Central Unified outlines ethnic studies rollout; district says UC A‑G approval secured and teachers must hold history credential

Central Unified School District on June 24 detailed how it will implement a state‑mandated ethnic studies course next school year, saying the semester‑long class will be UC A‑G approved as a ‘G’ college‑preparatory course and will be taught at all three comprehensive high schools.

Director of Curriculum and Instruction Director English (transcript identifies as “Director English”) told the Board of Trustees the course “will be a semester long course that will explore the foundational disciplines of the African American, Chicano X, and Latin or Latinx, Native American, and Asian American and Pacific Islander studies,” and that the curriculum was developed from the state model course and submitted for UC approval.

English said Central Unified began course development in February 2024 with department chairs from Central High School, Central East High School and Justin Garza High School. The district worked from the state model curriculum, prepared unit overviews and sample assignments required for UC A‑G review, and obtained UC approval April 30, the presentation said. The district also included a unit focusing on local indigenous peoples and a land‑acknowledgement project that had already been piloted at Central High School.

On teacher qualifications, English said the UC Office’s determination means instructors must hold the history–social science credential. “Because the UC approved it as a G for college preparatory course, and we are in the history social science world, the teachers who instruct this course must have the history social science credential,” English told the board when asked by Trustee Chavez.

Master schedules for 2025–26 are in place, English said: four teachers will teach the course at Central High School, three at Central East and three at Justin Garza. The course also will be available to students at nontraditional sites through Edgenuity; district staff reviewed the Edgenuity offering to confirm it meets the course’s rigor and UC requirements.

To support teachers, the district is providing library and research resources tied to the course’s units and scheduling professional learning on Aug. 7 for the initial cohort of teachers. English said literacy and research databases from the state model curriculum will be made available for literature circles and deeper study and that additional professional learning and conferences will be offered over time.

English described student‑level feedback from pilot activities during world‑culture coursework: some students told teachers “this information was big for me,” explaining they had not previously learned about local indigenous peoples or aspects of their own ethnic histories. The district also held a community night and promoted materials in multiple languages through ParentSquare; attendance was lower than hoped, the presentation said, and staff plan to add a website feedback form and promote it over the summer.

Trustees asked follow‑up questions about sustainability and scope; Trustee Kirk asked whether the course will be offered in both fall and spring terms (since it is a one‑semester course) and about options to create a second, year‑long elective for upperclassmen. English said the district will explore longer electives for upperclassmen and confirmed the semester model will allow students to take the course either fall or spring as part of schedule rotations with health classes.

Interim Superintendent Dr. O’Brien said the district will post a hyperlink to the state model curriculum and provide summer opportunities for Director English to answer parent questions online, and she urged continued community outreach.

No board action was required that evening; the presentation concluded with trustees directing staff to expand outreach and confirm any state or UC procedural requirements as the course is implemented.