ARTICLE 3. Requirements, Materials [60040. - 60052.]

Cal. Education Code - EDC 3.

in effect

Cal. Education Code - EDC § 60040. Section 60040.

When adopting instructional materials for use in the schools, governing boards shall include only instructional materials that, in their determination, accurately portray the cultural and racial diversity of our society, including: (a) The contributions of people of all genders in all types of roles, including professional, vocational, and executive roles. (b) The role and contributions of Native Americans, African Americans, Latino Americans, Asian Americans, Pacific Islanders, European Americans, LGBTQ+ Americans, persons with disabilities, and members of other ethnic, cultural, religious, and socioeconomic status groups to the total development of California and the United States. (c) The role and contributions of the entrepreneur and labor in the total development of California and the United States.

Cal. Education Code - EDC § 60040.5. Section 60040.5.

No later than July 1, 2025, the department shall issue guidance related to how to help school districts, county offices of education, charter schools, and school personnel manage conversations about race, ethnicity, nationality, and gender, and how to review instructional materials to ensure that they represent diverse perspectives and are culturally relevant.

Cal. Education Code - EDC § 60041. Section 60041.

When adopting instructional materials for use in the schools, governing boards shall include only instructional materials that accurately portray both of the following, whenever appropriate: (a) Humanity’s place in ecological systems and the necessity for the protection of our environment. (b) The effects on the human system of the use of tobacco, alcohol, and narcotics and restricted dangerous drugs, as defined in Section 11032 of the Health and Safety Code, and other dangerous substances.

Cal. Education Code - EDC § 60042. Section 60042.

When adopting instructional materials for use in the schools, governing boards shall require such materials as they deem necessary and proper to encourage thrift, fire prevention and the humane treatment of animals and people.

Cal. Education Code - EDC § 60043. Section 60043.

When adopting instructional materials for use in the schools, the governing board shall require, when appropriate to the comprehension of pupils, that textbooks for social science, history or civics classes contain the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution of the United States.

Cal. Education Code - EDC § 60044. Section 60044.

A governing board shall not adopt any instructional materials for use in the schools that, in its determination, contain: (a) Any matter reflecting adversely upon persons on the basis of race or ethnicity, gender, religion, disability, nationality, or sexual orientation, occupation, or because of a characteristic listed in Section 220. (b) Any sectarian or denominational doctrine or propaganda contrary to law.

Cal. Education Code - EDC § 60045. Section 60045.

(a) All instructional materials adopted by any governing board for use in the schools shall be, to the satisfaction of the governing board, accurate, objective, and current and suited to the needs and comprehension of pupils at their respective grade levels. (b) With the exception of literature and tradebooks, all instructional materials adopted by any governing board for use in schools shall use proper grammar and spelling. The state board may adopt regulations that provide for other allowable exceptions to this subdivision for educational purposes, as determined by the state board.

Cal. Education Code - EDC § 60046. Section 60046.

Any governing board may conduct an investigation of the compliance of any instructional materials which it adopts with the requirements of this article.

Cal. Education Code - EDC § 60047. Section 60047.

In the event that after the good faith acquisition of instructional materials by a governing board, the instructional materials are found to be in violation of this article and the governing board is unable to acquire other instructional materials which meet the requirements of this article in time for them to be used when the acquired materials were planned to be used, the governing board may use the acquired materials but only for that academic year.

Cal. Education Code - EDC § 60048. Section 60048.

(a) Basic instructional materials, and other instructional materials required to be legally and socially compliant pursuant to Sections 60040 to 60047, inclusive, including illustrations, that provide any exposure to a commercial brand name, product, or corporate or company logo in a manner that is inconsistent with guidelines or frameworks adopted by the State Board of Education may not be adopted by a school district governing board. (b) The governing board of a school district may not adopt basic instructional materials, and other instructional materials required to be legally and socially compliant pursuant to Sections 60040 to 60047, inclusive, including illustrations, that contain a commercial brand name, product, or corporate or company logo unless the governing board makes a specific finding pursuant to the criteria set forth in paragraph (5) of subdivision (c) of Section 60200 that the use of the commercial brand name, product, or corporate or company logo in the instructional materials is appropriate. (c) Nothing in this section shall be construed to prohibit the publisher of instructional materials to include whatever corporate name or logo on the instructional materials that is necessary to provide basic information about the publisher, to protect its copyright, or to identify third party sources of content. (d) The state board may adopt regulations that provide for other allowable exceptions to this section, as determined by the state board. (e) The Superintendent of Public Instruction shall develop, and the State Board of Education shall adopt, guidelines to implement this section.

Cal. Education Code - EDC § 60052. Section 60052.

When adopting instructional materials for use in schools, the governing board of a school district may include relevant technology-based materials, as defined in subdivision (m) of Section 60010, if the materials are both available and comparable to other, equivalent instructional materials, as defined in subdivision (h) of Section 60010.

Source: CA Legislative Counsel Bulk DataURL: https://downloads.leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/pubinfo_2025.zipFetched: 6/27/2026