Frequently Asked Questions

The state of California already created a course to fulfill the Ethnic Studies Course requirement. Are we allowed to use this course instead of that one? How is this different?

Yes, you are allowed to use this course. In California, schools will be required to offer an ethnic studies course starting in the fall of 2025, with the requirement applying to students graduating in 2030 and beyond. The legislation provides flexibility, allowing school districts to choose how they fulfill this requirement. Districts can develop their own curriculum or select from various existing models. The goal of this requirement (and our curriculum) is to provide students with a deeper understanding of the contributions and experiences of various ethnic groups throughout history and in contemporary society.

I teach at a religious school. Is this content appropriate for students of faith?

Yes, these lessons are appropriate for students of faith.

Can homeschooled students use this curriculum?

Yes. This curriculum includes 82 complete turnkey lesson plans plus a raft of supplemental materials. It is designed to be an asset for homeschooling parents and public school teachers alike, and it is available free of charge.

How can public school teachers/parents get their school to use this curriculum? And to whom should they reach out?

Curriculum decisions in U.S. public schools vary state by state (and sometimes even by school district). We recommend contacting your local school board to learn more.

Praise for Comparative Cultures Ethnic Studies Curriculum

“In creating the Comparative Cultures Ethnic Studies Curriculum for use by teachers in California and beyond, the Independent Institute has provided something rare in today’s overheated, polarized educational landscape—a content-rich, pedagogically astute, and yes, balanced set of instructional resources. Given the political minefield that ethnic studies must inevitably traverse, this is a remarkable achievement. One hopes that school district leaders and teachers will take a detailed look at this curriculum and judge it on its merits. To dismiss it in advance due to political differences with the institute or the curriculum’s editor, Bill Evers, would be a mistake: This is a fine curriculum.”
—David Steiner, Executive Director, Johns Hopkins Institute for Education Policy; former New York State Commissioner of Education

“The Independent Institute’s new curriculum successfully incorporates viewpoint diversity. These materials are highly recommended for any teacher who wants students to understand that history is a rigorous and enriching debate among rival frameworks.”
—Fabio Guillermo Rojas, Virginia L. Roberts Professor of Sociology, Indiana University; author, From Black Power to Black Studies

“California has over 1200 high schools with more than 1.6 million students and by 2029-30 graduating pupils will need to complete one semester of Ethnic Studies. Educators are already aware of the state-approved Ethnic Studies Model Curriculum and some are also cognizant of the Liberated Ethnic Studies Model Curriculum. Adding to these extensive resources is the Comparative Cultures Ethnic Studies.  Schools will benefit from the use of all three resources to meet the needs of their students and to broaden community discussions. The goal is not to provide a singularity of understanding but to create a debate about the different meanings of ethnic studies. With a variety of sources and perspectives, students will be able to decide for themselves.”
—Tom Adams, former Deputy Superintendent of the Instruction and Learning Support Branch, California Department of Education; former Director, Curriculum Frameworks and Instructional Resources Division, California Department of Education; former Executive Director, Instructional Quality Commission, California Department of Education; former Trustee, Davis (Calif.) Joint Unified School District

“The Comparative Cultures Ethnic Studies Curriculum enables students to engage positively with and celebrate the diverse backgrounds that enrich our society. Good job!!!”
—Norma Sanchez Garza, former Executive Director, National Board for Education Sciences, U.S. Department of Education; co-founder and former Chair, Brownsville READS, Brownsville, Texas

“Ethnic studies is an important part of the American story, too important to be put in the hands of ideologues who use the subject to push a divisive agenda. Thankfully,  Comparative Cultures Ethnic Studies provides a balanced, nuanced alternative. Bravo.”
—David E. Bernstein, Distinguished University Professor, Antonin Scalia Law School, George Mason University, and author, Classified: The Untold Story of Racial Classification in America.

