CT 1st State To Require High Schools Teach Black, Latino Studies

CONNECTICUT — Gov. Ned Lamont today announced that Connecticut has become the first state to require all high schools to offer courses on African-American, Black, Puerto Rican, and Latino studies.

The requirement is the result of a law Lamont signed last year that directs all regional and local boards of education to include an elective course of studies at the high school level that provides students with a better understanding of the African-American, Black, Puerto Rican, and Latino contributions to United States history, society, economy, and culture. Last week, the Connecticut State Board of Education unanimously approved the curriculum for the course, which was a final step needed to implement the requirement.

High schools may offer the course in 2021-22 and will be required to offer it during the school year that begins in the fall of 2022.

"Increasing the diversity of what we teach is critical to providing students with a better understanding of who we are as a society and where we are going," Lamont said in a news release on Wednesday. "Adding this course in our high schools will be an enormous benefit not only to our Black and Latino students, but to students of all backgrounds because everyone can benefit from these studies. This is a step that is long overdue, and I applaud the work of the General Assembly, State Board of Education, and everyone at the State Education Resource Center whose collaborative work helped get this done."

The adopted curriculum focuses on a two-pronged, inquiry-based approach, including both content knowledge and student identity development, according to the news release. It utilizes Connecticut's Social Studies Framework themes and inquiry-based approach already familiar to social studies teachers. The Connecticut State Department of Education partnered with the State Education Resource Center to develop the curriculum.

The development process was guided by a 150-member advisory group comprised of educators, administrators, higher education professors and scholars, national researchers and historians, representatives from education and community organizations, and studies and families. The group organized into nine committees with specific tasks. The work of each committee was facilitated by a SERC liaison to ensure seamless communication and workflow between committees.

Additionally, a review panel was convened, consisting of ten national and state-level experts to review course deliverables as they were developed and provide critical feedback and resources. Other opportunities for stakeholder involvement included providing feedback through surveys and focus groups.

"Identities matter, especially when 27 percent of our students identify as Hispanic or Latino and 13 percent identify as Black or African-American," Connecticut Education Commissioner Miguel Cardona said. "This curriculum acknowledges that by connecting the story of people of color in the U.S. to the larger story of American history. The fact is that more inclusive, culturally relevant content in classrooms leads to greater student engagement and better outcomes for all."