House Bill 4020 would amend Michigan’s Revised School Code to create a temporary “commission to update African-American history in K-12 instruction.” The commission would be staffed by the Department of Education and appointed by the governor, with members drawn from universities, the NAACP Michigan conference, and African American history museums and research institutions. Its job would be to review Michigan’s model curriculum standards and recommend age- and grade-appropriate African-American history instruction for all grade levels.
The bill requires the recommended instruction to cover African-American history across major eras, including Reconstruction and the Civil Rights Era, and to highlight the contributions African Americans have made in the United States and elsewhere. After the commission submits its recommendations, the State Board of Education would have to update the model curriculum standards within two school years. The bill also directs the superintendent to ensure that state social studies assessments, including the Michigan Merit Examination and M-STEP or successor tests, include questions tied to those standards beginning in the 2026-2027 school year. School districts and public school academies would likewise have to provide African-American history instruction at all grade levels starting that same school year.
Impact
HB 4020 would add a new section to the Revised School Code and create new duties for the Department of Education, the State Board of Education, the superintendent of public instruction, and local school boards/public school academies. It would not itself write the curriculum, but it would establish a process that leads to statewide curriculum updates, assessment changes, and mandatory instruction on African-American history in every grade level. The bill also subjects the commission to the Open Meetings Act and FOIA, and makes its members unpaid and unreimbursed.
Sentiment
Based on the bill’s subject matter and the absence of recorded committee testimony or votes in the provided materials, the overall posture appears supportive and educational rather than contentious. The bill is framed as a curriculum enhancement effort centered on historical inclusion, academic standards, and statewide consistency. No formal opposition, amendments, or recorded vote details are included in the materials provided.
Contention
The main potential points of contention are likely to be the mandate itself and the scope of state involvement in local curriculum decisions. Some stakeholders could object to requiring instruction at all grade levels, tying the topic to statewide assessments, or creating a new commission to shape curriculum standards. Others may support the bill as a necessary step to ensure comprehensive and accurate instruction about African-American history and contributions. No specific objections or supporters are identified in the provided transcripts or voting history.