State Requirements

No. RCW 28A.300.115 states, “Every public middle school, junior high school, and high school is strongly encouraged to include in its curriculum instruction on the events of the period in modern world history known as the Holocaust, the systematic, German state-sponsored persecution and murder of Jews and other innocent victims by the Nazi regime and its collaborators between the years 1933 – 1945.”

“Beginning September 1, 2020, middle, junior high, and high schools offering this instruction must follow the best practices and guidelines that are developed.” This bill reiterates the importance and value of Holocaust education in all middle and high schools. It also creates a required set of guidelines and best practices for educators offering Holocaust education and provides professional development opportunities throughout the state for teaching the Holocaust.

• The Holocaust Center for Humanity and OSPI developed guidelines and lesson plans for teaching the Holocaust in Washington State. These guidelines and lesson plans are continuously updated. Workshops and professional development opportunities are offered throughout Washington to introduce these new guidelines and best practices, provide information on how to access resources, and support educators who are teaching about the Holocaust.

• Starting September 2020 –Educators teaching the Holocaust are required to follow the guidelines and best practices as set by the Holocaust Center for Humanity and OSPI. Workshops and professional development opportunities will continue to be offered throughout the state. 1:1 consulting is available to support teachers through the Holocaust Center for Humanity.

No. The Holocaust Center for Humanity, in partnership with OSPI, has created guidelines and best practices. These include a wide variety of lesson plans targeted to different grade levels and subjects, and flexibility for teachers to tailor lessons to their needs. There are even proposed outlines for teaching about the Holocaust, no matter how much time you have, what grade level, and for both Social Studies and English Language Arts.  The Holocaust Center for Humanity has numerous programs and resources in place to support teachers, including 1:1 consultation to help teachers develop lessons and units that fit their classroom’s needs and goals.

The Holocaust Center for Humanity has many free programs and resources including Holocaust Teaching Trunks; a Speakers Bureau (remote and in-person); a museum with guided field trips; an annual student art and contest; and professional development throughout the year. The Holocaust Center also offers experienced staff to assist teachers with planning their units and lessons.

We can come to you and/or present virtually to teachers in your school, district or group. Share this information with your teachers and administrators. They can find online resources and more information on our website, or please email Paul Regelbrugge, Director of Education.

Please email Paul Regelbrugge, Director of Education. We welcome your questions and look forward to working with you.