(1) Existing law requires a pupil to complete designated coursework while in grades 9 to 12, inclusive, in order to receive a diploma of graduation from high school. These graduation requirements include the completion of 3 years of courses in English and 3 years of courses in social studies, including one-year courses in United States history and geography and world history, culture, and geography, a one-semester course in American government and civics, and a one-semester course in economics.
Existing law requires the Instructional Quality Commission to develop, and the State Board of Education to adopt, modify, or revise, a model curriculum in ethnic studies. Existing law also encourages each school district and charter school that maintains any of grades 9 to 12, inclusive, and that does not otherwise offer a standards-based ethnic studies curriculum to offer, beginning in the school year following the adoption of the model curriculum, a course of study in ethnic studies based on the model curriculum.
This bill would expressly include pupils enrolled in a charter school, as being subject to the high school graduation requirements. The bill would add the completion of a one-semester course in ethnic studies, based on the model curriculum in ethnic studies developed by the commission, to the high school graduation requirements commencing with the 2024–25 school year. The bill would authorize local educational agencies, including charter schools, to require a full-year course in ethnic studies at their discretion, as specified. The bill would authorize, subject to the course offerings of a local educational agency, including a charter school, a pupil to satisfy the ethnic studies course requirement by completing either (A) an ethnic studies course, or (B) an ethnic studies course taught as a course in another subject, including, but not limited to, subjects that are required for a diploma of graduation from high school, except as specified. The bill would require a pupil who completes a course described in (B) above to also accrue credit for coursework in the subject that the course is offered, including, if applicable, credit towards satisfying a course required for a diploma of graduation from high school. The bill would specify that a pupil enrolled in a charter school is required to complete other coursework requirements adopted by the governing body of the charter school to graduate from high school.
Because the bill would add new duties to local educational agencies, it would constitute a state-mandated local program.
(2) The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement.
This bill would provide that, if the Commission on State Mandates determines that the bill contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement for those costs shall be made pursuant to the statutory provisions noted above.

Statutes affected:
AB331: 51226.7 EDC
01/31/19 - Introduced: 51226.7 EDC
03/20/19 - Amended Assembly: 51226.7 EDC
07/03/19 - Amended Senate: 51226.7 EDC