ETHNIC STUDIES: "Ethnic studies is the interdisciplinary study that centers Asian Americans & Pacific Islanders, Chicanx/Latinx, American Indians/Native Americans, and Africana/Black/African Americans who have experienced, survived, and resisted settler colonialism, racism, and hegemonic systems of oppression. Using ethnic studies epistemology, content and pedagogy, ethnic studies aims to educate students to be socially, politically, and economically conscious of their personal connections to local and (trans)national histories. Students study topics through the intersectional lenses of race, ethnicity, culture, gender, sexuality, ability, language, immigrant status, and class. They analyze indigeneity, white supremacy, oppression, privilege, and decolonization, and work toward empowering themselves as anti-racist leaders in social justice activism." Listen to the people who invented ethnic studies to really understand what they intended: As opposed to what most people think about when they imagine what 'ethnic studies' is all about - they hope it's about multiculturalism. However, "real" ethnic studies experts are angered by any attempt to 'water down' ethnic studies by turning it into multicultural understanding. MULTICULTURAL EDUCATION: As established in California SB 48, this includes teaching about the contributions of all ethnic, religious, LGBTQ+, and disabled communities to California and U.S. history.

AB 101, signed by Governor Gavin Newsom in 2021, mandates a one-semester ethnic studies course for high school graduation starting with the class of 2030. High schools were supposed to offer this course beginning in the 2025–26 school year. However, this mandate was contingent on state funding, which was never allocated, rendering the mandate null and void.

No - although AB 101 mandated ethnic studies for high school graduation by the Class of 2030, the law’s implementation is contingent on state funding, which was estimated at roughly $276 million. As of early 2026, California's AB 101 ethnic studies requirement remains largely unfunded, with no new funding included in the 2025-26 budget. Since AB101 remains totally unfunded, the mandate is not active, yet many districts are already implementing courses anyway, often with little public transparency​​ (and multiple resulting lawsuits statewide). Funding Status: The mandate is technically inoperative or paused in many districts due to a lack of state funding. Budget Shortfall: Governor Newsom did not include funding for the 2025-26 fiscal year, citing a $2.9 billion state budget shortfall. Impact on Districts: Without state funds, districts are struggling to cover costs for teacher training and curriculum development, leading some to pause implementation. Future Outlook: The requirement is contingent upon future funding appropriation, with observers looking to future budget revisions for updates. LAST UPDATED: March 2026

Ethnic studies courses must not promote bias, bigotry, or discrimination, must be appropriate for all students, and cannot include or promote religious doctrine. All curriculum must be fact-based, and not promote communism as a preferred ideology over democracy and capitalism. These requirements are outlined in Education Code §§ 51225.3(a)(1)(G) and Article 4 Section §§ 51530.

No. Districts can choose from four options: A course based on the state’s model curriculum. An existing ethnic studies course. An A–G approved ethnic studies course (meeting UC/CSU requirements). A locally developed course, approved by the school board at a public meeting. However, any course used must have ethnic studies as its primary content and comply with anti-bias laws; and: By law, ethnic studies courses: Must not promote bias, bigotry, or discrimination. Must be appropriate for students of all backgrounds. Cannot include or promote religious doctrine. These rules are outlined in Education Code §51225.3(a)(1)(G).

Hundreds of incidents and lawsuits have documented antisemitic content or behavior in ethnic studies programs. Jewish and Israeli-American students have been excluded or vilified in some lessons. After October 7, 2023, many of the leading PhD experts in ethnic studies glorified Hamas and minimized Jewish perspectives​​​. In Oakland, more than 30 Jewish families had to transfer their children out of the public school district due to the hostile and dangerous environment that ethnic studies had created inside classrooms. The Congressional House Ed & Workforce Committee (Subcommittee on Early Childhood, Elementary, and Secondary Education) has held two official Congressional hearings to investigate the rise of antisemitism in K-12 and found a direct link to Ethnic Studies as one of the root causes: May 2024 and September 2025 The 2024 California Commission on the State of Hate found that these issues are widespread and unmonitored. The California Department of Education has investigated and found that the following three school districts are guilty of violating the civil rights of their Jewish students, teachers, and faculty with their ethnic studies curriculum: Campbell Union High School District Santa Clara Unified School District (USD) Tamalpais Union High School District (home district and alma mater of CA Governor Gavin Newsom) Ethnic studies related lawsuits in CA school districts: CA Department of Education Berkeley USD Hayward USD Los Angeles USD Mountain View–Los Altos UHSD Palo Alto USD San Diego USD Santa Ana USD Sequoia Union High School District​ Federal Office of Civil Rights Investigations due to ethnic studies implementation (Title VI - National Origin Discrimination Involving Religion): Berkeley USD Fullerton USD Lammersville USD Los Angeles USD Oakland USD Placentia-Yorba Linda USD Roseville City School District San Francisco USD West Contra Costa USD

AB 1468 (Feb 2025) would've created official content standards, curriculum frameworks, and state compliance monitoring for ethnic studies by 2028. It also included: A mandatory advisory committee made up mostly of scholars in the four “core” disciplines. A statewide mandate for districts to submit all ethnic studies curricula to the state by June 30, 2026 (which would have been before the proposed state standards would have been adopted). A new role for the CA Dept. of Ed to monitor compliance, but without clear mechanisms for enforcement​​. The bill faced tremendous negative pressure from teachers unions due to the curriculum transparency requirement. The bill also faced negative pressure from organizations (including PeerK12 and our coalition partners) due to the dangers of elevating ethnic studies to the same level as math, English, Science, etc. and would have resulted in it becoming an admissions requirement for UC and CSU. Read more about this bill here: https://www.peerk12.org/post/a-new-ethnic-studies-bill-in-california-overview-of-ab-1468

Currently, local school boards approve the curriculum, but there are no specific guidelines in place - outside of the guardrails in AB101 - added to ensure school districts would not include any of the removed bigoted, antisemitic, and biased content that previously made the model curriculum unusable. Dozens of lawsuits sprang up across California as school districts failed to implement any of the guardrails or protections, especially around the Jewish American experience and the Israel-Palestinian Wars.

Yes. SB 48 (2011) requires inclusive instruction on the contributions of all cultural groups, including LGBTQ+, religious, and disabled people. Ed Code § 51204.5 and § 60040 mandate inclusive and bias-free materials. These laws already allow multicultural education without ethnic studies-specific mandates​​.

No, there is no effective oversight. While AB 101 prohibits bias and discrimination, there is no enforcement mechanism. The State Board of Education does not vet local curricula unless districts adopt the state model. The Attorney General’s 2024 legal alert reiterates anti-bias obligations but admits no active enforcement. Ethnic studies remains largely unregulated, with unvetted and often divisive materials being introduced into classrooms.