Following approval of Connecticut’s first model statewide curriculum, the State Education Resource Center (SERC) has released a documentary to inform communities, families, schools, and the general public about the course development process led by SERC.

The CT State Board of Education approved the African American/Black and Puerto Rican/Latino high school course of studies on December 2, as required by a state law signed in June 2019 that authorized SERC to develop and submit course curriculum materials by January 2021. The 36-minute film features the voices of a wide range of stakeholders involved in the effort, including Dr. Jason Mancini, executive director at CT Humanities.

The 150-member advisory group convened by SERC included K-12 and college educators, historians and museum representatives, parents, students, community advocates, and the lawmakers who sponsored Public Act 19-12, State Senator Douglas McCrory, State Representative Bobby Sanchez, and State Representative Bobby Gibson. In the documentary, they explain the reasoning behind the course, how it came about, the purpose behind its structure, and their vision for education in Connecticut that reflects diverse perspectives.

“I am moved by the fact that I represent an organization—the State Education Resource Center—that has been selected to coordinate this effort,” SERC Executive Director Ingrid M. Canady says in the documentary, from a February event with lawmakers at the State Capitol. “And we are honored by this task, that I cannot even call it a task. I have to call it ‘history in the making’.”

The short film, Making History: The creation of a statewide Black and Latino Course of Studies per CT PA 19-12, as well as additional information about the curriculum development, is available at www.ctserc.org/pa1912. School districts may offer the course beginning in the 2021-2022 school year, and all Connecticut high schools must offer the course by the 2022-2023 school year.