The Santa Maria Joint Union High School District Board of Education is making ethnic and gender studies a requirement for graduation, starting with the class of 2025.
Last year, the district offered eight courses in the subject area across all high schools in the district.
The board now plans to develop a five-year plan to continue to expand course offerings and ensure the successful implementation of the new requirement.
California Assemblymember Jose Medina, who spoke to the board Tuesday, is working to get a bill passed that would make ethnic studies a graduation requirement for all high schools in the state.
