What's happening
This bill establishes a commission to develop and recommend African American history curriculum for New York schools and mandates related educational site visits.
Why it matters
Creates a diverse commission. to design African American history curriculum, ensuring that educators, historians, and cultural experts—especially those with K-12 experience—shape what students learn, which may lead to richer, more accurate teaching materials.
Mandates review and improvement of existing curricula. by requiring the commission to assess what is currently taught about African American contributions and to recommend enhancements, potentially correcting gaps and inaccuracies in how history is presented in New York schools.
Requires annual reporting and curriculum updates,. establishing a process for ongoing evaluation and adjustment, which means education about African American history would not be a one-time change but a continuously improved effort.
Mandates educational site visits. related to African American history for all New York City students, including those in charter and nonpublic schools, which could deepen student engagement and understanding by connecting classroom learning to real historical locations and experiences.
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Who cares
State Education Department
The commissioner would chair a new African American history and achievement commission and establish age-appropriate curriculum or instruction based on its recommendations.
K–12 teachers and school districts
The commission would review existing curriculum and recommend additional African American history instruction, with schools allowed to incorporate the resulting materials into history classes or other instruction.
Historians and African American arts and culture experts
Appointed commission members would include people with these backgrounds, giving them a role in shaping curriculum recommendations.
New York City public, charter and nonpublic schools
The city schools chancellor would be required to ensure their students visit sites that educate about African American history since 1619.
Headline styles
Teach Black History in Schools
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
No co-sponsors yet.
History
- Print number 8756a
- Amend and recommit to education
- Referred to education
- Referred to education
Companion bill
The same bill in the other chamber. A bill becomes law when one version passes both houses and the governor signs it, so either number can carry it.
Teach African American History
In Senate Committee · Education · Sponsor Brian Benjamin
Full text
3 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
8756--A
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
November 25, 2019
Introduced by M. of A. RICHARDSON -- read once and referred to the Committee on Education -- recommitted to the Committee on Education in accordance with Assembly Rule 3, sec. 2 -- committee discharged, bill amended, ordered reprinted as amended and recommitted to said committee
AN ACT to amend the education law, in relation to establishing the commission on African American history and achievement
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. The education law is amended by adding a new section 817 to read as follows:
§ 817. African American history and achievement. 1. The commission on African American history and achievement; established. (a) The commission on African American history and achievement, referred to in this section as the commission, is hereby created and established. The commission shall consist of thirteen members, including the commissioner, or his or her designee, the chancellor of New York city schools, or his or her designee, the chancellor of the state university of New York, or his or her designee, and the chancellor of the board of regents, or his or her designee, three members appointed by the governor, three members appointed by the temporary president of the senate, and three members appointed by the speaker of the assembly. Appointed members shall include but not be limited to teachers, including K-12 educators, historians, and those with a background in African American history, arts, or culture.
(b) Each member shall serve for a term of three years and shall be eligible for reappointment. A vacancy occurring other than by expiration of term shall be filled in the same manner as the original appointment for the unexpired term.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD05533-04-0
A. 8756--A 2
(c) The members of the commission shall serve without compensation but shall be entitled to reimbursement for all necessary expenses incurred in the performance of their duties.
(d) The commissioner, or his or her designee, shall serve as the chair and the chancellor of New York city schools, or his or her designee, shall serve as the vice-chair of the commission. The presence of a majority of the authorized membership of the commission shall be required for the conduct of official business.
(e) The department shall provide technical assistance and data to the commission as may be necessary for the commission to carry out its responsibilities pursuant to this section.
2. Duties and responsibilities of the commission. (a) The commission shall be tasked with developing and recommending curriculum that incorporates the contributions and achievements made by African Americans as part of New York's education curriculum, including but not limited to the women's abolitionist movement, the Harlem Renaissance, the Buffalo anti-slavery movement, and the suffrage movement for African American Long Islanders. In furtherance of this goal, the commission shall have the following duties and responsibilities:
(i) To survey and review current elementary and secondary education curriculum as it relates to contributions and achievements of African Americans throughout American and state history;
(ii) To develop recommendations on additional curriculum and instruction for grades kindergarten through twelve that incorporate the contributions and achievements made by African Americans throughout American and New York state history; and
(iii) Prepare reports for the governor and legislature regarding its findings and recommendations on current curriculum and incorporating additional instruction on the contributions and achievements made by African Americans throughout American and New York state history.
(b) The commission shall submit an annual report, beginning August first, two thousand twenty-one, to the governor, the commissioner, the temporary president of the senate, the speaker of the assembly, the chair of the senate education committee, and the chair of the assembly education committee on its findings and recommendations.
3. African American history and achievement curriculum or instruction. (a) The commissioner, in conjunction with other appropriate agencies, shall establish African American history and achievement curriculum or instruction for school districts based on the recommendations of the commission. The content shall be age appropriate and shall be developed according to the needs and abilities of pupils at successive grade levels in order to provide materials, and information in African American history and achievement. The commissioner shall annually review the commission's recommendations and make updates to curriculum as appropriate.
(b) Schools may include the above materials as a component of its history curriculum or any other way the school deems appropriate.
§ 2. Section 2590-h of the education law is amended by adding a new subdivision 55 to read as follows:
55. Ensure that all students in the city district, the charter schools in the city of New York authorized by article fifty-six of this chapter, and the nonpublic schools in the city of New York providing instruction in accordance with section thirty-two hundred four of this chapter, as part of the instruction in awareness of African American history since the year sixteen hundred nineteen pursuant to section eight hundred
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seventeen of this chapter, shall visit sites which educate about these historical events.
§ 3. This act shall take effect immediately, provided, however, that the amendments to section 2590-h of the education law made by section two of this act shall not affect the expiration and reversion of such section and shall expire and be deemed repealed therewith.
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.