103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2023 and 2024
SB1579
 
Introduced 2/8/2023, by Sen. Adriane Johnson
 
SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:



105 ILCS 5/27-20.05 new
105 ILCS 5/27-20.4a new

 Amends the Courses of Study Article of the School Code. Provides that, beginning with the 2024-2025 school year, every public elementary school and high school shall include in its curriculum a unit of instruction studying the events of pre-Columbian Native American societies and the contemporary life of Native American societies. Provides that, beginning with the 2024-2025 school year, every public elementary school and high school shall include in its curriculum a unit of instruction studying the history of Native Americans during and after the American Revolution, including studying their relationships with settlers in the 18th and 19th centuries, as well as the contributions of Native Americans to the economic, cultural, social, and political development of the United States. Provides that, beginning with the 2024-2025 school year, every public elementary school and high school shall include in its curriculum a unit of instruction studying the geography and culture of West African societies, the trans-Atlantic slave trade, and manners in which cultural traditions persevered despite societal oppression. Requires schools to have guidance counselors available during this instruction. Sets forth requirements for these units of instruction regarding instructional material, instructional time, and compliance. Provides that a school may provide these units of instruction through an online program or course.



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STATE MANDATES ACT MAY REQUIRE REIMBURSEMENT
MAY APPLY

 
 
A BILL FOR
 


SB1579LRB103 26901 RJT 53265 b



1 AN ACT concerning education.


2 Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,

3represented in the General Assembly:



4 Section 5. The School Code is amended by adding Sections 
527-20.05 and 27-20.4a as follows:

6 (105 ILCS 5/27-20.05 new)
7 Sec. 27-20.05. Study of Native Americans.
8 (a) Beginning with the 2024-2025 school year, every public 
9elementary school and high school shall include in its 
10curriculum a unit of instruction studying the events of 
11pre-Columbian Native American societies, including, but not 
12limited to, the Pueblo, Adena, Hopewell, Mississippian, and 
13Clovis cultures. This instruction shall further be 
14supplemented by education concerning the contemporary life of 
15Native American societies, including, but not limited to, the 
16Navajo, Cherokee, Lakota-Sioux, Tlingit, and Yupik, and the 
17cultural traditions and customs of Native American societies, 
18such as their beliefs, traditions, geography, and language. 
19The studying of this material shall constitute an affirmation 
20by students to understand the foundations of the land in which 
21they live and to restore history previously lost.
22 (b) Beginning with the 2024-2025 school year, every public 
23elementary school and high school shall include in its 
 
 
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1curriculum a unit of instruction studying the history of 
2Native Americans during and after the American Revolution, 
3including studying their relationships with settlers in the 
418th and 19th centuries, as well as the contributions of 
5Native Americans to the economic, cultural, social, and 
6political development of the United States. These 
7contributions shall include those made to advance civil rights 
8both in the Midwest and across the United States in the 19th 
9and 20th centuries. The study of this material shall 
10constitute an affirmation by students of their commitment to 
11respect the dignity of all races and peoples and to forever 
12eschew every form of discrimination in their lives and 
13careers.
14 (c) The State Board of Education shall develop a 
15curriculum under this Section that is historically accurate 
16through collaboration with federally recognized Native 
17American tribes in which any individual who is a verified 
18member of one of those tribes may collaborate with the State 
19Board in the development of the curriculum.
20 (d) The State Superintendent of Education may prepare and 
21make available to all school boards instructional materials, 
22including those established by the Public Broadcasting 
23Service, that may be used as guidelines for development of the 
24units of instruction under this Section. However, each school 
25board shall itself determine the minimum amount of 
26instructional time that qualifies as a unit of instruction 
 
 
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1satisfying the requirements of this Section.
2 (e) The regional superintendent of schools shall monitor a 
3school district's compliance with this Section's curricular 
4requirements during the regional superintendent's annual 
5compliance visit.
6 (f) A school may meet the requirements of this Section 
7through an online program or course. 

8 (105 ILCS 5/27-20.4a new)
9 Sec. 27-20.4a. West African history study.
10 (a) In addition to the unit of instruction under Section 
1127-20.4, beginning with the 2024-2025 school year, every 
12public elementary school and high school shall include in its 
13curriculum a unit of instruction studying the geography and 
14culture of West African societies, including, but not limited 
15to, the Igbo, Yoruba, Mende, Wolof, and Hausa. This 
16instruction shall further be supplemented by education 
17concerning the trans-Atlantic slave trade and manners in which 
18cultural traditions persevered despite societal oppression.
19 (b) The State Superintendent of Education may prepare and 
20make available to all school boards instructional materials, 
21including those established by the Public Broadcasting 
22Service, that may be used as guidelines for development of a 
23unit of instruction under this Section. However, each school 
24board shall itself determine the minimum amount of 
25instructional time that qualifies as a unit of instruction 
 
 
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1satisfying the requirements of this Section.
2 (c) In order to assist students in coping with the trauma 
3of generational separation and enslavement, all schools must 
4have guidance counselors available during the instruction 
5under this Section.
6 (d) The regional superintendent of schools shall monitor a 
7school district's compliance with this Section's curricular 
8requirements during the regional superintendent's annual 
9compliance visit.
10 (e) A school may meet the requirements of this Section 
11through an online program or course.