After three years of district discussions on how to implement the new ethnic studies curriculum mandated by the state of California, Oak Park Unified School District has finalized its pilot program for Oak Park High School.
For the class of 2026, the ethnic studies curriculum will be used in the senior seminar class Movements of Social Change. At this point, the stand alone class fulfills the state requirement in terms of roll out. The class of 2026 will not be required to take ethnic studies; the curriculum will not be a graduation requirement until 2030.
If rising seniors are interested in learning the ethnic studies curriculum they can take Movements of Social Change. This class will address Pacific Islander, Asian Indian, Asian American, Jewish, Chicano/Latinx, Black and African American history and culture.
After Movements of Social Change pilots the curriculum, the committee will work to implement ethnic studies into all 12th grade English classes, including AP classes, in the fall of 2027. The incorporation of the ethnic studies curriculum into English classes will ultimately fulfill the state’s requirement for full implementation.
“By incorporating ethnic students into 12th grade English, students will meet the requirement without needing to schedule an additional course into their 4-year plan,” Director of Curriculum and Instruction, Ellen Chevalier wrote to the Talon.
Until the course becomes a graduation requirement in 2029-2030, OPHS has “a few years to review, refine and discuss which 12th-grade English seminar courses may also want to incorporate the material (if any),” Chevalier wrote to the Talon. “By starting early, we have time to be reflective and responsive.”
The committee has been meeting since 2022 to determine the roll out. OPUSD will have until 2029 to make adjustments and finalize ethnic studies. Oak View High School and Oak Park Independent School will offer a stand-alone semester course for ethnic studies because of their unique student body; OVHS will also offer the 12th grade English option. It is uncertain if OPHS will have to offer ethnic studies as a stand alone course in the future.
