History instruction

AN ACT Relating to instruction on Asian American and Native 1
Hawaiian/Pacific Islander history in public schools; adding a new 2
section to chapter 28A.655 RCW; adding a new section to chapter 3
28A.230 RCW; creating new sections; and providing an expiration date.4
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:5
NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. (1) The legislature finds that:6
(a) The contributions of generations of Asian American and Native 7
Hawaiian/Pacific Islander communities have enriched and strengthened 8
this state and nation. Washington is the proud home of the seventh 9
largest Asian American population and third largest Pacific Islander 10
population in the nation, which make up nearly 12 percent of our 11
state's population. Asian American and Native Hawaiian/Pacific 12
Islander residents have made valuable contributions to all areas of 13
Washington, including in government, business, arts and sciences, 14
medicine, law enforcement, and the military; 15
(b) Yet, Washington state has seen an increase in hate crimes and 16
violence against historically marginalized groups, two-thirds of 17
which are based on race or ethnicity. According to local and national 18
surveys, there has been a particularly significant rise in Asian 19
American and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander youth experiencing 20
bullying and racism; 21
S-0889.2
SENATE BILL 5574
State of Washington 69th Legislature 2025 Regular Session
By Senators Nobles, Trudeau, Cortes, Frame, Kauffman, Liias,
Lovelett, Lovick, Orwall, Riccelli, Stanford, Valdez, and C. Wilson
Read first time 01/29/25. Referred to Committee on Early Learning &
K-12 Education.
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(c) Regardless of one's background, every student in Washington 1
state has a right to feel safe at school and in their communities;2
(d) Teaching students about Asian American and Native Hawaiian/3
Pacific Islander history and contributions is an important response 4
to the hateful rhetoric and violence the Asian American and Native 5
Hawaiian/Pacific Islander community has experienced in recent years, 6
and a preventive measure to guard against such rhetoric and violence 7
in the future. For Asian American and Native Hawaiian/Pacific 8
Islander students specifically, it will bolster their mental health 9
and sense of belonging in the state they call home. For all 10
Washington students, this education would foster a stronger sense of 11
community and shared history, underlining the struggles and values 12
that connect all of us as Americans; 13
(e) Consistent with RCW 28A.655.300, the legislature recognizes 14
the importance of public school students being global citizens in a 15
global society with an appreciation for the contributions of diverse 16
cultures. Research has shown that using historically accurate 17
curricula that are inclusive of historically marginalized and 18
underrepresented groups helps address lack of representation or 19
misrepresentation; and leads to positive changes in students' 20
attitudes, values, empathy, participation, academic performance, and 21
attendance rates; 22
(f) Too often, Asian Americans are viewed as either the "model 23
minority" or "perpetual foreigner," or both and omitted from ethnic 24
studies, United States history, and Washington history curricula and 25
instruction altogether. For Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders, 26
many of these traditionally overburdened communities have been 27
defined, excluded, and underserved by systems and institutions for 28
decades. 29
(2) Accordingly, and with the support of Asian American and 30
Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander community-based organizations, the 31
legislature intends for education regarding the history of Asian 32
Americans and Native Hawaiians/Pacific Islanders be mandatory in 33
Washington's common schools. 34
NEW SECTION. Sec. 2. A new section is added to chapter 28A.655 35
RCW to read as follows: 36
(1) By September 1, 2028, the office of the superintendent of 37
public instruction shall adopt Asian American and Native Hawaiian/38
Pacific Islander history learning standards as part of the state 39
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social studies learning standards and shall identify available 1
curricula and other instructional materials that are aligned to those 2
standards for use by school districts and collected in collaboration 3
with leaders of Asian American and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander 4
community-based organizations and the statewide association of 5
educational service districts. For purposes of developing the 6
learning standards, Asian American and Native Hawaiian/Pacific 7
Islander history includes, but is not limited to, the history of 8
Americans of East Asian, Southeast Asian, South Asian, Native 9
Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander descent. 10
(2) The history learning standards adopted under subsection (1) 11
of this section must include, but are not limited to, the following 12
topics: 13
(a) A focus on the history of Asian Americans and Native 14
