103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2023 and 2024
HB1485

 

Introduced 1/31/2023, by Rep. La Shawn K. Ford

 

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
 
See Index

    Creates the Inclusive American History Act. Establishes the Inclusive American History Commission to (i) address the deficiencies and inadequacies in both perspective and content in traditional history course material and instruction and (ii) develop multiperspective, inclusive, and comprehensive standards that a school may use as a guide in replacing or developing its curricula for history education. Sets forth the membership of the Commission. Contains provisions concerning meetings, duties, and reporting. Repeals these provisions on December 31, 2024. Amends the Courses of Study Article of the School Code. Beginning with the 2023-2024 school year, requires schools to suspend all instruction in history education, with exceptions. Not later than June 30, 2024, requires the State Superintendent of Education to provide to schools instructional guidelines and standards based on the recommendations of the Commission so that schools may develop alternative curricula to replace traditional course material and instruction to ensure that students obtain a multiperspective, inclusive, and comprehensive understanding about history. Provides that beginning with the 2024-2025 school year, schools shall resume instruction in history, which shall require the use of age-appropriate discussion, textbooks, and other course material that reframe the study of history by presenting to students an examination of history through the inclusion of diverse perspectives, contrary interpretations, and the viewpoints of various groups of people whose voices have traditionally been excluded from the conventional teaching of history. Effective immediately.


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STATE MANDATES ACT MAY REQUIRE REIMBURSEMENT
MAY APPLY

 

 

A BILL FOR

 

HB1485LRB103 03533 RJT 48539 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 1. Short title. This Act may be cited as the
5Inclusive American History Act.
 
6    Section 5. Statement of findings; Inclusive American
7History Commission creation and purpose.
8    (a) In an effort to create a well-informed, tolerant, and
9equitable society, students in grades kindergarten through 12
10in this State should receive an unbiased, objective, and
11thorough education in history. Traditional course material and
12instruction have failed to provide to students a comprehensive
13education in history because the historical narrative has
14always been presented and interpreted from the perspective of
15one rather than from the perspective of many. To the detriment
16of our society, this limited narrative in history instruction
17and course material rarely teaches our students about the
18contributions made by or the marginalization of women, Black
19people, indigenous people, Latinx people, and people of color,
20faith-based minorities, ethnic minorities, immigrants, members
21of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender community,
22persons with disabilities, and many others. Traditional
23teaching materials so often fail to provide for any study

 

 

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1about slavery, racism, and civil rights that teachers must
2often purchase their own supplementary materials in order to
3teach their students about these subjects. The objective in
4the reframing of history education in this State is not to
5exclude, prohibit, or deny the narrative, perspective, or
6accomplishments of any cultural group or people, but rather to
7recognize and include the narrative, perspective, and
8accomplishments of all. The reframing of history education
9must present to students a fair and accurate historical
10narrative that acknowledges both the triumphs and the failures
11of a society. Therefore, the teaching of history to students
12in this State must be reformed and reframed in order to provide
13our students with a multiperspective, inclusive, and
14comprehensive understanding of history. Rather than requiring
15each school to be responsible for the research, study, and
16investigation necessary to develop alternative or revised
17instructional standards for the teaching of history,
18instructional guidelines and standards should be provided to
19schools statewide so that each school may develop the
20alternative curricula it needs to replace traditional course
21material and instruction.
22    (b) The Inclusive American History Commission is created
23to (i) address the deficiencies and inadequacies in both
24perspective and content in traditional course material and
25instruction and (ii) develop multiperspective, inclusive, and
26comprehensive standards that a school may use as a guide in

 

 

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1replacing or developing its curricula for history education.
 
2    Section 10. Membership. The Governor shall appoint all of
3the following members to the Commission:
4        (1) Two members who are history scholars.
5        (2) Two members who represent publishers of history
6    textbooks.
7        (3) Two full-time teachers of a public elementary
8    school in this State.
9        (4) Two full-time teachers who teach history courses
10    at a public secondary school in this State.
11        (5) Two full-time faculty members who teach history
12    courses at a public institution of higher education in
13    this State.
14        (6) Two students who are enrolled in a public
15    secondary school in this State.
16        (7) Four parents who have children enrolled in a
17    public elementary or secondary school in this State.
18        (8) Additional persons who are members of
19    not–for–profit organizations that represent women, Black
20    people, indigenous people, Latinx people, and people of
21    color, ethnic minorities, faith-based minorities,
22    immigrants, the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender
23    community, and persons with disabilities.
24        (9) One member representing regional offices of
25    education, recommended by a statewide organization that

