SLIDEREAD

Illinois Mandated Units of Study Guidance DocumentIntended Audiences: District and school administrators, curriculum coordinators, teacher-leaders, andclassroom teachersDescription: This document is to serve as a guide for districts, schools, and teachers in interpreting thecurrent mandated units of study in Illinois. A separate document has been created that specificallyaddresses the civics mandate. Included are the Illinois State Board of Education’s interpretation of the lawand common misconceptions.Though Illinois has adopted new learning standards in most subject areas over the last few years,mandated units of study detailed in the Illinois School Code and Illinois Administrative Code are stillrequired to be addressed in public schools.Below is a table detailing the mandated units of study for all public schools. A modified version of theROE Compliance Review Visit form has been combined with information and descriptions from theIllinois School code to list and explain the current mandates. In this informational document, the thirdcolumn provides more clarification about the mandate rather than a place to mark compliance.Below, in the column to the left, you will find listed areas of study that are mandated by the Illinois SchoolCode and Illinois Administrative Code. Since the Code specifies the grade levels to receive the curriculum,the second column indicates at what grade level(s) the unit(s) should be taught.Social Science Mandated Units of Instruction/Courses: These mandates are connected to socialscience content; some are specified to occur in the social sciences while others may be taught in variouscontent areas as fits with school/district curriculum. Additional information about mandates that may notbe directly connected to the social sciences appears beneath the table.Language from the ISBE 23 Administrative Code and/or ISBE Graduation Guidance Document includescitation information but may be reformatted or bolded for ease of use.Curriculum AreaGrade Level(s)TaughtMandate Wording and ClarificationEach school system shall provide history and social sciencescourses that do the following:*Social StudiesAll1)analyze the principles of representative government, theConstitutions of both the United States and the State of Illinois,the proper use of the flag, and how these concepts have relatedand currently do relate in actual practice in the world (seeSection 27-21 of the School Code [105 ILCS 5/27-21]);Official language on laws comes from Illinois General Assembly Compiled .asp?DocName 010500050K27-22) and/or ISBE’s Graduation Guidance Document January

2)include in the teaching of United States history the role andcontributions of ethnic groups in the history of this country andthe State (Section 27-21 of the School Code);3)include in the teaching of United States history the role oflabor unions and their interaction with government in achievingthe goals of a mixed free-enterprise system (Section 27-21 of theSchool Code);4)include the study of that period in world history known asthe Holocaust (Section 27-20.3 of the School Code [105 ILCS 5/2720.3]);5)include the study of the events of Black history, includingthe individual contributions of African-Americans and theircollective socio-economic struggles (Section 27-20.4 of the SchoolCode [105 ILCS 5/27-20.4]);6)include the study of the events of women's history inAmerica, including individual contributions and women'sstruggles for the right to vote and for equal treatment (Section27-20.5 of the School Code [105 ILCS 5/27‑20.5]); and7)include the study of the events related to the forcefulremoval and illegal deportation of Mexican-American U.S.citizens during the Great Depression (Section 27-21 of the SchoolCode).(105 ILCS 5/27-20.4) (from Ch. 122, par. 27-20.4) Sec. 27-20.4.Black History Study.Every public elementary school and high school shall include in itscurriculum a unit of instruction studying the events of BlackHistory, including:African American HistoryElem. & Hg. Sch. the history of the African slave trade,slavery in America, andthe vestiges of slavery in this country.These events shall include not only the contributions made byindividual African-Americans in government and in the arts,humanities and sciences to the economic, cultural and politicaldevelopment of the United States and Africa, but also the socioeconomic struggle which African-Americans experiencedcollectively in striving to achieve fair and equal treatment underthe laws of this nation. The studying of this material shallconstitute an affirmation by students of their commitment toOfficial language on laws comes from Illinois General Assembly Compiled .asp?DocName 010500050K27-22) and/or ISBE’s Graduation Guidance Document

respect the dignity of all races and peoples and to forever eschewevery form of discrimination in their lives and careers. Each school board shall itself determine the minimum amountof instruction time which shall qualify as a unit of instructionsatisfying the requirements of this Section.(Source: P.A. 94-285, eff. 7-21-05.)(105 ILCS 5/27-3) (from Ch. 122, par. 27-3) Patriotism andprinciples of representative government - Proper use of flag Method of voting - Pledge of Allegiance.American Patriotism,Principles ofRepresentativeGovernment, and ProperUse and Display of theFlagAmerican patriotism and the principles of representativegovernment, as enunciated in the American Declaration ofIndependence, the Constitution of the United States of Americaand the Constitution of the State of Illinois, and the proper useand display of the American flag, shall be taught in all publicschools and other educational institutions supported ormaintained in whole or in part by public funds. No student shallreceive a certificate of graduation without passing a satisfactoryexamination upon such subjects.AllInstruction shall be given in all such schools and institutions in themethod of voting at elections by means of the Australian Ballotsystem and the method of the counting of votes for candidates.The Pledge of Allegiance shall be recited each school day bypupils in elementary and secondary educational institutionssupported or maintained in whole or in part by public funds.(Source: P.A. 92-612, eff. 7-3-02.)Grades 9-12:Each student shall be required to take a course covering Americanpatriotism and the principles of representative government, asenunciated in the American Declaration of Independence, theConstitution of the United States of America and the Constitutionof the State of Illinois, and the proper use and display of theAmerican flag for not less than one hour per week, or theequivalent. (Sections 27-3 and 27-4 of the School Code)CivicsBeginning with pupils entering the 9th grade in the school year and each school year thereafter, at least one semestermust be civics. (105 ILCS 5/27-22)A separate Civics Mandate Guidance Document has beencreated to clarify legislation surrounding this mandate.Official language on laws comes from Illinois General Assembly Compiled .asp?DocName 010500050K27-22) and/or ISBE’s Graduation Guidance Document

