Social Science Mandates
African American History
Paragraph 27-20.4
Every public elementary school and high school shall include
in its curriculum a unit of instruction studying the events
of Black History. These events shall include not only the
contributions made by individual African-Americans in government
and in the arts, humanities and sciences to the economic,
cultural and political development of the United States and
Africa, but also the socio-economic struggle which African-Americans
experienced collectively in striving to achieve fair and equal
treatment under the laws of this nation. The studying of this
material shall constitute an affirmation by students of their
commitment to respect the dignity of all races and peoples
and to forever eschew every form of discrimination in their
lives and careers.
The State Superintendent of Education may prepare and make
available to all school boards instructional materials which
may be used as guidelines for development of a unit of instruction
under this Section; provided, however, that each school board
shall itself determine the minimum amount of instruction time
which shall qualify as a unit of instruction satisfying the
requirements of this Section.
Civics and Patriotism
(105 ILCS 5/27 3) (from Ch. 122,
par. 27 3)
Sec. 27 3. Patriotism and principles of representative
government - Proper use of flag - Method of voting Pledge
of Allegiance. American patriotism and the principles
of representative government, as enunciated in the American
Declaration of Independence, the Constitution of the United
States of America and the Constitution of the State of Illinois,
and the proper use and display of the American flag, shall
be taught in all public schools and other educational institutions
supported or maintained in whole or in part by public funds.
No student shall receive a certificate of graduation without
passing a satisfactory examination upon such subjects. Instruction
shall be given in all such schools and institutions in the
method of voting at elections by means of the Australian Ballot
system and the method of the counting of votes for candidates.
The Pledge of Allegiance shall be recited each school day
by pupils in elementary and secondary educational institutions
supported or maintained in whole or in part by public funds.
(Source: P.A. 92 612, eff. 7 3 02.)
Consumer Education
05 ILCS 5/27-12.1. Consumer education
Sec. 27-12.1. Consumer education. (a) Subject
to the provisions of subsection (b) of this Section, pupils
in the public schools in grades 9 through 12 shall be taught
and be required to study courses which include instruction
in the area of consumer education, including but not necessarily
limited to installment purchasing, budgeting, comparison of
prices and an understanding of the roles of consumers interacting
with agriculture, business, labor unions and government in
formulating and achieving the goals of the mixed free enterprise
system. The State Board of Education shall devise or approve
the consumer education curriculum for grades 9 through 12
and specify the minimum amount of instruction to be devoted
thereto.
(b) Prior to the commencement of the 1986-1987 school year
and prior to the commencement of each school year thereafter,
the State Board of Education shall devise, develop and furnish
to each school district within the State a uniform Annual
Consumer Education Proficiency Test to be administered by
each school district to those pupils of the district in grades
9 through 12 who elect to take the same, provided that no
pupil shall be permitted to take the test more than once in
any school year. Each year the State Board of Education shall
by rule prescribe the date or dates during the school year
on which school districts shall administer the test devised
and developed for that school year, together with the uniform
standards which all districts shall apply in scoring that
test. The test shall be devised and developed by the State
Board of Education each year in a standardized manner to allow
any pupil who takes the same and who achieves a score thereon
which is not less than the minimum score established by the
State Board of Education for the test so taken to thereby
demonstrate sufficient proficiency in the area of consumer
education as shall excuse such pupil from the necessity of
receiving, as a prerequisite to graduation from high school
and receipt of a high school diploma, the minimum amount of
instruction in a consumer education curriculum otherwise required
by subsection (a) and the rules or regulations promulgated
thereunder. For purposes of this subsection, "proficiency"
is defined to mean that a pupil is competent in and has a
well advanced knowledge of consumer education so that study
of the course of instruction required by this Section would
not be substantially educationally beneficial as determined
by the State Board of Education when developing the uniform
standards and minimum score requirements of this Section.
History -- (Source: P.A. 86-300.)
History Requirement
105 ILCS 5/27 21 (from Ch. 122,
par. 27 21)
Sec. 27 21. History of United States.
History of the United States shall be taught in all public
schools and in all other educational institutions in this
State supported or maintained, in whole or in part, by public
funds.
"The teaching of history shall have as one of its objectives
the imparting to pupils of a comprehensive idea of our democratic
form of government and the principles for which our government
stands as regards other nations, including the studying of
the place of our government in world wide movements and the
leaders thereof, with particular stress upon the basic principles
and ideals of our representative form of government.
"The teaching of history shall include a study of the
role and contributions of African Americans and other ethnic
groups including but not restricted to Polish, Lithuanian,
German, Hungarian, Irish, Bohemian, Russian, Albanian, Italian,
Czech, Slovak, French, Scots, Hispanics, Asian Americans,
etc., in the history of this country and this State.
"The teaching of history also shall include a study of
the role of labor unions and their interaction with government
in achieving the goals of a mixed free enterprise system.
No pupils shall be graduated from the eighth grade of any
public school unless he has received such instruction in the
history of the United States and gives evidence of having
a comprehensive knowledge thereof.
(Source: P.A. 92 27, eff. 7 1 01; 93 406, eff. 1 1 04.)
105 ILCS 5/27-22. Required high
school courses
Statute text
Sec. 27-22. Required high school courses. As a prerequisite
to receiving a high school diploma, each pupil entering the
9th grade in 1984-1985 and subsequent years must, in addition
to other course requirements, successfully complete the following
courses:
1.three years of language arts;
2.two years of mathematics, one of which may be related to
computer technology;
3.one year of science;
4.two years of social studies, of which at least one year
must be history of the United States or a combination of history
of the United States and American government; and
5.One year chosen from (A) music, (B) art, (C) foreign language,
which shall be deemed to include American Sign Language or
(D) vocational education.