“This course will stimulate student inquiry and will offer a challenge to students as they question their understanding of race and ethnicity. It is a necessary course for students to understand the continual changes in attitudes in this area. It will also expose them to different academic approaches to the study of the subject matter, and it will provoke constructive discussions regarding the use of terms and wording as they relate to race and ethnicity. The information in this curriculum will draw serious students into wanting to read, discover, and understand the complexities of this important topic.”
—Linda Royster Beito, Professor Emerita of Political Science and Criminal Justice and former Dean of Arts and Sciences, Stillman College, Tuscaloosa, Alabama; co-author; T.R.M. Howard: Doctor, Entrepreneur, Civil Rights Pioneer; member, 2020 criminal justice curriculum task force, Alabama State Department of Education

“America has been a multi-ethnic country since its inception. Too many curricula fail to take account of the stories of all the different groups that have come to this country—and those who were here originally. But Comparative Cultures Ethnic Studies leaves no stone unturned. The stories of these groups—the discrimination they experienced, the contributions they made, the ways that they have forced us to be a more tolerant and better country—are told through the lens of vivid individual stories and primary source materials. Students offered this curriculum will recognize their own groups but will also recognize themselves in others. I cannot recommend Comparative Cultures enough.”
—Naomi Schaefer Riley, author, The New Trail of Tears: How Washington Is Destroying American Indians; former blogger, Chronicle of Higher Education

“This curriculum uniquely exposes students to views from across the political spectrum and provides great support to teachers with easy access to credible resources and evidence-based views. All-in-all it offers a balanced alternative to the other Model Curricula.”
—Raneene P. Belisle, former Executive Director, California State Board of Education; former Member, California State Board of Education; former Chair, California Advisory Commission on Charter Schools; former General Counsel, Sacramento County Office of Education

“Fortunate indeed are California high school students who are asked to write a final essay for their Ethnic Studies course that draws on what they’ve learned from the thorough, balanced, and challenging but accessible “Comparative Cultures” curriculum now available to schools across the Golden State. They should be well-prepared to address the question, “How effective have civil rights measures been for different ethnic groups in the United States?” for they’ll have studied and discussed the variegated experiences of those groups, the historical context of their experiences, the factors that shaped them, and the successes (and failures) of efforts to address the challenges faced by those groups. Better still, their studies will be grounded in accurate information, essential documents, diverse perspectives, probing questions, and thorough analysis. I hope and trust that is what California lawmakers sought when they mandated an Ethnic Studies course for the state’s young people.”
—Chester E. Finn, Jr., former professor of education and public policy, Vanderbilt University; former chairman, National Assessment Governing Board (which oversees the National Assessment of Educational Progress [NAEP]); former Assistant U.S. Secretary of Education for Research and Improvement; former member of the Maryland State Board of Education; Volker Senior Fellow, Hoover Institution, Stanford University; Distinguished Senior Fellow and President Emeritus, Thomas B. Fordham Institute

“A superb alternative that’s a beacon of fairness, balance, and exposure to diverse viewpoints on the sensitive topics inherent in ethnic history. ... This curriculum bursts with off-the-shelf lesson plans and an abundance of hyperlinked websites and short videos. The guided use of AI is an unexpected bonus. ... This curriculum captures the rich pluralism of America. Going beyond echo chambers and ideological bubbles, this curriculum challenges students to think outside their unexamined beliefs and provides a platform for civil discourse. It encourages respectful discussion when tackling controversial topics, instilling hope for a more inclusive and understanding future. ... If you are a teacher seeking a truly model curriculum, look no further—this is it.”
—Jonathan Bean, Professor of History, Southern Illinois University; Editor, Race and Liberty in America: The Essential Reader (2009); author, Big Government and Affirmative Action (2001); author, “Samuel Fuller” and “Charles Wallace,” in African American National Biography, ed. Henry Louis Gates and Evelyn Brooks Higginbotham (2008): former Member of the Illinois State Advisory Panel for the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights

Legal Details and Statutory Language

1. Text of AB 101 (See below)
2. Assembly Floor Analysis
3. Info re Model Curriculum: Here and Here
4. Minutes of March 18, 2021 SBE meeting (docx file) (item 9)
5. Item 9 (docx file)
6. Item 9 attachment (docx file)

SECTION 1. Section 51225.3 of the Education Code, as amended by Section 17 of Chapter 865 of the Statutes of 2018, is amended to read:

51225.3.  (a)(1)...