Courses that Meet California’s Ethnic Studies High School Graduation Requirement

A broad range of courses already meet the Ethnic Studies requirement, and you might have some in your current course list. As the Ethnic Studies Model Curriculum explains, the course could fall within History-Social Science, English, or other disciplines. According to the California Department of Education: "local educational agencies will determine whether a course satisfies the statute’s requirements." (Thomas Prouty, Deputy General Counsel, California Department of Education) 

Many courses already in place meet the Ethnic Studies requirement, and the Ethnic Studies Model Curriculum lists example courses ranging from African American Literature to Chicano/a Theater and Chicano/a Mural Art Painting, from Vietnamese American History to Native American Studies Contemporary Perspectives.

The seminal text for decades has been James Banks’ Teaching Strategies for Ethnic Studies, which provides an entire curriculum and is the empowering, honest, but non-politicized curriculum for a K-12 Ethnic Studies course.

To develop a survey Ethnic Studies course, click here to learn what makes an effective K-12 Ethnic Studies course.

Contact us to learn about the various districts that have been implementing Constructive Ethnic Studies curricula.

Click here for an example Ethnic Studies curriculum outline. Contact us for this full curriculum.