AB 2772: Pupil instruction: ethnic studies: grant program.

Existing law requires a pupil to complete designated coursework while in grades 9 to 12, inclusive, in order to receive a diploma of graduation from high school.

Existing law requires the Instructional Quality Commission to develop, and the State Board of Education to adopt, modify, or revise, a model curriculum in ethnic studies. Existing law also encourages each school district and charter school that maintains any of grades 9 to 12, inclusive, and that does not otherwise offer a standards-based ethnic studies curriculum to offer, beginning in the school year following the adoption of the model curriculum, a course of study in ethnic studies based on the model curriculum.

This bill would authorize the governing board of a school district to, during the 201920 school year, apply to the State Department of Education for a grant to fund, for the 202021, 202122, and 202223 school years, a semester- or year-long course in ethnic studies that the governing board of the school district would require each pupil to complete, except as specified, while in any of grades 9 to 12, inclusive, in order to receive a diploma of graduation from high school. The bill would require the governing board of a school district to base any course required as part of the grant program on the model curriculum in ethnic studies adopted by the state board. The bill would require the department to award grants for these purposes, as specified, to provide professional development and technical assistance to school districts for purposes of applying for and implementing grants, and to submit a report to the Legislature that contains best practices and recommendations for including an ethnic studies course in the states high school graduation requirements. The bill would make implementation of its provisions contingent upon funding being provided for those purposes from private or public sources.

The bill would make these provisions inoperative on March 1, 2028, and would repeal them as of January 1, 2029.