 

 

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1    represents regional superintendents of schools.
2        (10) One member representing school boards,
3    recommended by a statewide organization that represents
4    school boards.
5        (11) One member representing school principals,
6    recommended by a statewide organization that represents
7    school principals.
8        (12) One member representing school administrators,
9    recommended by a statewide organization that represents
10    school administrators.
11        (13) One member representing teachers, recommended by
12    a statewide organization that represents teachers.
13        (14) One member representing teachers, recommended by
14    a different statewide organization that represents
15    teachers.
16        (15) One member representing teachers, recommended by
17    an organization representing teachers of a school
18    district.
19        (16) One member representing a school district
20    organized under Article 34 of the School Code.
21        (17) One member representing large unit school
22    districts.
23        (18) One member representing suburban Chicago school
24    districts.
25        (19) One member representing south suburban Chicago
26    school districts.

 

 

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1        (20) Two members representing school districts located
2    in the central region of this State.
3        (21) Two members representing school districts located
4    in the southern region of this State.
5    Vacancies shall be filled in the same manner as the
6original appointments.
 
7    Section 15. Meetings; chairperson; support; expenses.
8    (a) The Commission shall meet initially at the call of the
9Governor within 30 days after the effective date of this Act,
10shall select one member as chairperson at its initial meeting,
11and shall thereafter meet at least monthly or more often as the
12chairperson of the Commission deems necessary at the times and
13places in this State that the chairperson designates.
14    (b) The State Board of Education shall provide
15administrative and other support to the Commission.
16    (c) Members of the Commission shall serve without
17compensation but shall be reimbursed for their reasonable and
18necessary expenses from funds appropriated to the State Board
19of Education for that purpose, including travel, subject to
20the rules of the appropriate travel control board.
 
21    Section 20. Duties. The duties of the Commission shall
22include, but are not limited to, all of the following:
23        (1) To evaluate history textbooks and other course
24    material for breadth and accuracy of content.

 

 

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1        (2) To research, study, and determine the content and
2    material to present to students in the teaching of
3    history.
4        (3) To propose revisions to course standards and
5    instructional guidelines so that students may receive a
6    multiperspective, inclusive, and comprehensive
7    instruction in history.
8        (4) To provide opportunities for the public,
9    educators, students, parents, and other interested parties
10    to comment on proposed changes in history course standards
11    and instruction.
12        (5) To develop guidelines for age-appropriate
13    instructional standards, textbooks, and other course
14    material an elementary or secondary school may use in
15    replacing or developing its curricula for history
16    education.
 
17    Section 25. Reporting.
18    (a) The Commission shall file a report on its findings,
19research, proposals, and guidelines with the Governor, the
20General Assembly, and the State Board of Education on or
21before December 31, 2023. Upon filing its report, the
22Commission is dissolved.
23    (b) The State Board of Education shall make available to
24the State Superintendent of Education the report filed by the
25Commission under subsection (a). The State Superintendent

 

 

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1shall incorporate the recommendations made by the Commission
2into the instructional guidelines and standards provided to
3schools for the development of alternative curricula under
4Section 27-23.17 of the School Code.
 
5    Section 50. Repealer. This Act is repealed on December 31,
62024.
 
7    Section 90. The School Code is amended by changing
8Sections 27-3.5, 27-20.4, 27-20.5, 27-21, and 27-22 and by
9adding Section 27-23.17 as follows:
 
10    (105 ILCS 5/27-3.5)
11    Sec. 27-3.5. Congressional Medal of Honor film. Subject to
12Section 27-23.17, each Each school district shall require that
13all students in grade 7 and all high school students enrolled
14in a course concerning history of the United States or a
15combination of history of the United States and American
16government view a Congressional Medal of Honor film made by
17the Congressional Medal of Honor Foundation. This requirement
18does not apply if the Congressional Medal of Honor Foundation
19charges the school district a fee for a film.
20(Source: P.A. 96-99, eff. 7-27-09.)
 
