Social Studies

Paragraph 27-20.4

Every public elementary school and high school shall include in its curriculum a unit of instruction studying the events of Black History. These events shall include not only the contributions made by individual African-Americans in government and in the arts, humanities and sciences to the economic, cultural and political development of the United States and Africa, but also the socio-economic struggle which African-Americans experienced collectively in striving to achieve fair and equal treatment under the laws of this nation. The studying of this material shall constitute an affirmation by students of their commitment to respect the dignity of all races and peoples and to forever eschew every form of discrimination in their lives and careers.

 
The State Superintendent of Education may prepare and make available to all school boards instructional materials which may be used as guidelines for development of a unit of instruction under this Section; provided, however, that each school board shall itself determine the minimum amount of instruction time which shall qualify as a unit of instruction satisfying the requirements of this Section.

(105 ILCS 5/27 3) (from Ch. 122, par. 27 3)
Sec. 27 3.

Patriotism and principles of representative government — Proper use of flag — Method of voting Pledge of Allegiance.

American patriotism and the principles of representative government, as enunciated in the American Declaration of Independence, the Constitution of the United States of America and the Constitution of the State of Illinois, and the proper use and display of the American flag, shall be taught in all public schools and other educational institutions supported or maintained in whole or in part by public funds. No student shall receive a certificate of graduation without passing a satisfactory examination upon such subjects. Instruction shall be given in all such schools and institutions in the method of voting at elections by means of the Australian Ballot system and the method of the counting of votes for candidates. The Pledge of Allegiance shall be recited each school day by pupils in elementary and secondary educational institutions supported or maintained in whole or in part by public funds. (Source: P.A. 92 612, eff. 7 3 02.)

05 ILCS 5/27-12.1. Consumer education

Sec. 27-12.1. Consumer education.

(a) Subject to the provisions of subsection (b) of this Section, pupils in the public schools in grades 9 through 12 shall be taught and be required to study courses which include instruction in the area of consumer education, including but not necessarily limited to installment purchasing, budgeting, comparison of prices and an understanding of the roles of consumers interacting with agriculture, business, labor unions and government in formulating and achieving the goals of the mixed free enterprise system. The State Board of Education shall devise or approve the consumer education curriculum for grades 9 through 12 and specify the minimum amount of instruction to be devoted thereto.

 
(b) Prior to the commencement of the 1986-1987 school year and prior to the commencement of each school year thereafter, the State Board of Education shall devise, develop and furnish to each school district within the State a uniform Annual Consumer Education Proficiency Test to be administered by each school district to those pupils of the district in grades 9 through 12 who elect to take the same, provided that no pupil shall be permitted to take the test more than once in any school year. Each year the State Board of Education shall by rule prescribe the date or dates during the school year on which school districts shall administer the test devised and developed for that school year, together with the uniform standards which all districts shall apply in scoring that test. The test shall be devised and developed by the State Board of Education each year in a standardized manner to allow any pupil who takes the same and who achieves a score thereon which is not less than the minimum score established by the State Board of Education for the test so taken to thereby demonstrate sufficient proficiency in the area of consumer education as shall excuse such pupil from the necessity of receiving, as a prerequisite to graduation from high school and receipt of a high school diploma, the minimum amount of instruction in a consumer education curriculum otherwise required by subsection (a) and the rules or regulations promulgated thereunder. For purposes of this subsection, "proficiency" is defined to mean that a pupil is competent in and has a well advanced knowledge of consumer education so that study of the course of instruction required by this Section would not be substantially educationally beneficial as determined by the State Board of Education when developing the uniform standards and minimum score requirements of this Section.
History — (Source: P.A. 86-300.)

105 ILCS 5/27 21 (from Ch. 122, par. 27 21)

Sec. 27 21. History of United States.

History of the United States shall be taught in all public schools and in all other educational institutions in this State supported or maintained, in whole or in part, by public funds.

"The teaching of history shall have as one of its objectives the imparting to pupils of a comprehensive idea of our democratic form of government and the principles for which our government stands as regards other nations, including the studying of the place of our government in world wide movements and the leaders thereof, with particular stress upon the basic principles and ideals of our representative form of government.

 
"The teaching of history shall include a study of the role and contributions of African Americans and other ethnic groups including but not restricted to Polish, Lithuanian, German, Hungarian, Irish, Bohemian, Russian, Albanian, Italian, Czech, Slovak, French, Scots, Hispanics, Asian Americans, etc., in the history of this country and this State.

 
"The teaching of history also shall include a study of the role of labor unions and their interaction with government in achieving the goals of a mixed free enterprise system.

No pupils shall be graduated from the eighth grade of any public school unless he has received such instruction in the history of the United States and gives evidence of having a comprehensive knowledge thereof.

(Source: P.A. 92 27, eff. 7 1 01; 93 406, eff. 1 1 04.)

 105 ILCS 5/27-22. Required high school courses

Statute text

Sec. 27-22. Required high school courses.

As a prerequisite to receiving a high school diploma, each pupil entering the 9th grade in 1984-1985 and subsequent years must, in addition to other course requirements, successfully complete the following courses:

1. three years of language arts;
2. two years of mathematics, one of which may be related to computer technology;
3. one year of science;
4. two years of social studies, of which at least one year must be history of the United States or a combination of history of the United States and American government; and
5. One year chosen from (A) music, (B) art, (C) foreign language, which shall be deemed to include American Sign Language or (D) vocational education.
    

This amendatory Act of 1983 does not apply to pupils entering the 9th grade in 1983-1984 school year and prior school years or to students with disabilities whose course of study is determined by an individualized education program. 

 
The provisions of this Section are subject to the provisions of Section 27-22.05 [105 ILCS 5/27-22.05].
History — (Source: P.A. 88-269, § 5; 89-397, § 5.)