Hawaiians/Pacific Islanders in the state, the region, and the United 15
States, including incorporated and unincorporated territories of the 16
United States; and 17
(b) The local, regional, and national contributions of:18
(i) Asian Americans and Native Hawaiians/Pacific Islanders 19
towards advancing civil rights from the 19th century to the present 20
day; 21
(ii) Individual Asian Americans and Native Hawaiians/Pacific 22
Islanders in government, the arts, humanities, and sciences; and23
(iii) Asian American and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander 24
communities to the economic, cultural, social, and political 25
development of the United States. 26
NEW SECTION. Sec. 3. A new section is added to chapter 28A.230 27
RCW to read as follows: 28
(1) Beginning in the 2029-30 school year, school districts shall 29
provide instruction in grades K-12 on Asian American and Native 30
Hawaiian/Pacific Islander history when the topic aligns with the 31
state social studies learning standards adopted under section 2 of 32
this act and is included in existing frameworks of United States 33
history and Washington state history. This instruction must include 34
the topics identified in section 2(2) of this act.35
(2) When providing instruction on Asian American and Native 36
Hawaiian/Pacific Islander history, school districts are encouraged to 37
use the curricula and other instructional materials identified by the 38
office of the superintendent of public instruction under the 39
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provisions of section 2 of this act, ethnic studies materials and 1
resources as made available under RCW 28A.300.112, or other existing 2
and appropriate public or private materials, personnel, and 3
resources, provided that they align with the state learning standards 4
adopted by the office of the superintendent of public instruction 5
under section 2 of this act. 6
(3) A school district may accept gifts, grants, and donations, 7
including in-kind donations, related to instruction on Asian American 8
and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander history. 9
(4) Beginning June 30, 2030, and by each June 30th thereafter, 10
each school district shall provide a report to the state board of 11
education, the office of the superintendent of public instruction, 12
and the Washington state school directors' association, that the 13
district is offering the instruction required under this section, and 14
that the program of instruction is planned, ongoing, and systematic.15
NEW SECTION. Sec. 4. (1) The office of the superintendent of 16
public instruction shall establish an Asian American and Native 17
Hawaiian/Pacific Islander history advisory committee to:18
(a) Advise, assist, and make recommendations to the office of the 19
superintendent of public instruction regarding the (i) implementation 20
of learning standards regarding Asian American and Native Hawaiian/21
Pacific Islander contributions, history, and perspectives, and (ii) 22
identification of Asian American and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander 23
history curricula and other instructional materials described under 24
section 2 of this act; 25
(b) Develop a framework to support the teaching of Asian American 26
and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander history in grades K-12, 27
including identifying educational programs, professional development, 28
and teacher training opportunities; and 29
(c) Submit a report to the office of equity in accordance with 30
RCW 43.18A.030. 31
(2) The Asian American and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander 32
history advisory committee must meet the requirements in RCW 33
43.18A.020 and be composed of representatives from the Washington 34
state commission on Asian Pacific American affairs established in RCW 35
43.117.030, at least five community organizations working with the 36
Asian American and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander communities, 37
state agencies, educators with experience teaching Asian American and 38
Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander history in public high schools and 39
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institutions of higher education, and any other relevant entities the 1
office of the superintendent of public instruction identifies.2
(3) To ensure that the advisory committee has diverse and 3
inclusive representation of those affected by its work, advisory 4
committee members must be compensated as provided in RCW 43.03.220.5
(4) Advisory committee members are not entitled to be reimbursed 6
for travel expenses if they are elected officials or are 7
participating on behalf of an employer, governmental entity, or other 8
organization. 9
(5) This section expires June 30, 2028. 10
NEW SECTION. Sec. 5. Nothing in this act supersedes the use of 11
the John McCoy (lulilaš) since time immemorial curriculum developed 12
and required under RCW 28A.320.170(1)(b). This act is supplementary 13
to, and does not supersede, the ethnic studies materials and 14
resources for public school students referenced in RCW 28A.655.300 15
and 28A.300.112.16
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