Overview of Approved Sexual Health Curricula

Board of Education Policy

Policy 103.5 - Sexual Health Education

In order to help students make decisions that promote healthy behaviors, the Department of Education shall provide sexual health education to include age appropriate, medically accurate, health education that:

  1. Includes education on abstinence, contraception, and methods of infection prevention to prevent unintended pregnancy and sexually transmitted infection, including human immunodeficiency virus;

  2. Helps students develop relationships and communication skills to form healthy relationships that are based on mutual respect and affection and are free from violence, coercion and intimidation;

  3. Helps students develop skills in critical thinking, problem solving, decision making and stress management to make healthy decisions about sexuality and relationships;

  4. Encourages students to communicate with their parents, guardians and/or other trusted adults about sexuality; and

  5. Informs students of available community resources. Instruction will emphasize that abstention from sexual intercourse is the surest way to prevent unintended pregnancies, sexually transmitted infections such as HIV/AIDS, and consequent emotional distress.

A description of the curriculum utilized by the school shall be made available to parents and shall be posted on the school’s website prior to the start of any instruction. A student shall be excused from sexual health instruction only upon the prior written request of the student’s parent or legal guardian. A student may not be subject to disciplinary action, academic penalty or other sanction if the student’s parent or legal guardian makes such written request.

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