Rhode Island § 16-110-3 - African American History Education in Elementary and Secondary School

§ 16-110-3. Powers and duties.

The state shall adhere to the following procedures:

(1) The department of education shall collect and disseminate to every school district, private school, mayoral academy, and charter school, and make available currently on its website at https://www.ride.ri.gov/InstructionAssessment/CivicsSocialStudies/ResourcesonAfricanAmericanHistory.aspx the curriculum materials and other materials as may assist local and regional school committees, and governing bodies of any private school, mayoral academy, or charter school, in developing instructional programs pursuant to this section, materials on African Heritage and History.

(2) Every school district shall include in its curriculum a unit of instruction on African Heritage and History utilizing, but not being limited to, the materials collected and disseminated by the department of education, commencing with the 2022-2023 school year. Nothing herein shall require school districts to require African Heritage History instruction in every year, but that African Heritage education and instruction shall be utilized during appropriate times in the elementary and secondary school curricula, as determined by the local authority. All students should have received instruction on African Heritage and History materials by the time they have graduated from high school.