The Florida Senate
BILL ANALYSIS AND FISCAL IMPACT STATEMENT
(This document is based on the provisions contained in the legislation as of the latest date listed below.)
Prepared By: The Professional Staff of the Committee on Education
BILL: SB 490
INTRODUCER: Senator Stewart and others
SUBJECT: Required Instruction in the History of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders
DATE: January 14, 2022
ANALYST STAFF DIRECTOR REFERENCE ACTION
1. Jahnke Bouck ED Pre-meeting
2. AED
3. AP
I. Summary:
SB 490 requires public schools to provide instruction on the history of Asian Americans and
Pacific Islanders, including the immigration, citizenship, civil rights, identity, and culture of
Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders. Additionally, the bill requires instructional materials to
include the contributions of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders to American society.
The bill has no impact on state revenues or expenditures. The bill may have a fiscal impact to
school districts. See section V.
This bill is effective July 1, 2022.
II. Present Situation:
Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders
Almost eight percent of the United States population is comprised of Asians and Pacific
Islanders, with Florida’s population being made up by nearly four percent of Asians and Pacific
Islanders.
1
Asian Americans are the fastest-growing major racial or ethnic group in the United
States.
2
More than 22 million Asians live in the United States and almost all trace their roots to
specific countries or populations from East and Southeast Asia and the Indian subcontinent.
3
1
United States Census Bureau, Race and Ethnicity in the United States: 2010 Census and 2020 Census,
https://www.census.gov/library/visualizations/interactive/race-and-ethnicity-in-the-united-state-2010-and-2020-census.html
(last visited January 5, 2022).
2
Pew Research Center, Key facts about Asian origin groups in the U.S., https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-
tank/2021/04/29/key-facts-about-asian-origin-groups-in-the-u-s/ (last visited January 5, 2022).
3
Id.
REVISED: BILL: SB 490 Page 2
Every May, Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage month is celebrated to
commemorate the arrival of the first Japanese immigrants to the United States on May 7, 1843,
and the completion of the transcontinental railroad on May 10, 1869. The majority of the
workers who laid the tracks were Chinese immigrants.
4
Among some of the AAPI communities’
contributions to America’s rich heritage are:
5
Birthright Citizenship: After a year-long battle between Wong Kim Ark (born in San
Francisco to Chinese immigrants) and the U.S. Justice Department, the U.S. Supreme Court
ruled in 1898 that children born in America to foreigners were U.S. citizens.
Technology: Taiwanese American Jerry Yang co-founded the web portal Yahoo! and
Taiwanese American Steven Chen co-founded the video-sharing platform YouTube.
Architecture: Chinese American I.M. Pei designed the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and
Museum, the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., and the Pyramid at the Louvre in
Paris. Japanese American Minoru Yamasaki designed the original World Trade Center.
Fashion: Chinese American fashion designer Vera Wang is best known for her bridal wear,
and Thailand born designer Phillip Lim and his partner, Wen Zhou, grew their fledgling start-
up to a successful international brand.
States Requiring Instruction on Asian American and Pacific Islander History
In July 2021, Illinois became the first state to require Asian American history to be taught in
public schools. Beginning in the 2022-2023 school year, every public elementary and high
school in Illinois is required to include a unit on the history of Asian Americans, including their
history in Illinois and the Midwest.
6
New Jersey has proposed legislation that requires school districts to provide K-12 instruction on
the history and contributions of AAPIs as part of implementation of New Jersey Student
Learning Standards in Social Studies.
7
The proposed legislation has passed both Houses and is
waiting to be signed by the governor. If the bill is signed into law, New Jersey will be the second
state to mandate instruction on AAPI history.
Florida Required Instruction in Schools
The mission of Florida’s K-20 education system is to allow its students to increase their
proficiency by allowing them the opportunity to expand their knowledge and skills through
rigorous and relevant learning opportunities.
8
Each district school board must provide
appropriate instruction to ensure that students meet State Board of Education (SBE) adopted
4
Food Safety and Inspection Service U.S. Department of Agriculture, Asian American and Pacific Islander Contributions to
our Nation’s History, https://www.fsis.usda.gov/employees/employee-news-stories/aapi-2021 (last visited January 6, 2022).
5
Id.
6 EdWeek, Illinois Becomes First State to Require Teaching Asian American History in Public Schools,
https://www.edweek.org/teaching-learning/illinois-becomes-first-state-to-require-teaching-asian-american-history-in-public-
schools/2021/07 (last visited January 10, 2022).
7
New Jersey Legislature, Session 2020-2021, Bill A6100 Aca (1R) and Bill S4021 Aca (1R).
8
Section 1000.03(4), F.S. BILL: SB 490 Page 3
standards in the following subject areas: reading and other language arts, mathematics, science,
social studies, foreign languages, health and physical education, and the arts.
9
Instructional staff of public schools, excluding charter schools,
10
subject to the rules of the SBE
and the district school board, must provide instruction in:
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The history and content of the Declaration of Independence.
The history, meaning, significance, and effect of the provisions of the Constitution of the
United States.
The arguments in support of adopting our republican form of government.
Flag education, including proper flag display and flag salute.
The elements of civil government.
The history of the United States.
The history of the Holocaust.
The history of African Americans.
The elementary principles of agriculture.
The effects of alcoholic and intoxicating liquors and beverages and narcotics.
Kindness to animals.
The history of the state.
The conservation of natural resources.
Comprehensive health education.
The study of Hispanic contributions to the United States.
The study of women’s contributions to the United States.
The nature and importance of free enterprise to the United States economy.
A character-development program in kindergarten through grade 12.
The sacrifices that veterans and Medal of Honor recipients have made serving the country.
III. Effect of Proposed Changes:
The bill amends s. 1003.42, F.S., to require instructional staff of public schools to provide
instruction on the history of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPI), including the
immigration, citizenship, civil rights, identity, and culture of AAPIs.
Additionally, the bill requires instructional materials to include AAPI contributions to American
society.
Requiring instruction on AAPI history could provide students with a better awareness and
understanding of the historical, cultural, and societal impacts made by the AAPI communities.
This bill is effective July 1, 2022.
9
In 2020, the SBE adopted new standards for English language arts and mathematics, called the Benchmarks for Excellent
Student Thinking (BEST) standards. The English language arts standards implementation began with the 2021-2022 school
year and implementation of the math standards begin in the 2022-2023 school year. Section 1003.42(1), F.S.
10
Instructional staff of charter schools are exempt from this section of law. Section 1002.33(16), F.S.
11
Section 1003.42(2), F.S. BILL: SB 490 Page 4
IV. Constitutional Issues:
A. Municipality/County Mandates Restrictions:
None.
B. Public Records/Open Meetings Issues:
None.
C. Trust Funds Restrictions:
None.
D. State Tax or Fee Increases:
None.
E. Other Constitutional Issues:
None.
V. Fiscal Impact Statement:
A. Tax/Fee Issues:
None.
B. Private Sector Impact:
None.
C. Government Sector Impact:
For those school districts that do not already provide instruction on the history of Asian
Americans and Pacific Islanders, there may be a cost associated with including this
instruction in the required curriculum.
VI. Technical Deficiencies:
None.
VII. Related Issues:
None.
VIII. Statutes Affected:
This bill substantially amends sections 1003.42, 1006.148, and 1014.05 of the Florida Statutes. BILL: SB 490 Page 5
IX. Additional Information:
A. Committee Substitute – Statement of Changes:
(Summarizing differences between the Committee Substitute and the prior version of the bill.)
None.
B. Amendments:
None.
This Senate Bill Analysis does not reflect the intent or official position of the bill’s introducer or the Florida Senate.