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https://www.seq.org/DEPARTMENTS/Educational-Services/Professional-Development--Curriculum/Ethnic-Studies/
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Sequoia Union High School District

Ethnic Studies

Ethnic Studies at SUHSD: Overview

Ethnic Studies at SUHSD: Overview

Ethnic studies became a graduation requirement in California when Governor Gavin Newsom signed AB 101 into law on October 12, 2021. Districts must now develop and offer an ethnic studies course by 2025-26 and include it as a graduation requirement by 2029-30.
 
In the Sequoia Union High School District, Ethnic Studies (as a graduation requirement) was proposed by a team of District teachers, who presented their proposal to the Board of Trustees at the October 14, 2020, Board Meeting. Before the proposal was presented, it was approved by the Social Studies Subject Area Council, comprised of social studies department chairs. It was then approved by the Instructional Vice Principals, the Principals, and Cabinet. While the District had previously offered ethnic studies as an elective, a petition was started by district graduates and signed by 2,307 individuals urging the District to adopt a race and ethnicity course requirement. At the October 28, 2020 Board Meeting, the course was approved as a District graduation requirement. At that point, teachers applied to be a part of the course design team to work with district staff to design the course unit outlines and final assessments.
 
This course is designed to build a foundation for other high school social studies such as world history and US hisotry, where these lenses and critical analysis will be further honed and utilized in various historical contexts.
 
Ethnic Studies is a three-quarter social science-focused course offered to students in their freshman year. In the course, students develop the skills to critically examine local, national, and global histories through the lens of race, gender, and class. This enables students to identify dynamics of power and where injustice and oppression exist, to imagine the reshaping of those systems with the intent of finding agency, solidarity, “collective hope,” and healing. This course aims to leverage existing methodologies to question dominant narratives while also revealing less familiar narratives, systems, and their creation and establish new ones. The course centers race, ethnicity and their intersections with other social identities, such as gender and class. Intersectionality and the critical skills of Ethnic Studies are key in our framework and in all our units, departing from a traditional “Ethnic Studies” model that divides each unit into racial categories.
SUHSD Ethnic studies curriculum

SUHSD Ethnic studies curriculum

Districts can use California’s Ethnic Studies Model Curriculum, adopted by the State Board of Education or develop their own curriculum. SUHSD chose to build a framework and curriculum that is responsive to the needs and composition of our community. Throughout this course, we aim to establish an inclusive, compassionate, and all-encompassing learning community that facilitates every student's academic and social flourishing. The skills and knowledge acquired by students in this course will help them achieve the District's mission of being prepared to excel in a global society.
Community Outreach, Input from Educational Partners, and Board Presentations

Community Outreach, Input from Educational Partners, and Board Presentations

In developing the curriculum for ethnic studies, SUHSD has collaborated with internal and external groups, such as shared site decisionmaking councils and various community organizations, to ensure the course is representative and inclusive. Additionally, the District sought input from the public when Ethnic Studies was presented at its board meetings.
 
Ethnic Studies Course Proposal Presentation (October 14, 2020) - https://go.boarddocs.com/ca/seq/Board.nsf/goto?open&id=BU6SC371F8DC 
 
Approval of Revised Board Policy 6146.1, High School Graduation (Ethnic Studies added) (October 28, 2020) - https://go.boarddocs.com/ca/seq/Board.nsf/goto?open&id=BUKVN781846E 
 
Second Reading and Adoption of Board Policy BP 6146.1, High School Graduation Requirements (Update to course length from one-half to three-quarters) (September 22, 2021) - https://go.boarddocs.com/ca/seq/Board.nsf/goto?open&id=C6P6H814F9A9 
 

First Reading of Revised Administrative Regulation AR 6143, Courses of Study (September 21, 2022, second reading October 12, 2022) - https://go.boarddocs.com/ca/seq/Board.nsf/goto?open&id=CJ8PTT659640