(105 ILCS 5/27-20.3) (from Ch. 122, par. 27-20.3) Sec. 27-20.3.Holocaust and Genocide StudyHolocaust/Genocide EdElem & Hg Sch(105 ILCS 5/27-20.3)Every public elementary school and high school shall include in itscurriculum a unit of instruction studying the events of the Naziatrocities of 1933 to 1945. This period in world history is known asthe Holocaust, during which 6,000,000 Jews and millions of nonJews were exterminated. One of the universal lessons of theHolocaust is that national, ethnic, racial, or religious hatred canovertake any nation or society, leading to calamitousconsequences. To reinforce that lesson, such curriculum shallinclude an additional unit of instruction studying other acts ofgenocide across the globe. This unit shall include, but not belimited to, the Armenian Genocide, the Famine-Genocide inUkraine, and more recent atrocities in Cambodia, Bosnia,Rwanda, and Sudan. The studying of this material is areaffirmation of the commitment of free peoples from all nationsto never again permit the occurrence of another Holocaust and arecognition that crimes of genocide continue to be perpetratedacross the globe as they have been in the past and to deterindifference to crimes against humanity and human sufferingwherever they may occur. Each school board shall itself determine the minimum amountof instruction time which shall qualify as a unit of instructionsatisfying the requirements of this Section.(Source: P.A. 94-478, eff. 8-5-05.)(105 ILCS 5/27-21) (from Ch. 122, par. 27-21) Sec. 27-21. History ofUnited States.History of the United States shall be taught in all public schoolsand in all other educational institutions in this State supported ormaintained, in whole or in part, by public funds. The teaching ofhistory shall have as one of its objectivesU.S. HistoryAll (105 ILCS 5/27-21) the imparting to pupils of a comprehensive idea of ourdemocratic form of government and the principles forwhich our government stands as regards other nations,including the studying of the place of our government inworld-wide movements and the leaders thereof, withparticular stress upon the basic principles and ideals of ourrepresentative form of government.The teaching of history shall include a study of the role andcontributions of African Americans and other ethnicgroups including but not restricted to Polish, Lithuanian,Official language on laws comes from Illinois General Assembly Compiled .asp?DocName 010500050K27-22) and/or ISBE’s Graduation Guidance Document

German, Hungarian, Irish, Bohemian, Russian, Albanian,Italian, Czech, Slovak, French, Scots, Hispanics, AsianAmericans, etc., in the history of this country and thisState.To reinforce the study of the role and contributions ofHispanics, such curriculum shall include the study of theevents related to the forceful removal and illegaldeportation of Mexican-American U.S. citizens during theGreat Depression.The teaching of history also shall include a study of therole of labor unions and their interaction with governmentin achieving the goals of a mixed free enterprise system.No pupils shall be graduated from the eighth grade of any publicschool unless he has received such instruction in the history of theUnited States and gives evidence of having a comprehensiveknowledge thereof.(Source: P.A. 96-629, eff. 1-1-10.)(105 ILCS 5/27-3) (from Ch. 122, par. 27-3) Patriotism andprinciples of representative government - Proper use of flag Method of voting - Pledge of Allegiance.United States & IllinoisConstitutions(105 ILCS 5/27-3)Between 7th grand HS grad.American patriotism and the principles of representativegovernment, as enunciated in the American Declaration ofIndependence, the Constitution of the United States of Americaand the Constitution of the State of Illinois, and the proper useand display of the American flag, shall be taught in all publicschools and other educational institutions supported ormaintained in whole or in part by public funds. No student shallreceive a certificate of graduation without passing a satisfactoryexamination upon such subjects.Instruction shall be given in all such schools and institutions in themethod of voting at elections by means of the Australian Ballotsystem and the method of the counting of votes for candidates.The Pledge of Allegiance shall be recited each school day by pupilsin elementary and secondary educational institutions supported ormaintained in whole or in part by public funds.(Source: P.A. 92-612, eff. 7-3-02.)Mandate Clarification: Students must pass a satisfactoryexamination upon the Declaration of Independence, Constitutionof the United States of America, the Constitution of the State ofIllinois, and the proper use and display of the American flag inOfficial language on laws comes from Illinois General Assembly Compiled .asp?DocName 010500050K27-22) and/or ISBE’s Graduation Guidance Document

order to graduate high school. Students may be evaluated on theirknowledge during middle school or high school but must pass asatisfactory examination at least one time between 7th grade andgraduation of high school.(105 ILCS 5/27-20.5) (from Ch. 122, par. 27-20.5) Sec. 27-20.5.Study of the History of Women.Every public elementary school and high school shall include in itscurriculum a unit of instruction studying the events of the historyof women in America. These events shall include Women in HistoryElem & Hg Sch(105 ILCS 5/27-20.5) not only the contributions made by individual women ingovernment, the arts, sciences, education, and in theeconomic, cultural, and political development of Illinoisand of the United States,but shall also include a study of women's struggles to gainthe right to vote and to be treated equally as they strive toearn and occupy positions of merit in our society. Each school board shall determine the minimum amount ofinstructional time that shall qualify as a unit of instructionsatisfying the requirements of this Section.(Source: P.A. 86-1256.)(105 ILCS 5/27-3.5) Sec. 27-3.5. Congressional Medal of Honor film.Congressional Medal ofHonor Video7th, HS Hist/Gov.(105 ILCS 5/27.3.5)Each school district shall require that all students in grade 7 andall high school students enrolled in a course concerning history ofthe United States or a combination of history of the United Statesand American go