Senate File 376 - Introduced SENATE FILE 376 BY COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION (SUCCESSOR TO SF 270) A BILL FOR An Act relating to the health education requirement for grades 1 nine through twelve under the education standards. 2 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA: 3 TLSB 2483SV (2) 88 kh/jh
S.F. 376 Section 1. Section 256.11, subsection 4, Code 2019, is 1 amended to read as follows: 2 4. The following shall be taught in grades seven and 3 eight: English-language arts; social studies; mathematics; 4 science; health; age-appropriate and research-based human 5 growth and development; career exploration and development; 6 physical education; music; and visual art. Career exploration 7 and development shall be designed so that students are 8 appropriately prepared to create an individual career 9 and academic plan pursuant to section 279.61 , incorporate 10 foundational career and technical education concepts aligned 11 with the six career and technical education service areas 12 as defined in subsection 5 , paragraph “h” , and incorporate 13 relevant twenty-first century skills. The health curriculum 14 shall include age-appropriate and research-based information 15 regarding the characteristics of sexually transmitted diseases, 16 including HPV and the availability of a vaccine to prevent HPV, 17 and acquired immune deficiency syndrome ; and age-appropriate 18 and research-based information regarding mental health 19 awareness, coping skills, and suicide prevention . The state 20 board as part of accreditation standards shall adopt curriculum 21 definitions for implementing the program in grades seven 22 and eight. However, this subsection shall not apply to the 23 teaching of career exploration and development in nonpublic 24 schools. For purposes of this section , “age-appropriate” , 25 “HPV” , and “research-based” mean the same as defined in section 26 279.50 . 27 Sec. 2. Section 256.11, subsection 5, paragraph j, 28 subparagraph (1), Code 2019, is amended to read as follows: 29 (1) One unit of health education which shall include 30 personal health; food and nutrition; environmental health; 31 safety and survival skills; consumer health; family life; 32 age-appropriate and research-based human growth and 33 development; substance abuse and nonuse; emotional and social 34 health , including mental health awareness, coping skills, 35 -1- LSB 2483SV (2) 88 kh/jh 1/ 2
S.F. 376 and suicide prevention ; health resources; and prevention 1 and control of disease, including age-appropriate and 2 research-based information regarding sexually transmitted 3 diseases, including HPV and the availability of a vaccine to 4 prevent HPV, and acquired immune deficiency syndrome. 5 EXPLANATION 6 The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with 7 the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly. 8 This bill adds mental health awareness, coping skills, and 9 suicide prevention to the subject matter that must be included 10 in the unit of health education which school districts and 11 accredited nonpublic schools must offer and teach in grades 12 7-12. 13 -2- LSB 2483SV (2) 88 kh/jh 2/ 2