African American HistoryParagraph 27-20.4Every
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:
- three years of language arts;
- two years of mathematics, one of which may be related to computer technology;
- one year of science;
-
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
- 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.)
