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Dixon Unified outlines ethnic studies course plan for ninth grade; community feedback survey to open March 28
Summary
District staff presented an ethnic studies course for ninth graders aligned with state requirements (AB 101), previewed unit examples including Native American identity and oral history, and said a public survey with a linked draft course will be available March 28 for community feedback ahead of board action in May.
Dixon Unified presented an update on ethnic studies planning and implementation at the March 20 board meeting, including course content targeted for ninth-grade students, a timeline for feedback, and a commitment to return to the board for adoption in May.
Assistant Superintendent of Educational Services Dr. Aliza Stupin told the board that Assembly Bill 101 (2021) requires offering at least one semester of ethnic studies for pupils graduating in the class of 2029 and later, and that the district plans to offer a semester-long ethnic studies course in rotation with health in ninth grade. The district's timeline shows the course will be available for implementation in fall 2025.
Teacher Christina Gregory described sample units and classroom activities, saying students will study multiple perspectives including African American, Latinx, AAPI, Native American and Arab experiences, and will complete journals, interactive notebooks, small-group discussions, case studies and a creation-story unit connected to local Indigenous communities. Gregory noted the course links local content to broader state-adopted resources and emphasized interactive, student-centered lessons.
Stupin said the draft course will be posted and linked in a survey sent to education partners and the wider community on March 28. The survey will allow students, families and staff (with middle-school and high-school students emphasized) to review the unit-by-unit draft and submit open-ended feedback. Staff said they will compile feedback in April and bring a final proposed course to the board for action in May.
Board members asked about collaboration with other districts and programs; Stupin said the district has reviewed materials from San Francisco, participated in UC Berkeley training and is part of a Solano County collaborative on ethnic studies. Trustees praised the inclusion of a sample lesson and the plan to solicit community input before adoption.
No public comment was received specifically on the ethnic-studies presentation at the time the item was presented. The item was informational; no board action was required.
