Skip to main content
California Department of Education Logo
California Department of Education
Official Letter
California Department of Education
Official Letter
September 21, 2020

Dear County and District Superintendents and Charter School Administrators:

Concerns Regarding Acellus Online Learning Program

As educators across our state continue engaging students in distance learning or through blended learning models, numerous concerns have surfaced regarding an online learning program called Acellus, used by some of our schools.

The California Department of Education (CDE) has learned through examples shared that Acellus lessons may contain highly inappropriate content and may not meet state legal requirements surrounding instructional materials.

Examples of objectionable content brought to our attention include:

  • Racist depictions of Black Americans
  • At least one question that perpetuates Islamophobic stereotypes
  • A lesson that uses words and images associated with a firearm

State lawmakers recognize the vital role of instructional materials in the formation of a child’s attitudes and beliefs when they adopted California Education Code sections 60040 through 60044, 60048, and 60200, which state that local governing boards of education have the responsibility to ensure that all of our students feel positively represented in their instructional resources. No instructional materials shall be adopted by any governing board for use in the schools, which in its determination, contains any matter reflecting adversely upon persons on the basis of race or ethnicity, gender, religion, disability, nationality, or sexual orientation.

For more information regarding these and other statutes related to the social content of instructional materials, please see the California State Board of Education Standards for Evaluating Instructional Materials for Social Content, 2013 Edition at https://www.cde.ca.gov/ci/cr/cf/documents/socialcontent2013.doc.

As local educators and school boards continue to evaluate curriculum that best meets the needs of all students, please remember to refrain from using any materials that perpetuate negative or racist stereotypes of our rich and diverse communities.

Sincerely,

Tony Thurmond
State Superintendent of Public Instruction

Last Reviewed: Wednesday, December 27, 2023

Recently Posted in Letters

  • 2024 California Student Mock Election (added 27-Mar-2024)
    Letter from the California Department of Education and the Secretary of State to County and District Superintendents, Charter School Administrators, and Middle and High School Principals regarding the 2024 California Student Mock Election.
  • Personal Finance Education Summit (added 26-Mar-2024)
    Letter to County and District Superintendents, Charter School Administrators, and School Principals regarding tomorrow's Personal Finance Education Summit.
  • HS Voter Education Weeks (April 15–26, 2024) (added 22-Mar-2024)
    Letter to County and District Superintendents, Charter School Administrators, and High School Principals from the California Department of Education and the California Secretary of State regarding High School Voter Education Weeks.
  • 2025 California Teachers of the Year Program (added 20-Mar-2024)
    Letter to County and District Superintendents, Charter School Administrators, and School Principals regarding the 2025 California Teachers of the Year Program.
  • Cultural Observances During the Spring of 2024 (added 08-Mar-2024)
    Letter to County and District Superintendents regarding inclusive practices to support all students’ cultural observances during the Spring of 2024.

  • 2024 Classified School Employees of the Year (added 05-Mar-2024)
    Letter to County and District Superintendents, Charter School Administrators, and School Principals regarding the 2024 Classified School Employees of the Year Program.
  • Essay to Raise Awareness of the Armenian Genocide (added 01-Mar-2024)
    Letter to County and District Superintendents, Charter School Administrators, and High School Principals regarding essay and visual arts scholarships to raise awareness of the Armenian Genocide.
  • Oral History Project Supports Black History Month (added 27-Feb-2024)
    Letter to County and District Superintendents and Charter School Administrators regarding an invitation to an Oral History Project in support of Black History Month.
  • Prioritizing Well-Being Webinar Series (added 08-Feb-2024)
    Letter to County and District Superintendents and Charter School Administrators regarding the Prioritizing Well-Being Among School and District Staff, Educators, and Administrators webinar series.
  • Ready, Set, Go: Proposition 28 Funds Webinar (added 29-Jan-2024)
    Letter to County and District Superintendents, Charter School Administrators, and School Principals regarding our “Ready, Set, Go: Putting Proposition 28 Funds into Practice” webinar.