AAPI Curriculum Secures New Funding

New York City public schools are getting $2.5 million from next year’s budget to support a new Asian American and Pacific Islander curriculum. Teachers, students and council members gathered outside City Hall to celebrate on Wednesday, July 3, 2025.

Some held up banners, others chanted. “Our history, our power!” they cheered.

According to NYC demographic data, Asian communities make up more than 15% of the population. But community leaders say the city still has a way to go before its public school history classes properly reflect the students.

City Council Member Sandra Ung represents District 20 in Queens, a group of neighborhoods with a significant Asian population. She said that while attending public schools in the district she now represents, her history curriculum did not represent her. But she said she is excited to watch as that changes.

“This is an investment to make sure more of our history is included in this curriculum — and to make sure this curriculum actually gets out to all the students in New York City,” Ung explained outside City Hall.

Shreya Sunderram was a public school history teacher and is now the project director of the Asian American / Asian Research Institute’s Localized History Project at CUNY. She was there at the celebration with six students who helped push for this funding.

“They’ve been ready!” Sunderram said. “They’ve been ready to get this going. They’ve been ready to get into schools. So I think we’re just energized and we’re ready to hit the ground running.”

This story ran on the What’s What podcast from WFUV News on July 2, 2025.