Murphy Signs Historic Latino And Hispanic History Education Law

New Jersey became the latest state to expand inclusive curriculum requirements with legislation mandating Latino and Hispanic history instruction in K-12 schools beginning in the 2026-2027 academic year.

Gov. Phil Murphy (D) signed legislation Tuesday requiring New Jersey public schools to include instruction on Latino and Hispanic history and contributions as part of the state’s social studies curriculum for kindergarten through 12th-grade students. 

The new law, signed during Hispanic Heritage Month at Drumthwacket, adds to New Jersey’s growing collection of inclusive education mandates that reflect the state’s diverse population.

The legislation requires the State Board of Education to adopt New Jersey Student Learning Standards, ensuring Latino and Hispanic history is taught through “historically accurate, culturally relevant, community-based, and developmentally appropriate” instruction. 

“Through today’s bill signing, we are cementing the legacy of New Jersey’s Latino and Hispanic communities,” Murphy said in a statement. “By teaching students about their neighbors, we are raising a more informed next generation of future leaders in the Garden State.”

Nearly one-quarter of New Jersey residents identify as Hispanic or Latino, according to state lawmakers who championed the legislation. Prime sponsors included state Senators Teresa Ruiz (D-Essex), Brian Stack (D-Hudson), and Angela McKnight (D-Hudson), along with Assembly members Julio Marenco (D-Bergen), Eliana Pintor Marin (D-Essex), Carmen Theresa Morales (D-Essex), and Annette Quijano (D-Union).

Part of Expanding Inclusive Education Movement

New Jersey has maintained several curriculum mandates for decades. Holocaust and genocide education has been required since 1994. The Amistad Law from 2002 requires instruction on African American contributions to be incorporated into schools.

LGBTQ+ and Disability History: In 2019, New Jersey became the second state in the nation to require instruction on “the political, economic and social contributions” of LGBTQ+ individuals and people with disabilities. The law mandates middle and high schools include this content for all relevant subjects, not just social studies, beginning the 2020-2021 school year.

Asian American and Pacific Islander Studies: New Jersey became the second state after Illinois to require AAPI history instruction when Governor Murphy signed legislation in January 2022. The law mandated K-12 schools integrate Asian American and Pacific Islander history into the social studies curriculum starting in the 2022-2023 school year. 

Climate Change Education: In 2020, New Jersey became the first state to incorporate climate change education for all grade levels in K-12 schools. The mandate, championed by First Lady Tammy Murphy, requires students to understand climate science, impacts on communities, and sustainable practices. Implementation began in the 2021-2022 school year.

Diversity and Inclusion: A 2021 law requires all K-12 students to receive instruction on diversity and inclusion, highlighting topics including “economic diversity, equity, tolerance, and belonging” related to gender, sexual orientation, race, ethnicity, disabilities, and religious differences. The law also examines unconscious bias and economic disparities.

Implementation and Support

The Department of Education will collaborate with the Commission on Latino and Hispanic Heritage to provide school districts with sample learning activities and resources supporting the new Latino and Hispanic history requirements. 

“New Jersey’s learning standards require instruction that reflects the diversity of our communities and our cultural heritage,”  Dehmer said in a statement. “Codifying Hispanic and Latino history instruction into law is an important extension of that commitment.”

Advocacy organizations praised the legislation as addressing historical gaps in curriculum. Ruiz cited Johns Hopkins University research findings that 87% of key Latino history topics are either omitted from textbooks entirely or reduced to fewer than five sentences.

“Latino history is American history,” said Jesselly de La Cruz, executive director of the Latino Action Network Foundation, in a press release. “We applaud the legislature and Governor Murphy for recognizing that Latino history is American history.”