Maryland HB 1363: Education - Public Schools - Asian American History Curriculum Requirement

Bill Text

EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MATTER ADDED TO EXISTING LAW.
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
*hb1363*

HOUSE BILL 1363
F1 4lr2435
HB 960/23 – W&M
By: Delegates Valderrama and Wu
Introduced and read first time: February 9, 2024
Assigned to: Ways and Means

A BILL ENTITLED

AN ACT concerning 1

Education – Public Schools – Asian American History Curriculum Requirement 2

FOR the purpose of requiring the State Board of Education to develop curriculum content 3
standards for a unit of instruction on Asian American history for public schools in 4
the State; requiring each county board of education to implement the Asian 5
American history curriculum content standards in each public school in the county, 6
beginning in a certain school year; requiring each county superintendent of schools 7
to ensure compliance with this Act; and generally relating to an Asian American 8
history curriculum requirement for public schools in the State. 9

BY adding to 10
Article – Education 11
Section 7–205.5 12
Annotated Code of Maryland 13
(2022 Replacement Volume and 2023 Supplement) 14

SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 15
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 16

Article – Education 17

7–205.5. 18

(A) (1) THE STATE BOARD SHALL DEVELOP CURRICULUM CONTENT 19
STANDARDS FOR A UNIT OF INSTRUCTION ON ASIAN AMERICAN HISTORY FOR 20
PUBLIC SCHOOLS IN THE STATE. 21

(2) THE ASIAN AMERICAN HISTORY CURRICULUM CONTENT 22
STANDARDS SHALL: 23

2 HOUSE BILL 1363

(I) ENABLE STUDENTS TO RESPECT THE DIGNITY OF ALL 1
RACES AND ALL PEOPLE; AND 2

(II) REQUIRE AGE–APPROPRIATE INSTRUCTION ON THE 3
FOLLOWING TOPICS: 4

1. THE EVENTS OF ASIAN AMERICAN HISTORY; 5

2. ASIAN AMERICAN HISTORY IN MARYLAND AND THE 6
MID–ATLANTIC REGION; AND 7

3. CONTRIBUTIONS MADE BY ASIAN AMERICANS, 8
INCLUDING THEIR: 9

A. ROLES IN THE ADVANCEMENT OF CIVIL RIGHTS FROM 10
THE 19TH CENTURY ONWARD; 11

B. ACCOMPLISHMENTS IN GOVERNMENT, THE ARTS, 12
HUMANITIES, AND SCIENCE; AND 13

C. CONTRIBUTIONS AS A COMMUNITY TO THE 14
ECONOMIC, CULTURAL, SOCIAL, AND POLITICAL DEVELOPMENT OF THE UNITED 15
STATES. 16

(3) THE STATE BOARD MAY PREPARE AND MAKE AVAILABLE 17
INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS, INCLUDING THE PUBLIC BROADCASTING SERVICE’S 18
INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS ON ASIAN AMERICANS, THAT MAY BE USED AS A GUIDE 19
FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF ASIAN AMERICAN HISTORY CURRICULUM CONTENT 20
STANDARDS. 21

(B) (1) BEGINNING IN THE 2025–2026 SCHOOL YEAR, EACH COUNTY 22
BOARD SHALL IMPLEMENT THE ASIAN AMERICAN HISTORY CURRICULUM CONTENT 23
STANDARDS DEVELOPED BY THE STATE BOARD UNDER SUBSECTION (A) OF THIS 24
SECTION IN EACH PUBLIC SCHOOL IN THE COUNTY. 25

(2) (I) EACH COUNTY BOARD SHALL DETERMINE THE 26
APPROPRIATE AMOUNT OF INSTRUCTIONAL TIME NECESSARY TO SATISFY THE 27
REQUIREMENT FOR A UNIT OF INSTRUCTION ON ASIAN AMERICAN HISTORY. 28

(II) EACH COUNTY BOARD SHALL ENSURE THAT A UNIT OF 29
INSTRUCTION ON ASIAN AMERICAN HISTORY IS: 30

1. TAUGHT AT LEAST ONCE DURING ELEMENTARY 31

HOUSE BILL 1363 3

SCHOOL; 1

2. INCLUDED AT LEAST ONCE IN A REQUIRED HISTORY 2
COURSE IN MIDDLE SCHOOL; AND 3

3. INCLUDED AT LEAST ONCE IN A HISTORY COURSE 4
REQUIRED TO GRADUATE FROM HIGH SCHOOL. 5

(3) A COUNTY BOARD MAY DEVELOP AN ONLINE COURSE TO SATISFY 6
THE REQUIREMENTS OF THIS SECTION. 7

(C) EACH COUNTY SUPERINTENDENT SHALL ENSURE COMPLIANCE WITH 8
THE REQUIREMENTS OF THIS SECTION. 9

(D) THE STATE BOARD MAY ADOPT REGULATIONS TO CARRY OUT THIS 10
SECTION. 11

SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect July 12
1, 2024. 13