Sexual Health Education

I. Sexual Health Education

• Program Components: The comprehensive sexual health education instructional program in grades Pre-Kindergarten through 12^th grade is a skill-based curriculum that provides a foundation of knowledge and skills related to Consent and Healthy Relationships, Anatomy and Physiology, Puberty and Adolescent Sexual Development, Gender Identity and Expression, Sexual Orientation and Identity, Sexual Health, and Interpersonal Violence. At each grade level, the instructional program teaches medically-accurate information that is culturally, developmentally, linguistically, and age appropriate and builds on the knowledge and skills that were taught in the previous grades.
  
  In Pre-K, instruction highlights the components of Erin’s law, which includes age-appropriate techniques to recognize child sexual abuse and how to tell a trusted adult.
  
  In grades K-2 the foundational comprehensive sexual health education instruction consists of lessons on the following four topic areas specified in the National Sexuality Education Standards, second edition: consent and healthy relationships, anatomy and physiology, gender identity and expression, sexual health, and interpersonal violence. This foundational instruction is often referred to as Family Life Education and is aligned with social and emotional learning standards for this age range.
  
  In grades 3-12, comprehensive instruction expands on the foundational lessons in grades K-2 by providing lessons on the following five topic areas specified in the National Sexuality Education Standards, second edition: Consent and Healthy Relationships, Anatomy and Physiology, Puberty and Adolescent Sexual Development, Gender Identity and Expression, Sexual Orientation and Identity, Sexual Health, and Interpersonal Violence. The comprehensive curriculum emphasizes abstinence as a component of healthy sexual decision-making and the only protection that is 100% effective against unintended pregnancy, sexually transmitted infections and HIV when transmitted sexually;
• Annual Instruction: Schools must annually provide developmentally-appropriate and medically-accurate sexual health education at each grade level as part of its instructional program. Lessons should be integrated into common core subjects in accordance with best practice. Schools must select and use the CPS Sexual Health Education curriculum or other approved materials/consultants. All lessons outlined in CPS curriculum must be provided to students in grades Pre-K-12 every school year addressing all topic areas outlined in Section A of this Policy. Students must be taught in the standard classroom environment and must not be separated by gender or ability.
• Diverse Learners: Students who are designated as Diverse Learners must be provided medically accurate, developmentally-appropriate sexual health education. Instruction shall be individualized as it relates to each student’s disability and their IEP specifically in the areas of method of Communication, Modifications and Accommodations.
• Parent/Guardian
  
  1. Parent/Guardian Support: Parents/guardians are the primary sexual health educators for their child(ren). Parents/guardians must receive three (3) notifications, at least one (1) in writing, prior to lesson implementation and are offered information on the comprehensive sexual health education district-approved lessons and resources including but not limited to scope and sequence.
  2. Opt-Out: No student whose parent/guardian provides a written objection must be required to participate in any sexual health education lesson and must not be suspended or expelled for refusal to participate in any such lesson or program. Any student whose parent/guardian does not provide a written objection to participation in a sexual health education lesson or program must be required to participate.
• Mandatory Training for Instructors: Any teacher who provides sexual health education instruction and any other staff member who supports a teacher in providing such instruction must successfully complete the District’s Comprehensive Sexual Health Education Instructor training and pass the post exam prior to teaching lessons. Individuals who successfully complete this instructor training must receive a certificate valid for a four-year period. To ensure all students at every grade level receive comprehensive sexual health instruction, each principal must annually designate a minimum of two instructors to deliver instruction at their school and ensure these instructors successfully complete the required training. Schools with diverse learning populations shall have a minimum of one Special Education instructor trained to deliver annual sexual education.
• Use of Outside Materials and/or Consultants: A school may use an approved outside curriculum or consultant to provide sexual health education programming for lessons reflected in the CPS curriculum. Consultants must be approved through the OSHW. If an outside consultant is unable to provide a course or program that includes all comprehensive components as described in Section A herein, the school must ensure that students receive supplemental instruction to satisfy the comprehensive requirements of this Policy. All outside curriculum must be approved by the OSHW Materials Review Committee before implementing.