Bill > HB2965

This bill mandates that the state board of education, which oversees public education in Missouri, must establish a work group to create academic standards for two new required high school courses: one unit of credit in Black history and one unit of credit in Black literature. This work group will include educators, representatives from the department of elementary and secondary education (the state agency responsible for K-12 education), and relevant nonprofit organizations, and their goal is to develop curriculum frameworks that ensure students gain necessary knowledge and skills. The state board of education is then required to adopt these standards for the 2027-2028 school year and beyond, and by that same school year, every school district in Missouri must require students to complete both of these courses before graduating with a high school diploma or certificate, although districts can waive this requirement for transfer students from out of state if they can prove completion of similar coursework.

https://house.mo.gov/Bill.aspx?bill=HB2965&year=2026&code=R