Pupil instruction: treatment of African Americans.

Senator Richardson's proposal to expand California's K-12 social sciences curriculum would require schools to teach students about the historical treatment of African Americans in the state, particularly during the Spanish colonial period, Gold Rush era, and Antebellum period. The legislation modifies existing requirements for both elementary and secondary education to include instruction on African Americans' experiences with discriminatory laws, barriers to land ownership, and efforts to establish economic and social stability in California.

The bill directs the Instructional Quality Commission to consider incorporating these topics when it next revises the history-social science curriculum framework or adopts new instructional materials after January 2026. This would build upon current requirements for teaching about other historically marginalized groups, including Native Americans, Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders. The commission must evaluate content covering African Americans' social, economic, and political contributions during key periods in California's development.

For implementation, the legislation establishes a state mandate requiring local educational agencies to modify their social sciences curricula accordingly. The bill includes provisions for state reimbursement of costs incurred by schools and districts in meeting these new instructional requirements, subject to review by the Commission on State Mandates. This maintains consistency with existing procedures for curriculum updates while ensuring districts have financial support for implementation.