The U.S. Department of Education says it is investigating complaints that three California school districts coerced students to answer a ‘Wheel of Privilege’ survey.

The curriculum focuses on the history, culture, struggle and contributions of African Americans, Native Americans, Asian/Pacific Islander Americans and Latinx Americans. The model curriculum also includes lesson plans on other communities, including Filipino Americans, Jewish Americans, Arab Americans, Sikh Americans, Armenian Americans and others.

New research out of Stanford shows clear academic benefits to ethnic studies, especially for younger students who are on the cusp of dropping out of school.