Official Summary Text
AB 281, as amended, Gallagher.
Comprehensive sexual health education and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) prevention
education.
education: outside consultants.
The California Healthy Youth Act requires school districts, defined to include county boards of education, county superintendents of schools, the California School for the Deaf, the California School for the Blind, and charter schools, to ensure that all pupils in grades 7 to 12, inclusive, receive comprehensive sexual health education and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) prevention education, as specified. The act authorizes a school district to provide that education earlier than grade 7 with age-appropriate and medically accurate information. The act
requires each school district to notify parents and guardians of pupils about its plan to provide sexual health education and HIV prevention instruction for the upcoming school year and to inform them, among other things, that written and audiovisual educational materials used in this instruction are available for inspection.
authorizes a school district to provide sexual health education and HIV prevention to be taught by an outside consultant, and to hold an assembly to deliver that education by guest speakers. Under the act, if a school district exercises that authorization, the school district is required to provide notice of the date of instruction, name of the organization or affiliation of each guest speaker, and information stating the right of the parent or guardian to request a copy of various laws, as specified.
This bill would require a school district, as defined, to allow a pupil’s parent or guardian to inspect any written or audiovisual educational material used in comprehensive sexual health education and HIV prevention education and would authorize a parent or guardian to make copies of any written educational material that will be distributed to pupils, if it is not copyrighted and has been or will be presented by an outside consultant or guest speaker. The bill would authorize a school to charge up to $0.10 per page if a parent or guardian elects to make copies of this written educational material. The bill would also require a school district to inform parents and guardians of their right to make these copies and of the training in comprehensive sexual health education and HIV prevention education of each outside consultant or guest speaker providing this instruction.
By imposing additional duties on local educational agencies, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program.
The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement.
This bill would provide that with regard to certain mandates no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.
With regard to any other mandates, this bill would provide that, if the Commission on State Mandates determines that the bill contains costs so mandated by the state, reimbursement for those costs shall be made pursuant to the statutory provisions noted above.
This bill would require a school district, if it elects to provide sexual health education or HIV prevention education to be taught by outside consultants, to also provide notice of the name of the organization or affiliation of the outside consultants.