Requires the department of elementary and secondary education to develop a curriculum on Black history and Black literature to be used by school districts

HB 2965 requires Missouri school districts to implement a new graduation requirement starting in the 2027-28 school year. The bill mandates the state education department to develop a curriculum framework for Black history and Black literature courses in grades 9-12, to be adopted by the state board of education by 2027-28. All Missouri high school students must complete one unit of credit each in Black history and Black literature to earn a diploma, with limited waivers for transfer students who completed similar courses elsewhere. This policy directly affects public high school students and school districts across Missouri.