21    (105 ILCS 5/27-20.4)  (from Ch. 122, par. 27-20.4)
22    Sec. 27-20.4. Black History study. Subject to Section

 

 

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127-23.17, every Every public elementary school and high school
2shall include in its curriculum a unit of instruction studying
3the events of Black History, including the history of the
4pre-enslavement of Black people from 3,000 BCE to AD 1619, the
5African slave trade, slavery in America, the study of the
6reasons why Black people came to be enslaved, the vestiges of
7slavery in this country, and the study of the American civil
8rights renaissance. These events shall include not only the
9contributions made by individual African-Americans in
10government and in the arts, humanities and sciences to the
11economic, cultural and political development of the United
12States and Africa, but also the socio-economic struggle which
13African-Americans experienced collectively in striving to
14achieve fair and equal treatment under the laws of this
15nation. The studying of this material shall constitute an
16affirmation by students of their commitment to respect the
17dignity of all races and peoples and to forever eschew every
18form of discrimination in their lives and careers.
19    Subject to Section 27-23.17, the The State Superintendent
20of Education may prepare and make available to all school
21boards instructional materials, including those established by
22the Amistad Commission, which may be used as guidelines for
23development of a unit of instruction under this Section;
24provided, however, that each school board shall itself
25determine the minimum amount of instruction time which shall
26qualify as a unit of instruction satisfying the requirements

 

 

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1of this Section.
2    A school may meet the requirements of this Section through
3an online program or course.
4(Source: P.A. 100-634, eff. 1-1-19; 101-654, eff. 3-8-21.)
 
5    (105 ILCS 5/27-20.5)  (from Ch. 122, par. 27-20.5)
6    Sec. 27-20.5. Study of the History of Women. Every public
7elementary school and high school shall include in its
8curriculum a unit of instruction studying the events of the
9history of women in America, subject to Section 27-23.17.
10These events shall include not only the contributions made by
11individual women in government, the arts, sciences, education,
12and in the economic, cultural, and political development of
13Illinois and of the United States, but shall also include a
14study of women's struggles to gain the right to vote and to be
15treated equally as they strive to earn and occupy positions of
16merit in our society.
17    Subject to Section 27-23.17, the The State Superintendent
18of Education may prepare and make available to all school
19boards instructional materials that may be used as guidelines
20for development of a unit of instruction under this Section.
21Each school board shall determine the minimum amount of
22instructional time that shall qualify as a unit of instruction
23satisfying the requirements of this Section.
24(Source: P.A. 86-1256.)
 

 

 

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1    (105 ILCS 5/27-21)  (from Ch. 122, par. 27-21)
2    Sec. 27-21. History of United States. History of the
3United States shall be taught in all public schools and in all
4other educational institutions in this State supported or
5maintained, in whole or in part, by public funds, subject to
6Section 27-23.17. The teaching of history shall have as one of
7its objectives the imparting to pupils of a comprehensive idea
8of our democratic form of government and the principles for
9which our government stands as regards other nations,
10including the studying of the place of our government in
11world-wide movements and the leaders thereof, with particular
12stress upon the basic principles and ideals of our
13representative form of government. The teaching of history
14shall include a study of the role and contributions of African
15Americans and other ethnic groups, including, but not
16restricted to, Polish, Lithuanian, German, Hungarian, Irish,
17Bohemian, Russian, Albanian, Italian, Czech, Slovak, French,
18Scots, Hispanics, Asian Americans, etc., in the history of
19this country and this State. To reinforce the study of the role
20and contributions of Hispanics, such curriculum shall include
21the study of the events related to the forceful removal and
22illegal deportation of Mexican-American U.S. citizens during
23the Great Depression. In public schools only, the teaching of
24history shall include a study of the roles and contributions
25of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people in the
26history of this country and this State. The teaching of

 

 

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1history also shall include a study of the role of labor unions
2and their interaction with government in achieving the goals
3of a mixed free enterprise system. Beginning with the
42020-2021 school year, the teaching of history must also
5include instruction on the history of Illinois, subject to
6Section 27-23.17. The teaching of history shall include the
7contributions made to society by Americans of different faith
8practices, including, but not limited to, Muslim Americans,
9Jewish Americans, Christian Americans, Hindu Americans, Sikh
10Americans, Buddhist Americans, and any other collective
11community of faith that has shaped America. Subject to Section
1227-23.17, no No pupils shall be graduated from the eighth
13grade of any public school unless he or she has received such
14instruction in the history of the United States and gives
15evidence of having a comprehensive knowledge thereof, which
16may be administered remotely.
17(Source: P.A. 101-227, eff. 7-1-20; 101-341, eff. 1-1-20;
18101-643, eff. 6-18-20; 102-411, eff. 1-1-22.)
 
