State Mandated Curricular Infusions

From time to time, the State and General Assembly of New Jersey passes legislation to ensure that districts include instruction on topics within their curriculum documents.  The topics, which are mandated, are infused into the specified grade levels and are taught to students in a manner the Fair Haven Public School District feels is appropriate, based on both the age and developmental appropriateness of such topics.

To easily highlight where these topics are infused, the District has created several “crosswalks” showing the grades and themes associated with the different pieces of legislation.  These crosswalks are not the full curriculum or represent a curriculum guide for any given course.  These documents highlight places in the current Board approved curriculum where instruction can occur naturally, infusing aspects of the topics that each bill entails.  

These documents are used as teacher resources, just as a standard curriculum document is used, and our teachers are the vehicle for disseminating the information in age/developmentally appropriate ways.  Students do not have access to the documents, but are provided instruction that highlights the diverse contributions of individuals and specific events in history (based on a timeline specified by NJ Student Learning Standards).  The essence of many of these curricular infusions helps all students that walk through the doors of any Fair Haven Public School find characters, individuals, and situations that they can relate to, creating spaces that allow students to feel safe, valued, respected, and brave.

Amistad (K-8)

The Amistad bill was signed into law on Aug. 27, 2002.  Here is a link to the NJ DOE overview of the legislation:  About Amistad

NJEA, in partnership with the Department of Education, created a task force in 2018 to address the lack of implementation and to also look at model schools. In addition, the State Board of Education approved the proposal of former New Jersey Commissioner of Education Lamont Repollet to mandate that school districts be held accountable for meeting the Amistad mandate by making it as part of the oversight monitoring of New Jersey Quality Single Accountability Continuum (NJQSAC).

Holocaust (K-8)

On March 10, 1994, legislation was passed, sponsored by Senators Ewing, McGreevey, and Sinagra, stating that every board of education shall include instruction on the Holocaust and genocides in an appropriate place in the curriculum of all elementary and secondary school pupils. The instruction shall enable pupils to identify and analyze applicable theories concerning human nature and behavior: to understand that genocide is a consequence of prejudice and discrimination: and to understand that issues of moral dilemma and conscience have a profound impact on life. The instruction shall further emphasize the personal responsibility that each citizen bears to fight racism and hatred whenever and wherever it happens.  The legislation can be found here:  New Jersey Commission on Holocaust Education

Alongside the work that districts were doing to implement the Amistad mandate, 2018 also marked the time where districts infused themes associated with the Holocaust through units developed by the Commission.  Our young learners will be exposed to themes following these recommendations:

• K – 4 Caring Makes a Difference

• 5 – 8 To Honor All Children

LGBTQ+ (6-8)

On January 31, 2019, the State and General Assembly enacted legislation where the history of disabled and LGBT persons must be included in middle and high school curriculum.  This legislation took effect for the 2020-2021 school year.  The bill specifies that instruction on the political, economic, and social contributions of persons with disabilities and lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people, are taught in an appropriate place in the curriculum of middle school and high school students as part of the district’s implementation of the New Jersey Student Learning Standards.  The legislation can be found here:  LGBTQ+ Bill

Inclusion and Diversity (K-8)

On March, 1, 2021, the State and General Assembly enacted legislation where district curriculum is to include instruction on diversity and inclusion in an appropriate place in the curriculum of students in grades kindergarten through 12 as part of the district’s implementation of the New Jersey Student Learning Standards.  This legislation is to take place for the 2021-2022 school year.  The legislation can be found here:  Inclusion and Diversity Bill

Climate Change (K-8)

With the adoption of the 2020 version of the New Jersey Student Learning Standards (NJSLS), climate change has been incorporated into all of the revised standards—an initiative supported by First Lady Tammy Murphy. The change makes New Jersey the first state to comprehensively address climate change across multiple content area standards.  Here is a link to the 2020 NJSLS:  Standards Overview

Enhancing AAPI Cultural and Education Programs in New Jersey: AAPI-Inclusive Curriculum and the Commission on Asian American Heritage (K-8)

On January 18, 2022, Governor Murphy signed legislation that ensures that the contributions, history, and heritage of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPI) are included in the New Jersey Student Learning Standards (NJSLS) for Social Studies in kindergarten through Grade 12 (P.L.2021, c.416).

Click Here for Our Curricular Infusions Document - Amistad, Holocaust, LGBTQ+, Inclusion and Diversity & Climate Change - Updated July 17, 2024

*All of these crosswalks are considered "works in progress" and will be reviewed, revised, and Board approved, as appropriate*