include:  

• El Rancho Unified, the first District to implement courses eight years ago as a model program,   

• Los Angeles Unified, which has been offering courses as electives and now must scale up coursework and teacher training to address their many students,

• Santa Monica/Malibu Unified’s seamless integration of ethnic studies into their U.S. History courses,   

• Culver City Unified’s menu of course options offered for students in grades 9-12, 

• Long Beach Unified’s dual enrollment allowing students to take courses at local colleges and universities,   

• El Monte’s unique thematic approach that incorporates community history, local diversity and the experiences of local students of color, and,   

• Other districts focusing on individual groups, e.g., LatinX, African-American, Asian Pacific Islander   

Dr. Herczog says funding has already been distributed to LEAs across the state to help support them meeting the requirements. Local education agencies are receiving $25.57 per pupil for students in grades 9-12. 

Dr. Herczog and the LACOE Center for History-Social Studies Education are already providing resources and guidance for LA County schools and districts including a popular no-cost Ethnic Studies Adoption Toolkit in use throughout the State and an upcoming online seminar series focusing on LatinX, African American, Asian-American Pacific Islander, and Native American communities and experiences. Information, toolkits and additional resources are here.  

To learn more about the benefits of ethnic studies, listen to the Let Me Add To That podcast.