19    (105 ILCS 5/27-22)  (from Ch. 122, par. 27-22)
20    Sec. 27-22. Required high school courses.
21    (a) (Blank).
22    (b) (Blank).
23    (c) (Blank).
24    (d) (Blank).
25    (e) Through the 2023-2024 school year, as a prerequisite

 

 

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1to receiving a high school diploma, each pupil entering the
29th grade must, in addition to other course requirements,
3successfully complete all of the following courses:
4        (1) Four years of language arts.
5        (2) Two years of writing intensive courses, one of
6    which must be English and the other of which may be English
7    or any other subject. When applicable, writing-intensive
8    courses may be counted towards the fulfillment of other
9    graduation requirements.
10        (3) Three years of mathematics, one of which must be
11    Algebra I, one of which must include geometry content, and
12    one of which may be an Advanced Placement computer science
13    course. A mathematics course that includes geometry
14    content may be offered as an integrated, applied,
15    interdisciplinary, or career and technical education
16    course that prepares a student for a career readiness
17    path.
18        (3.5) For pupils entering the 9th grade in the
19    2022-2023 school year and 2023-2024 school year, one year
20    of a course that includes intensive instruction in
21    computer literacy, which may be English, social studies,
22    or any other subject and which may be counted toward the
23    fulfillment of other graduation requirements.
24        (4) Two years of science.
25        (5) Two years of social studies, of which at least one
26    year must be history of the United States or a combination

 

 

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1    of history of the United States and American government,
2    subject to Section 27-23.17, and, beginning with pupils
3    entering the 9th grade in the 2016-2017 school year and
4    each school year thereafter, at least one semester must be
5    civics, which shall help young people acquire and learn to
6    use the skills, knowledge, and attitudes that will prepare
7    them to be competent and responsible citizens throughout
8    their lives. Civics course content shall focus on
9    government institutions, the discussion of current and
10    controversial issues, service learning, and simulations of
11    the democratic process. School districts may utilize
12    private funding available for the purposes of offering
13    civics education. Beginning with pupils entering the 9th
14    grade in the 2021-2022 school year, one semester, or part
15    of one semester, may include a financial literacy course.
16        (6) One year chosen from (A) music, (B) art, (C)
17    foreign language, which shall be deemed to include
18    American Sign Language, (D) vocational education, or (E)
19    forensic speech (speech and debate). A forensic speech
20    course used to satisfy the course requirement under
21    subdivision (1) may not be used to satisfy the course
22    requirement under this subdivision (6).
23    (e-5) Beginning with the 2024-2025 school year, as a
24prerequisite to receiving a high school diploma, each pupil
25entering the 9th grade must, in addition to other course
26requirements, successfully complete all of the following

 

 

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1courses:
2        (1) Four years of language arts.
3        (2) Two years of writing intensive courses, one of
4    which must be English and the other of which may be English
5    or any other subject. If applicable, writing-intensive
6    courses may be counted toward the fulfillment of other
7    graduation requirements.
8        (3) Three years of mathematics, one of which must be
9    Algebra I, one of which must include geometry content, and
10    one of which may be an Advanced Placement computer science
11    course. A mathematics course that includes geometry
12    content may be offered as an integrated, applied,
13    interdisciplinary, or career and technical education
14    course that prepares a student for a career readiness
15    path.
16        (3.5) One year of a course that includes intensive
17    instruction in computer literacy, which may be English,
18    social studies, or any other subject and which may be
19    counted toward the fulfillment of other graduation
20    requirements.
21        (4) Two years of laboratory science.
22        (5) Two years of social studies, of which at least one
23    year must be history of the United States or a combination
24    of history of the United States and American government
25    and at least one semester must be civics, which shall help
26    young people acquire and learn to use the skills,

 

 

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1    knowledge, and attitudes that will prepare them to be
2    competent and responsible citizens throughout their lives.
3    Civics course content shall focus on government
4    institutions, the discussion of current and controversial
5    issues, service learning, and simulations of the
6    democratic process. School districts may utilize private
7    funding available for the purposes of offering civics
8    education. One semester, or part of one semester, may
9    include a financial literacy course.
10        (6) One year chosen from (A) music, (B) art, (C)
11    foreign language, which shall be deemed to include
12    American Sign Language, (D) vocational education, or (E)
13    forensic speech (speech and debate). A forensic speech
14    course used to satisfy the course requirement under
15    subdivision (1) may not be used to satisfy the course
16    requirement under this subdivision (6).
17    (e-10) Beginning with the 2028-2029 school year, as a
18prerequisite to receiving a high school diploma, each pupil
19entering the 9th grade must, in addition to other course
20requirements, successfully complete 2 years of foreign
21language courses, which may include American Sign Language. A
22pupil may choose a third year of foreign language to satisfy
23the requirement under subdivision paragraph (6) of subsection
24(e-5).
25    (f) The State Board of Education shall develop and inform
26school districts of standards for writing-intensive

 

 

