Pennsylvania schools would teach Holocaust, genocide, and human rights history

Each school entity would have to offer instruction on the Holocaust, genocide, and human rights violations. A school entity includes school districts, charter and cyber charter schools, intermediate units, and area career and technical schools. Lessons must be age appropriate, follow a sequence, and connect intolerance with the subjects taught. Schools may use suitable public or private materials and include lessons in other appropriate courses. The teaching requirement would begin with the 2026–2027 school year.

A school entity providing the instruction would have to train instructors whose courses include it. The training duty covers instructors whose teaching responsibilities include courses with this instruction. Schools may use the Department of Education’s training programs or other programs consistent with the section. Employees required to complete continuing professional education would receive credit if the department approved the training program. The training provision would begin with the 2026–2027 school year.

Each school entity would have to post information about its lessons on its public website. The duty applies to each school entity. A school may post a link or title for its resources, a course syllabus, or a written curriculum summary. The duty does not require a school to violate copyright, trademark, or other intellectual property rights. The chief school administrator or a designee would carry it out. The posting duty would begin in the 2026–2027 school year and apply each school year after that.

The Department of Education would review and update existing curriculum guidelines as necessary. The guidelines concern instruction on the Holocaust, genocide, and human rights violations. The guidelines would encourage teaching about the Holocaust, genocide, human rights violations, and related subjects where appropriate. The department would consult education experts and post the guidelines online. They would state the minimum instruction needed to educate students on these subjects.