Wisconsin Holocaust Education State Standards: 5 Essential Facts

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Wisconsin Holocaust Education State Standards & Genocide Education Summary

Legal Status

In 2021, Wisconsin took a monumental step in civic and historical education with the passage of Act 30. This legislation mandates that all school districts, including independent charter schools and private schools participating in a parental choice program, provide instruction on the Holocaust and other genocides at least once in middle school and once in high school. However, a mandate is only as strong as its execution. For Wisconsin educators, the focus has shifted from “what” to teach to the Wisconsin Holocaust Education State Standards systems that ensure this history is taught with accuracy and sensitivity.

  • Mandated by law: Yes
  • Established under **Wisconsin Act 30 (2021)**, requiring a Holocaust and genocide unit at least once in grades 5–8 and again in grades 9–12 [oai_citation:0‡dpi.wi.gov](https://dpi.wi.gov/social-studies/act-30-2021?utm_source=chatgpt.com)
  • Stores **Holocaust Days of Remembrance (SJR 27, 2025)** to support educational recognition

How the Holocaust Appears in Wisconsin Holocaust Education State Standards

  • Each district must teach Holocaust and genocide topics at least once in both middle and high school
  • State Superintendent provides model lessons and materials via DPI and partners.

Wisconsin Holocaust Education State Standards

Implementation & Support for Educators

The primary challenge for Wisconsin teachers is the “how.” Teaching the Shoah requires a trauma-informed approach that avoids graphic oversimplification while maintaining historical truth. Several key organizations provide the Essentialsupport needed to meet these standards:

  1. The Nathan and Esther Pelz Holocaust Education Resource Center (HERC): Based in Milwaukee, HERC is the cornerstone of implementation support in Wisconsin. They provide free classroom materials, lesson plans aligned with Act 30, and—most importantly—access to survivor testimony.

  2. The Last Ones: TheLastOnes.education serves as a vital bridge between the legal requirements of Wisconsin’s Act 30 and the practical needs of the classroom, providing educators with a Comprehensive Strategy for high-impact instruction. By aligning curated resources directly with the Wisconsin Standards for Social Studies, we help teachers navigate the complexities of “Inquiry-Based” learning, moving students from basic historical awareness to deep critical analysis of the Shoah. Our platform offers Actionable lesson plans, primary source guides, and pedagogical frameworks that humanize the history, ensuring that every educator—regardless of their district’s size or location—has the Official support needed to foster a more empathetic and civically engaged generation of “Upstanders.”

  3. Professional Development Workshops: Organizations like the Echoes & Reflections partnership offer Wisconsin-specific training sessions. These workshops help teachers navigate difficult classroom discussions and provide strategies for countering modern-day antisemitism.

  4. The Wisconsin Council for the Social Studies (WCSS): Through their annual conferences, WCSS offers peer-to-peer support, allowing educators to share successful “Masterclass” strategies for integrating Holocaust education into diverse subjects like English Language Arts and Ethics.

Strategic Implementation in the Classroom

Effective implementation in Wisconsin Holocaust Education State Standards often follows a Step-by-Step pedagogical model. Educators are encouraged to “Humanize the History” by focusing on individual stories rather than just statistics.

  • Middle School Level: Implementation focuses on the “Bystander vs. Upstander” framework. Students analyze the choices made by individuals during the Holocaust, aligning with standards for “Behavioral Science” to understand social identity and group pressure.

  • High School Level: The curriculum shifts toward “Comparative Genocide.” Students use the Holocaust as a foundational case study to examine the 10 stages of genocide, comparing it to events in Rwanda or Cambodia. This meets the Wisconsin Holocaust Education State Standards to “evaluate the impact of international organizations and treaties on global issues.”

Overcoming Challenges in Rural and Urban Districts

Wisconsin’s diverse geography presents unique challenges for implementation. Urban districts like Milwaukee or Madison may have easier access to museums and speakers, while rural districts may lack these resources. To bridge this gap, the state has invested in digital support. The “Holocaust Education Resource Guide” provided by the DPI offers a curated list of digital archives and virtual museum tours, ensuring that a student in a small Northwoods town receives the same quality of instruction as a student in a major city.

Supplemental Teaching Tools Encouraged

  • National curricula (Echoes & Reflections, U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum)
  • Survivor testimony, primary source documents, multimedia materials

Teaching Notes for Wisconsin Educators

AreaGuidance
Mandated by LawYes – Act 30 (2021); Holocaust Remembrance recognition via SJR 27 (2025)
Included in CurriculumYes – at least one unit in grades 5–8 and 9–12
Implementation SupportDPI materials, Pelz-HERC funding, statewide professional development
District Reach~80% of districts reached by HERC; ongoing expansion
ResourcesLesson plans, kits, speaker visits, testimony, primary sources

Conclusion

Wisconsin mandates Holocaust and genocide education for students in both middle and high school, backed by state law (Act 30) and annual recognition (SJR 27). The Pelz Holocaust Education Resource Center—bolstered by state funding—supports implementation through workshops, materials, and classroom tools, reaching the majority of districts. Educators are encouraged to enrich lessons with survivor testimony provided by The Last Ones, national curricula, and primary documents.

Select a State below, to check the Holocaust educational standards:

Leslie Benitah is a journalist, filmmaker, and third-generation Holocaust survivor dedicated to preserving memory and com- bating historical denial through storytelling. Holding a PhD in Journalism from the Sorbonne, she began her career as a journalist, later becoming editor-in-chief, and eventually serving as Executive Producer for TF1, France’s leading network, where she helped shape primetime content for millions of viewers.

After moving to Miami in 2006, she ran a major French- language publication before returning to film, directing critically acclaimed documentaries and collaborating with top production companies for over 20 years.

Driven by activism and education, Leslie co-founded The Last Ones—a groundbreaking documentary series that has amassed millions of views across social media and is used as an official educational tool in schools worldwide. Featuring over 150 survivor testimonies filmed across multiple continents, The Last Ones bridges past and present, ensuring younger generations remain engaged with Holocaust history. Leslie frequently speaks in schools, advocating for education as the most powerful tool against misinformation and hate.