105 ILCS 5/27-20.3

From Ch. 122, par. 27-20.3

Every public elementary school and high school shall include in its curriculum a unit of instruction studying the events of the Nazi atrocities of 1933 to 1945. This period in world history is known as the Holocaust, during which 6,000,000 Jews and millions of non-Jews were exterminated. One of the universal lessons of the Holocaust is that national, ethic, racial, or religious hatred can overtake any nation or society, leading to calamitous consequences. To reinforce that lesson, such curriculum shall include an additional unit of instruction studying other acts of genocide across the globe. This unit shall include, but not be limited to, the Armenian Genocide, the Famine-Genocide in Ukraine, the Pontian Greek Genocide, and more recent atrocities in Cambodia, Bosnia, Rwanda, and Sudan. The studying of this material is a reaffirmation of the commitment of free peoples from all nations to never again permit the occurrence of another Holocaust and a recognition that crimes of genocide continue to be perpetrated across the globe as they have been in the past and to deter indifference to crimes against humanity and human suffering wherever they may occur.

The State Superintendent of Education may prepare and make available to all school boards instructional materials which may be used as guidelines for development of a unit of instruction under this Section; provided, however, that each school board shall itself determine the minimum amount of instruction time which shall qualify as a unit of instruction which shall qualify as a unit of instruction satisfying the requirements of this Section.

Sec. 27-20.6

Every public elementary school and high school may include in its curriculum a unit of instruction studying the causes and effects of mass starvation in mid-19th century Ireland. This period in world history is known as the "Irish Famine", in which millions of Irish died or emigrated. The study of this material is a reaffirmation of the commitment of free people of all nations to eradicate the causes of famine that exist in the modern world.

 
The State Superintendent of Education may prepare and make available to all school boards instructional materials that may be used as guidelines for development of a unit of instruction under this Section; provided, however, that each school board shall itself determine the minimum amount of instruction time that shall qualify as a unit of instruction satisfying the requirements of this Section.

Irish Famine Curriculum:
This 125 page spiral-bound study guide was approved by the New Jersey Commission on Holocaust Education for inclusion in the Holocaust and genocide curriculum at the secondary level. A PBS-aired video "When Ireland Starved", in VHS format is available, edited for classroom use. The cost for either the curriculum or the video alone is $20.00 (postage and handling included) or both for $35.00. For information contact: Irish Famine Curriculum Committee, 757 Paddock Path, Moorestown, New Jersey, 08057. The curriculum is also available for download at: The Great Irish Famine.

Paragraph 27-20.5

Every public elementary school and high school shall include in its curriculum a unit of instruction studying the events of the history of women in America. These events shall include not only the contributions made by individual women in government, the arts, sciences, education, and in the economic, cultural, and political development of Illinois and of the United States, but shall also include a study of women’s struggles to gain the right to vote and to be treated equally as they strive to earn and occupy positions of merit in our society.

 
The State Superintendent of Education may prepare and make available to all school boards instructional materials that may be used as guidelines for development of a unit of instruction under this Section. Each school board shall determine the minimum amount of instructional time that shall qualify as a unit of instruction satisfying the requirements of this Section.

(105 ILCS 5/27 18) (from Ch. 122, par. 27 18)

• Sec. 27 18. Arbor and bird day.
  The last Friday in April is designated as "Arbor and Bird Day," to be observed throughout the State as a day for planting trees, shrubs and vines about public grounds, and as a day on which to hold appropriate exercises in the public schools and elsewhere tending to show the value of trees and birds and the necessity for their protection. (Source: P.A. 92 85, eff. 7 12 01.)

(105 ILCS 5/27 19) (from Ch. 122, par. 27 19)

• Sec. 27 19. Leif Erickson day.
  October 9, if a school day, otherwise the school day nearest such date, is designated as Leif Erikson Day. On such day one half hour may be devoted in the schools to instruction and appropriate exercises relative to and in commemoration of the life and history of Leif Erickson and the principles and ideals he fostered. (Source: Laws 1961, p. 31.)
   

(105 ILCS 5/27 20) (from Ch. 122, par. 27 20)

• Sec. 27 20. American Indian day.
  The fourth Friday of September is designated "American Indian Day," to be observed throughout the State as a day on which to hold appropriate exercises in commemoration of the American Indians. (Source: Laws 1961, p. 31.)
   

(105 ILCS 5/27 20.1) (from Ch. 122, par. 27 20.1)

• Sec. 27 20.1. Illinois Law Week.
  The first full school week in May is designated "Illinois Law Week". During that week, the public schools may devote appropriate time, instruction, study, and exercises in the procedures of the legislature and the enactment of laws, the courts and the administration of justice, the police and the enforcement of law, citizen responsibilities, and other principles and ideals to promote the importance of government under law in the State. (Source: P.A. 92 85, eff. 7 12 01.)

With its historic passage in April 2021, the Teaching Equitable Asian American Community History (TEAACH) Act amended Illinois School Code, ensuring that every public elementary and high school student in Illinois learns about the contributions of Asian Americans to the economic, cultural, social, and political development of the United States.

Currently, U-46 is meeting most of this requirement in High School US History's unit nine. However, upcoming changes to Middle School courses will include a specific unit on Asian American History in Illinois and the Midwest. Additionally, we are looking for ways to incorporate components of the TEAACH Act into select K-6 units in the future.

Teachers looking to get ahead of these upcoming units or learn more about Asian American History in Illinois are invited to participate in a series of three FREE Professional Development modules from the University of Illinois totaling up to 36 PD Hours (valid with ISBE - but not for U-46 Professional Credit).  

Teachers completing all 36 hours can receive a microcredential from the ISBE.

Learn more and sign up.