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1coursework.
2    (f-5) If a school district offers an Advanced Placement
3computer science course to high school students, then the
4school board must designate that course as equivalent to a
5high school mathematics course and must denote on the
6student's transcript that the Advanced Placement computer
7science course qualifies as a mathematics-based, quantitative
8course for students in accordance with subdivision (3) of
9subsection (e) of this Section.
10    (g) Public Act 83-1082 This amendatory Act of 1983 does
11not apply to pupils entering the 9th grade in 1983-1984 school
12year and prior school years or to students with disabilities
13whose course of study is determined by an individualized
14education program.
15    Public Act 94-676 This amendatory Act of the 94th General
16Assembly does not apply to pupils entering the 9th grade in the
172004-2005 school year or a prior school year or to students
18with disabilities whose course of study is determined by an
19individualized education program.
20    Subdivision (3.5) of subsection (e) does not apply to
21pupils entering the 9th grade in the 2021-2022 school year or a
22prior school year or to students with disabilities whose
23course of study is determined by an individualized education
24program.
25    Subsection (e-5) does not apply to pupils entering the 9th
26grade in the 2023-2024 school year or a prior school year or to

 

 

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1students with disabilities whose course of study is determined
2by an individualized education program. Subsection (e-10) does
3not apply to pupils entering the 9th grade in the 2027-2028
4school year or a prior school year or to students with
5disabilities whose course of study is determined by an
6individualized education program.
7    (h) The provisions of this Section are subject to the
8provisions of Section 27-22.05 of this Code and the
9Postsecondary and Workforce Readiness Act.
10    (i) The State Board of Education may adopt rules to modify
11the requirements of this Section for any students enrolled in
12grades 9 through 12 if the Governor has declared a disaster due
13to a public health emergency pursuant to Section 7 of the
14Illinois Emergency Management Agency Act.
15(Source: P.A. 101-464, eff. 1-1-20; 101-643, eff. 6-18-20;
16101-654, Article 50, Section 50-5, eff. 3-8-21; 101-654,
17Article 60, Section 60-5, eff. 3-8-21; 102-366, eff. 8-13-21;
18102-551, eff. 1-1-22; 102-864, eff. 5-13-22; revised 9-2-22.)
 
19    (105 ILCS 5/27-23.17 new)
20    Sec. 27-23.17. Instruction in history. Notwithstanding any
21other provision of this Article to the contrary, beginning
22with the 2023-2024 school year, schools must suspend all
23instruction in history education. This suspension does not
24apply to instruction during the 2023-2024 school year to
25students entering their final year of elementary or secondary

 

 

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1school during the 2023-2024 school year who must receive
2history instruction in order to satisfy graduation, college
3admission, scholarship, or other academic requirements or to
4instruction under Section 27-3 or 27-3.10. Notwithstanding
5Section 27-21, instruction in civics education shall be taught
6in place of instruction in the history of the United States
7during the 2023-2024 school year. Not later than June 30,
82023, the State Superintendent of Education must prepare and
9make available to schools instructional guidelines for these
10courses in civics education. Not later than June 30, 2024, the
11State Superintendent of Education must provide to schools
12instructional guidelines and standards based on the
13recommendations of the Inclusive American History Commission
14that are contained in the report filed under Section 25 of the
15Inclusive American History Act so that schools may develop
16alternative curricula to replace traditional course material
17and instruction to ensure that students obtain a
18multiperspective, inclusive, and comprehensive understanding
19about history. Beginning with the 2024-2025 school year,
20schools shall resume instruction in history under this
21Section, which shall require the use of age-appropriate
22discussion, textbooks, and other course material that reframe
23the study of history by presenting to students an examination
24of history through the inclusion of diverse perspectives,
25contrary interpretations, and the viewpoints of various groups
26of people, such as women, Black people, indigenous people,

 

 

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1Latinx people, and people of color, ethnic minorities,
2faith-based minorities, immigrants, members of the lesbian,
3gay, bisexual, and transgender community, persons with
4disabilities, and the poor and working class, whose voices
5have traditionally been excluded from the conventional
6teaching of history.
 
7    Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon
8becoming law.

 

 

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1 INDEX
2 Statutes amended in order of appearance
3    New Act
4    105 ILCS 5/27-3.5
5    105 ILCS 5/27-20.4from Ch. 122, par. 27-20.4
6    105 ILCS 5/27-20.5from Ch. 122, par. 27-20.5
7    105 ILCS 5/27-21from Ch. 122, par. 27-21
8    105 ILCS 5/27-22from Ch. 122, par. 27-22
9    105 ILCS 5/27-23.17 new