Members of the Chicago Board of Education and Chicago Public Schools CEO Barbara Byrd-Bennett introduced the Interdisciplinary Latino and Latin American Studies Curriculum, which focuses on the history, arts and culture, and contributions of Latinos and Latin Americans, along with the cultural diversity of the Americas, including Central and South America and the Caribbean.

Interdisciplinary Latino and Latin American Studies Curriculum (ILLASC) is based on the universal themes of culture, dignity and identity and it’s the district’s second cross-disciplinary curriculum that engages ethnic American studies. Each unit of study and its accompanying launch lesson include specific instructional guidelines for English learners, developed by a team from Office of Language and Culture, Office of Diverse Learner Supports and Services and the Office of Early Childhood Education.

Some of the cultural topics include Literature of the Liberators, such as Bolívar, San Martín, Martí; Mayan mathematics; Agriculture and El Niño/La Niña; Percussive rhythms of Afro-Latin American cultures and much more. The ILLASC curriculum was released on the CPS Knowledge Center in February and this gave teachers and principals the opportunity to teach units from Kindergarten to 10th grade from the curriculum now. However this soft launch will be accompanied by professional development and allow for a deeper engagement with teachers this summer.