This amendatory Act of 1983 does not apply to pupils entering
the 9th grade in 1983-1984 school year and prior school years
or to students with disabilities whose course of study is
determined by an individualized education program.
The provisions of this Section are subject to the provisions
of Section 27-22.05 [105 ILCS 5/27-22.05].
History -- (Source: P.A. 88-269, § 5; 89-397, §
5.)
Holocaust and Genocide Study
105 ILCS 5/27-20.3
From Ch. 122, par. 27-20.3
Every public elementary school and high school shall include
in its curriculum a unit of instruction studying the events
of the Nazi atrocities of 1933 to 1945. This period in world
history is known as the Holocaust, during which 6,000,000
Jews and millions of non-Jews were exterminated. One of the
universal lessons of the Holocaust is that national, ethic,
racial, or religious hatred can overtake any nation or society,
leading to calamitous consequences. To reinforce that lesson,
such curriculum shall include an additional unit of instruction
studying other acts of genocide across the globe. This unit
shall include, but not be limited to, the Armenian Genocide,
the Famine-Genocide in Ukraine, the Pontian Greek Genocide,
and more recent atrocities in Cambodia, Bosnia, Rwanda, and
Sudan. The studying of this material is a reaffirmation of
the commitment of free peoples from all nations to never
again permit the occurrence of another Holocaust and a recognition
that crimes of genocide continue to be perpetrated across
the globe as they have been in the past and to deter indifference
to crimes against humanity and human suffering wherever they
may occur.
The State Superintendent of Education may prepare and make
available to all school boards instructional materials which
may be used as guidelines for development of a unit of instruction
under this Section; provided, however, that each school board
shall itself determine the minimum amount of instruction
time which shall qualify as a unit of instruction which shall
qualify as a unit of instruction satisfying the requirements
of this Section.
Irish Famine Study
Sec. 27-20.6
Every public elementary school and high school may include
in its curriculum a unit of instruction studying the causes
and effects of mass starvation in mid-19th century Ireland.
This period in world history is known as the "Irish Famine",
in which millions of Irish died or emigrated. The study of
this material is a reaffirmation of the commitment of free
people of all nations to eradicate the causes of famine that
exist in the modern world.
The State Superintendent of Education may prepare and make
available to all school boards instructional materials that
may be used as guidelines for development of a unit of instruction
under this Section; provided, however, that each school board
shall itself determine the minimum amount of instruction time
that shall qualify as a unit of instruction satisfying the
requirements of this Section.
Irish Famine Curriculum:
This 125 page spiral-bound study guide was approved by the
New Jersey Commission on Holocaust Education for inclusion
in the Holocaust and genocide curriculum at the secondary
level. A PBS-aired video "When Ireland Starved",
in VHS format is available, edited for classroom use.
The
cost for either the curriculum or the video alone is $20.00
(postage and handling included) or both for $35.00. For
information
contact: Irish Famine Curriculum Committee, 757 Paddock Path,
Moorestown, New Jersey, 08057. The curriculum is also
available
for download at: The
Great Irish Famine.
Study of the History of Women
Paragraph 27-20.5
Every public elementary school and high school shall include
in its curriculum a unit of instruction studying the events
of the history of women in America. These events shall include
not only the contributions made by individual women in government,
the arts, sciences, education, and in the economic, cultural,
and political development of Illinois and of the United States,
but shall also include a study of women’s struggles to
gain the right to vote and to be treated equally as they strive
to earn and occupy positions of merit in our society.
The State Superintendent of Education may prepare and make
available to all school boards instructional materials that
may be used as guidelines for development of a unit of instruction
under this Section. Each school board shall determine the
minimum amount of instructional time that shall qualify as
a unit of instruction satisfying the requirements of this
Section.
Other
(105 ILCS 5/27 18) (from Ch. 122,
par. 27 18)
Sec. 27 18. Arbor and bird day.
The last Friday in April is designated as "Arbor and
Bird Day," to be observed throughout the State as a day
for planting trees, shrubs and vines about public grounds,
and as a day on which to hold appropriate exercises in the
public schools and elsewhere tending to show the value of
trees and birds and the necessity for their protection.
(Source: P.A. 92 85, eff. 7 12 01.)
(105 ILCS 5/27 19) (from Ch. 122,
par. 27 19)
Sec. 27 19. Leif Erickson day.
October 9, if a school day, otherwise the school day nearest
such date, is designated as Leif Erikson Day. On such day
one half hour may be devoted in the schools to instruction
and appropriate exercises relative to and in commemoration
of the life and history of Leif Erickson and the principles
and ideals he fostered.
(Source: Laws 1961, p. 31.)
(105 ILCS 5/27 20) (from Ch. 122,
par. 27 20)
Sec. 27 20. American Indian day.
The fourth Friday of September is designated "American
Indian Day," to be observed throughout the State as a
day on which to hold appropriate exercises in commemoration
of the American Indians.
(Source: Laws 1961, p. 31.)
(105 ILCS 5/27 20.1) (from Ch. 122,
par. 27 20.1)
Sec. 27 20.1. Illinois Law Week.
The first full school week in May is designated "Illinois
Law Week". During that week, the public schools may devote
appropriate time, instruction, study, and exercises in the
procedures of the legislature and the enactment of laws, the
courts and the administration of justice, the police and the
enforcement of law, citizen responsibilities, and other principles
and ideals to promote the importance of government under law
in the State.
(Source: P.A. 92 85, eff. 7 12 01.)
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