Putting Research Into Practice: WestEd Partners With California to Strengthen Holocaust and Genocide Education

April 9, 2025

In 2021, California Governor Gavin Newsom established the California Governor’s Council on Holocaust and Genocide Education (HGE) in response to what he described as “a rising number of hate incidents and declining youth awareness of the Holocaust and genocide issues.” The Council was tasked with identifying instructional resources and providing tools for educators to teach about the Holocaust and other genocides, helping teachers and students recognize and address hate. Recognizing WestEd’s extensive experience in conducting large-scale educational research, the Council selected WestEd to undertake this ambitious research study of the current HGE landscape in California.

WestEd completed a comprehensive analysis of HGE across California’s schools in December 2024. That research revealed that only 26 percent of California’s school districts have systematic HGE in place, signaling a need for greater systemic support to teach these sensitive topics in more school districts statewide. The study identified gaps and opportunities for improvement that can help foster a unified, socially responsible generation of students that actively counters anti-Semitism, racism, and other forms of hate.

Methodology

Unlike typical statewide assessments, WestEd’s methodology incorporated cross-regional comparison data that revealed previously hidden patterns in educational delivery. Taking a mixed-methods approach that gathered both quantitative and qualitative data about HGE implementation across California’s varied educational landscape, WestEd designed and implemented a comprehensive research approach that included

• statewide surveys of local education agencies (LEAs) and county offices of education (COEs),
• in-depth interviews with educators and administrators,
• analysis of HGE policies across all 50 states, and
• a review of existing HGE curricula and instructional materials.

Findings

The statewide surveys achieved a 29 percent response rate from California LEAs, providing robust data for analysis. The surveys revealed that while some districts have developed HGE programs, implementation varies significantly across the state:

• Of the LEAs that responded to the survey, 26 percent reported having systematic HGE in place.
• Most respondents indicated that their LEAs do not provide professional development focused on HGE.
• Successful pockets of HGE have often been so because of the initiative of individual educators rather than because of systematic support for teaching these topics. This indicates a need for a state-supported approach to ensure high-quality HGE.

LEA-Reported Challenges to Holocaust and Genocide Education Implementation

Recommendations

Based on the findings, WestEd developed a set of 10 recommendations for improving the quality and reach of HGE for students throughout the state:

• Communicate California’s vision for HGE throughout the state.
• Revise the California History–Social Sciences Content Standards.
• Revise the History–Social Sciences Framework for California public schools.
• Update, distribute, and provide guidance for the model curriculum for human rights and genocide.
• Continue to create a vetted central clearinghouse for curricula, instruction, assessment, and professional learning.
• Increase direct funding to districts and schools for HGE.
• Expand existing statewide professional learning on HGE.
• Monitor and evaluate educational outcomes.
• Continue to conduct additional research to inform the Council’s future actions.
• Expand, publicize, and strengthen the role of the Governor’s Council on Holocaust and Genocide Education.

As of publication of this blog post, the Council is developing an action plan for implementing WestEd’s recommendations.

“California leads the nation in support for state-of-the art Holocaust and Genocide Education,” said Dr. Anita Friedman, a Co-Chair of the Council and Executive Director of Jewish Family and Children’s Services of Northern California. “As a result, our State is systematically creating a more unified society and a more informed, morally courageous and socially responsible next generation. We are inspired by the enthusiastic cooperation of educators, communities, and students in this common cause.”

Learn More About the Study

Download the report to explore the complete findings and recommendations for realizing this vision of the future. For information about partnering with WestEd on research and evaluation studies that drive educational improvement, contact Bryan Hemberg, director of WestEd’s Assessment for Learning team.