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Social Studies Guidance & Resources

Holocaust Resources

Holocaust Instruction Survey

On August 10, 2022, Governor Kathy Hochul signed into law Chapter 490 of the Laws of 2022 requiring a survey regarding instruction on the Holocaust within New York State public school districts.  Through the survey, superintendents were required to attest that the district is teaching about the Holocaust appropriately as part of classroom instruction aligned with the NYS Social Studies Learning Standards and §801 of Education Law.  A report of the findings of the survey was delivered to the governor, the temporary president of the senate, the speaker of the assembly, the minority leader of the senate, and the minority leader of the assembly and is available below.

Final Report on Survey Findings

Holocaust Instruction in New York State

The New York State K-12 Social Studies Framework requires instruction in the Holocaust at specific grade levels. While instruction of human rights and the Holocaust is discussed and taught throughout K-12, it is more explicitly taught in the 8th, 10th, and 11th grades when students learn about the horrors of the Holocaust, the Nuremberg Trials, and the UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights.  Holocaust Education resources can be found below and on the NYSED Social Studies webpage

Holocaust Education Resources

This section houses a collection of resources and guidance to support Holocaust education.  Utilization of the NYSED’s resources to support curriculum development and instruction is optional; all instructional decisions are made at the local level. The sites below are provided as options and sources for ideas and inspiration only. The list is also not exhaustive; there are many quality resources and learning activities available online.

 

Law Requiring Student Governments

Effective September 1, 2024, every school district serving high school students grades 9-12 with no districtwide or school building peer-selected student government is required to establish at least one student government organization within such district or school building.