New curriculum additions required by the NJ Department of Education

In 2018, a bill was passed requiring that additions be applied to the curriculum during the 2020-2021 School Year.

• Breaking Bias: Lessons from the Amistad
• The New Jersey State Bar Foundation has created this curriculum and guide, which looks at African American history through an anti-bias lens and highlights the contributions that African Americans have made to the United States as well as the lessons our country has learned from this history.
• New Jersey Amistad Commission
• Our District's Implementation:
• Social Studies
• Portrayals of People with disabilities - (N.J.S.A 18A:35-4.35-6)
• A search tool containing information and synopses of children's and young adult literature about or having to do with people with disabilities. The name of the author and illustrator, year of publication, publisher, appropriate grade level and award status of the book is provided.
• Our District's Implementation:
• Language Arts
• The LGBTQ Rights Movement: An Introduction - (N.J.S.A 18A:35-4.35-6)
• This resource explores the broader diversity of the LGBTQ community, especially in terms of race and ethnicity, creating a collective portrait of the LGBTQ movement that reflects this diversity. This resource is divided between a readable, detailed, concise historical chronology and individual biographies of key figures in the history of the LGBTQ movement.
• Our District's Implementation:
• K-12 Health and PE
• 9-12 Social Studies
• Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage and History in the U.S.
• A Teacher's Guide from EDSITEment offering a collection of lessons and resources for K-12 social studies, literature and arts classrooms that center around the experiences, achievements and perspectives of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders across U.S. history.
• Our District's Implementation:
• Asian American and Pacific Islander

18A:35-4.7 - Parent's statement of conflict with conscience

Any child whose parent or guardian presents to the school principal a signed statement that any part of the instructions in health, family life education, or sex education is in conflict with his conscience, or sincerely held moral or religious beliefs shall be excused from that portion of the course where such instruction is being given and no penalties as to credit or graduation shall result there from. (L.1979, c. 428, s. 2, eff. Feb. 11, 1980. N.J.A.S.18A:35-4.7. Current with laws through L.2022, c.14 and J.R.No.3)

• Parents, If you wish to opt-out of the Sex Education Curriculum, click here.

Frequently Ask Questions

1. What are the requirements of the Diversity and Inclusion statute (N.J.S.A. 18A:35-4.36a)?

   18A:35-4.36a Curriculum to include instruction on diversity and inclusion.

1. Beginning in the 2021-2022 school year, each school district shall incorporate instruction on diversity and inclusion in an appropriate place in the curriculum of students in grades kindergarten through 12 as part of the district's implementation of the New Jersey Student Learning Standards.
1. The instruction shall:
1. highlight and promote diversity, including economic diversity, equity, inclusion, tolerance, and belonging in connection with gender and sexual orientation, race and ethnicity, disabilities, and religious tolerance;
2. examine the impact that unconscious bias and economic disparities have at both an individual level and on society as a whole; and
3. encourage safe, welcoming, and inclusive environments for all students regardless of race or ethnicity, sexual and gender identities, mental and physical disabilities, and religious beliefs.
2. The Commissioner of Education shall provide school districts with sample learning activities and resources designed to promote diversity and inclusion.
2. This act shall take effect immediately.

2. What are the requirements of the LGBT and Individuals with Disabilities statute (N.J.S.A. 18A:35-4.35-6)?

   18A:35-4.35: History of disabled and LGBT persons included in middle and high school curriculum.

1. A board of education shall include instruction on the political, economic, and social contributions of persons with disabilities and lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people, in an appropriate place in the curriculum of middle school and high school students as part of the district's implementation of the New Jersey Student Learning Standards.
   18A:35-4.36 Policies, procedures pertaining to inclusive instructional materials.
2. A board of education shall have policies and procedures in place pertaining to the selection of instructional materials to implement the requirements of section 1 of this act. When adopting instructional materials for use in the schools of the district, a board of education shall adopt inclusive instructional materials that portray the cultural and economic diversity of society including the political, economic, and social contributions of persons with disabilities and lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people, where appropriate.
3. This act shall take effect immediately and shall first apply to the 2020-2021 school year.

3. Is there an opt-out option related to the statutes stated above?

1. Each school district is required by law to provide instruction in grades K-12 at an appropriate place in the curriculum that highlights and promotes diversity, including economic diversity, equity, inclusion, tolerance, and belonging in connection with gender and sexual orientation, race and ethnicity, disabilities, and religious tolerance; as well as the political, economic, and social contributions of persons with disabilities and lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people at the middle and high school level. There is no opt-out provision in these statues.

4. How should school districts address questions and concerns from families and other members of the community about this legislation?

1. District boards of education shall encourage the active involvement of representatives from the community, business, industry, labor and higher education in the development of educational programs aligned to the N.J.A.C. 6A:8-3.10(a).

More information can be located on the New Jersey Student Learning Standards from the New Jersey Department of Education.