Massachusetts HD 5382: A communication from the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (see Section 2(f) of Chapter 98 of the Acts of 2021) submitting the Genocide Education Trust Fund and Programming report for fiscal year 2025

Bill Text

Report to the Legislature on the Genocide Education 
Trust Fund and Programming: FY2025 
 
 
Through state budget line item 1595-0116, the Genocide Education Trust Fund 
promotes the instruction of middle and high school students on the history of genocide. 
 
October 2025   
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 
 
   
 
This document was prepared by the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary 
Education 
Pedro Martinez, Commissioner 
 
Board of Elementary and Secondary Education Members 
Ms. Katherine Craven, Chair, Brookline 
Mr. Matt Hills, Vice-Chair, Newton 
Ms. Isabella Chamberlain, Student Member, Hudson  
Dr. Ericka Fisher, Worcester 
Dr. Christina Grant, Cambridge 
Ms. Farzana Mohamed, Newton 
Ms. Dálida Rocha, Worcester 
Ms. Kristen Smidy, Westfield 
Ms. Mary Ann Stewart, Lexington 
Dr. Patrick Tutwiler, Secretary of Education, Andover 
Dr. Martin West, Newton 
 
Pedro Martinez, Commissioner 
Secretary to the Board 
 
The Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, an affirmative action 
employer, is committed to ensuring that all of its programs and facilities are accessible to all 
members of the public. 
We do not discriminate on the basis of age, color, disability, national origin, race, religion, sex, 
gender identity, or sexual orientation. 
 
Inquiries regarding the Department’s compliance with Title IX and other civil rights laws may be 
directed to the Human Resources Director, 135 Santilli Highway, Everett, MA 02149. Phone: 
781-338-6105. 
 
© 2025 Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education 
Permission is hereby granted to copy any or all parts of this document for non-commercial 
educational purposes. Please credit the “Massachusetts Department of Elementary and 
Secondary Education.” 
 
This document printed on recycled paper 
 
Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education 
135 Santilli Highway, Everett, MA 02149 
Phone 781-338-3000  TTY: N.E.T. Relay 800-439-2370 
www.doe.mass.edu 

 
   
 
October 1, 2025   
   
Dear Members of the General Court:   
   
I am pleased to submit this Report to the Legislature: Genocide Education Trust Fund 
and Programming: FY2025. The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education’s 
genocide education work is based on Chapter 98 of the Acts of 2021, An act concerning 
genocide education, which directs the Department to establish a grant program to 
support instruction on the history of genocide at the middle and high school levels. 
Chapter 98 also established a Genocide Education Trust Fund for the purposes of 
educating middle and high school students on the history of genocide and to assist in 
promoting the teaching of human rights issues in all public schools and school districts, 
with particular attention to the study of the inhumanity of genocide.    
   
This report is pursuant to Chapter 98, which stipulates:    
   
“...the commissioner of elementary and secondary education shall report to the 
clerks of the house of representatives and the senate, the joint committee on 
education and the house and senate committees on ways and means on the 
fund’s activities. The report shall include, but not be limited to: (i) the source and 
amount of funds received; (ii) the expenditures made from the fund and the 
purposes of such expenditures; (iii) any grants provided to relevant community 
stakeholders and other stakeholder organizations; (iv) anticipated revenue and 
expenditure projections for the next fiscal year; (v) the number of schools and 
school districts that have used the fund to implement a new program or enhance 
or maintain current programming; and (vi) the number of schools and school 
districts that applied for, but were not granted, funding. The report shall be 
publicly available on the department’s website.”   
   
Chapter 98 also requires that: 
 
“...the commissioner shall provide a report on the progress of genocide 
education programs in public schools and school districts to the clerks of 
the house of representatives and the senate and the joint committee on 
education. The report shall provide a description of the manner in which 
grantees...are offering genocide instruction including: (i) the number of 
hours of instruction offered; (ii) the grade levels at which such instruction 
is offered; and (iii) the title and description of the course in which such 
instruction is integrated.”   
 

 
   
 
During FY2025, the Department continued to offer the Genocide Education Grant, 
which provided 42 Local Education Agencies with the funds to expand and deepen their 
instruction in the history and patterns of genocide. In this report, we summarize findings 
based on the participation of these LEAs in a statewide evaluation of genocide 
education as well as a review of their grant applications.  
 
As we move into FY2026, the need for education to combat hate and recognize the 
mistakes of the past has continued to be urgent. With the Legislature’s allocation of $3