Public Act 119 of 2023, Section 1102 (page 49), established funds for the development of the American History Toolkit (AHT). This legislation allocated funding necessary to develop a toolkit that provides professional development regarding the teaching of the full and complex American history across subject areas, including the history of communities of color and other marginalized communities.
The AHT consists of:
- A searchable resource collection
- A guidance document to assist professional development implementation.
- Teaching Comprehensive History (TCH) webinars and other professional learning opportunities.
The resources are recommended by members of historically marginalized communities and educators and vetted by an AHT guidance committee. The guidance committee reflects the diverse identities, experiences, and perspectives of Michiganders. The committee includes educators, parents, academics, community members, and organizations from many different backgrounds. These resources are intended to be used as subject matter for professional development to help educators better understand how to teach American history. They may also be used as resources in the classroom.
Teachers and leaders are encouraged to use the AHT to develop comprehensive historical understandings for both teachers and students aligned with Michigan's Academic Standards.
The Michigan Department of Education offers ongoing iniatives that connect to the AHT, which can be found in the "Related MDE Initiatives" tab.
For more information on how resources are included and future goals of the project, please visit the "About the Toolkit" tab.
Watch: How to use this toolkit.
Select the "Browse Resources" tab to explore the toolkit or use the search bar to find specific content.
