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Critical Curriculum Leadership in Action: How District Leaders Enact Ethnic Studies Policy in California
Research Team
Principal Investigator: Taeyeon Kim
Funding Information
Funding Agency: Office of Research and Innovation Research Council: Faculty Seed Grants
Award Date: Jan 1, 2025
End Date: Dec 31, 2025
Abstract
Ethnic Studies advocacy has catalyzed recent legislative mandates in K-12 education across 19 U.S. states. California became the first state to require Ethnic Studies as a high school graduation mandate, starting with the 2025-26 school year.
While these mandates signify a shift towards inclusive education and diverse worldviews, the lack of strong leadership guidance at the district level risks inadequate implementation of Ethnic Studies policy in schools, potentially reducing the curriculum to a mere legal compliance.
This project aims to examine district leaders’ perspectives and strategies in California’s first year of offering Ethnic Studies by addressing three research questions:
- How do district leaders perceive the sociopolitical value of Ethnic Studies?
- What challenges and pressures do they face in enacting the Ethnic Studies mandate?
- How do they adapt curricula to meet policy goals while fostering equity and justice?
Researchers will conduct comparative case studies of three districts involving 12 leaders working closely on Ethnic Studies policy. Data will be collected through surveys, interviews and documents over the course of 2025 and will generate actionable insights to enhance policy impact, given the critical role district leaders play in shaping instructional quality.
Findings will contribute to Ethnic Studies literature by providing empirical evidence on district leaders’ role in curriculum development.