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U.S. States Requiring Holocaust Education in Schools

In 2021, ArkansasWisconsin, Arizona, and Massachusetts became the 17th, 18th and 19th, and 20th states to require schools to provide Holocaust education. Alabama joined Pennsylvania and Washington in encouraging and endorsing Holocaust education.

The other states that have enacted similar legislation:

Arizona

Arkansas

California

Colorado

Connecticut

Delaware

Florida

Illinois

Indiana

Kentucky

Massachusetts

Michigan

New Hampshire

New Jersey

New York

Oregon

Rhode Island

Texas

Virginia

Wisconsin

States Encouraging Holocaust Education

Alabama

Pennsylvania

Washington

Maryland does not have legislations requiring Holocaust education; however, State School Superintendent Karen Salmon said in October 2019 state officials would work with Maryland’s 24 schools systems to ensure teachers had opportunities to provide “the tools necessary to teach the Holocaust with confidence.”

Holocaust education is recommended but not required in Pennsylvania schools; nevertheless, more than 90% of school districts in the state were incorporating coursework on the subject as of 2017.

In 2020, Congress adopted the Never Again Education Act, which expands the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum’s (USHMM) education programming to teachers nationwide, requiring the museum to develop and disseminate resources to improve awareness and understanding of the Holocaust and its lessons. 


Sources: Peter Smith, “Survey: Holocaust education reaching nearly all Pa. schools,” Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, (November 9, 2017).
Eli Rosenberg, “Oregon schools will be required to teach about the Holocaust. A 14-year-old helped make it happen,” Washington Post, (May 28, 2019).
Donna St. George, “School officials in Maryland strengthen equirements for Holocaust education,” Washington Post, (October 23, 2019).
Marcy Oster, “Delaware to require teaching of the Holocaust and genocide,” JTA, (August 6, 2020).
“Where Holocaust Education is Required in the US,” U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum accessed September 22, 2020.
Texas Holocaust and Genocide Commission.
Ben Sales, “Wisconsin to require Holocaust education starting in 5th grade,” JTA, (April 29, 2021).
Nicole Raz, “Arizona passes long-delayed Holocaust education bill after sidelining debate over antisemitism definitions,” Forward, (July 6, 2021).
Colin A. Young, “Baker signs genocide education bill,” WBUR, (December 2, 2021).