The 9th-grade course has been developed as a critical entry point for students' transition to high school, enabling them to create an analytical and empowering lens to apply to their subsequent studies. 

Ethnic Studies (ES) in Oakland was born out of student activism at Castlemont High School, who demanded that the stories of their communities be reflected in the classroom. The first official Ethnic Studies course was launched in 2015. Since then, students, educators, and community members have collaboratively developed Ethnic Studies standards, a framework, pedagogical commitments, and a shared vision statement. Teachers have played a central role in designing four core units of study that guide ES instruction across the district. Their work is supported by OUSD Board Policies that affirm the importance of Ethnic Studies. Today’s curriculum reflects the passion and commitment of this movement—centered on delivering relevant, rigorous, and equitable learning for all students.

In October 2021, the California Legislature passed Assembly Bill 101, a historic, first-in-the-nation bill making Ethnic Studies a high school graduation requirement. The law states,

"This bill would add the completion of a one-semester course in ethnic studies, meeting specified requirements, to the graduation requirements commencing with pupils graduating in the 2029–30 school year, including for pupils enrolled in a charter school. The bill would expressly authorize local educational agencies, including charter schools, to require a full-year course in ethnic studies at their discretion. The bill would require local educational agencies, including charter schools, to offer an ethnic studies course commencing with the 2025–26 school year, as specified. The bill would authorize, subject to the course offerings of a local educational agency, including a charter school, a pupil to satisfy the ethnic studies course requirement by completing either (A) a course based on the model curriculum in ethnic studies developed by the commission, (B) an existing ethnic studies course, (C) an ethnic studies course taught as part of a course that has been approved as meeting the A–G requirements of the University of California and the California State University, or (D) a locally developed ethnic studies course approved by the governing board of the school district or the governing body of the charter school."

In 2025, Ethnic Studies became a mandatory course for all California 9th graders and a graduation requirement. Dr. Kyle Beckham was contracted through OUSD to conduct a thorough review of our prior curriculum in preparation for its adoption by the Board in the Spring of 2025. The work of many outstanding and dedicated teachers and TSA’s has shaped our current standards and curriculum. We believe that these standards are worthy of achieving for our students, and our core mission in the curriculum revision was to retain those standards, supplement and enhance the learning goals so that all students can access and demonstrate mastery of these standards, and align the Ethnic Studies values and principles. 

In OUSD, Ethnic Studies is currently offered in every comprehensive and small high school, including Sojourner Truth.

Below are links to five units that are taught in OUSD's 9th-grade ethnic studies classes. These units were created by a collaborative of Oakland teachers, TSA's, coordinators, Community members, and Dr. Beckham of UC Berkeley 

9th Grade Ethnic Studies Reader (2025)