Health education curriculum; require school districts to incorporate instruction on domestic violence and dating violence prevention as component of.

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To: Education
MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE REGULAR SESSION 2026

By: Representative Nelson

HOUSE BILL NO. 1443

AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 37-13-134, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, 1
TO REQUIRE PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICTS TO INCORPORATE AGE-APPROPRIATE 2
INSTRUCTION ON THE PREVENTION OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND TEEN DATING 3
VIOLENCE AS A COMPONENT OF ITS HEALTH EDUCATION CURRICULUM; TO 4
PRESCRIBE THE CRITERIA TO BE CONSIDERED AS COMPONENTS OF THE 5
INSTRUCTION THAT ARE DEVELOPMENTALLY APPROPRIATE AND CULTURALLY 6
SENSITIVE; TO REQUIRE THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION OR PROVIDE 7
TRAINING AND RESOURCES FOR EDUCATORS TO EFFECTIVELY DELIVER 8
INSTRUCTION ON DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND DATING VIOLENCE PREVENTION; 9
AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES. 10
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI: 11
SECTION 1. Section 37-13-134, Mississippi Code of 1972, is 12
amended as follows: 13
37-13-134. (1) The Legislature recognizes that there is a 14
problem with Mississippi student inactivity and obesity, and 15
therefore requires the following guidelines for school district 16
physical education, health education and physical activity and 17
fitness classes: 18
(a) Kindergarten through Grade 8: One hundred fifty 19
(150) minutes per week of physical activity-based instruction and 20
forty-five (45) minutes per week of health education instruction, 21
as defined by the State Board of Education. 22
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(b) Grades 9 through 12: One-half (1/2) Carnegie unit 23
requirement in physical education or physical activity for 24
graduation. Beginning with the 2015-2016 Ninth Grade class, an 25
instructional component on the proper administration of 26
cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and the use of an automated 27
external defibrillator (AED) shall be included as part of the 28
physical education or health education curriculum. The curricula 29
shall incorporate into the instruction the psychomotor skills 30
necessary to perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation and use of an 31
automated external defibrillator as follows: 32
(i) An instructional program developed by the 33
American Heart Association or the American Red Cross; 34
(ii) An instructional program which is nationally 35
recognized and is based on the most current national 36
evidence-based Emergency Cardiovascular Care guidelines for 37
cardiopulmonary resuscitation and the use of an automated external 38
defibrillator; 39
(iii) A licensed teacher shall not be required to 40
be a certified trainer of cardiopulmonary resuscitation, to 41
facilitate, provide or oversee such instruction for 42
noncertification; and 43
(iv) Courses which result in a certification being 44
earned must be taught by an authorized CPR/AED instructor. 45
For purposes of this paragraph (b), the term "psychomotor 46
skills" means the use of hands-on practicing to support cognitive 47
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learning. Cognitive-only training does not qualify as 48
"psychomotor skills." 49
(c) Kindergarten through Grade 12: The health 50
curriculum shall include age-appropriate instruction on the 51
prevention of domestic violence and teen dating violence, 52
recognizing warning signs, developing healthy relationship skills 53
and accessing community resources. The instruction shall 54
emphasize prevention strategies, respectful communication, consent 55
education and available support services for victims. The content 56
shall be developmentally appropriate and culturally sensitive. 57
(d) The State Department of Education shall provide 58
training and resources for educators to effectively deliver 59
instruction on domestic violence and dating violence prevention as 60
a component of the health education curriculum. 61
The requirements of this paragraph (b) shall be minimum 62
requirements. Any local school district shall be authorized to 63
offer CPR and AED instruction for longer periods of time than 64
required herein, and may enhance the curriculum and training 65
components. 66
( * * *e) The State Department of Education shall 67
establish a procedure for monitoring adherence by school boards to 68
the requirements set forth in this section. 69
All instruction in physical education, health education and 70
physical activity must be based on the most current state 71
standards provided by the State Department of Education. 72
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(2) Beginning with the 2006-2007 school year, each local 73
school board shall, consistent with regulations adopted by the 74
State Board of Education, adopt a school wellness plan which shall 75
promote a healthy lifestyle for Mississippi's school children and 76
staff. Beginning with the 2008-2009 school year, the school 77
wellness plan shall also promote increased physical activity, 78
healthy eating habits and abstinence from the use of tobacco and 79
illegal drugs through programs that incorporate healthy lifestyle 80
choices into core subject areas which may be developed in 81
partnership with the Institute for America's Health. 82
(3) Beginning with the 2012-2013 school year, the State 83
Board of Education, in consultation with the State Department of 84
Health, shall have the authority to establish a school health 85
pilot program to improve student health so that all students can 86
fully participate and be successful in school. The school health 87
pilot program shall be implemented in local school districts, as 88
provided in Section 37-13-134.1. The board shall review and 89
update the health education curriculum, including the domestic 90
violence and dating violence prevention components, at least every 91
five (5) years to reflect current research and best practices. 92
(4) The Legislature shall appropriate sufficient 93
state-source funds for the State Department of Education to employ 94
a physical activity coordinator to assist districts on current and 95
effective practices and on implementation of physical education 96
and physical activity programs. 97
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(5) The physical activity coordinator employed under Section 98
37-13-133 must have the qualifications prescribed in any of the 99
following paragraphs, which are listed in the order of preference: 100
(a) A doctorate in physical education, exercise science 101
or a highly related field, and at least three (3) years of 102
experience in teaching physical education in Grades K-12 or in 103
physical activity promotion/fitness leadership; or 104
(b) A master's degree in physical education, exercise 105
science or a highly related field, and at least five (5) years of 106
experience in teaching physical education in Grades K-12 or in 107
physical activity promotion/fitness leadership; or 108
(c) A bachelor's degree in physical education, a 109
teacher's license, and at least seven (7) years of experience in 110
teaching physical education in Grades K-12 or in physical activity 111
promotion/fitness leadership. 112
(6) The Governor's Commission on Physical Fitness and Sports 113
created under Section 7-1-551 et seq., the Mississippi Council on 114
Obesity Prevention and Management created under Section 41-101-1 115
et seq., the Task Force on Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention 116
created under Section 41-103-1 et seq., the Mississippi Alliance 117
for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance, and the 118
Mississippi Alliance for School Health shall provide 119
recommendations to the State Department of Education regarding the 120
employment of the physical activity coordinator. The department 121
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shall consider the recommendations of those entities in employing 122
the physical activity coordinator. 123
(7) The physical activity coordinator shall present a state 124
physical activity plan each year to the Governor's Commission on 125
Physical Fitness and Sports, the Mississippi Council on Obesity 126
Prevention and Management, the Task Force on Heart Disease and 127
Stroke Prevention, the Mississippi Alliance for Health, Physical 128
Education, Recreation and Dance, and the Mississippi Alliance for 129
School Health. 130
(8) The physical activity coordinator shall monitor the 131
districts for adherence to current Mississippi school 132
accountability standards and for implementation of the physical 133
education curriculum on file with the State Department of 134
Education. The State Department of Education shall monitor and 135
act as a clearinghouse for the activities of the local school 136
health councils established pursuant to subsection (9) of this 137
section. 138
(9) (a) The local school board of each school district 139
shall establish a local school health council for each school 140
which shall ensure that local community values are reflected in 141
the local school's wellness plan to address school health. Such 142
councils shall be established no later than November 1, 2006. 143
(b) The local school health council's duties shall 144
include, but not be limited to, the following: 145
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(i) Recommend age-appropriate curriculum and the 146
number of hours of instruction to be provided in health and 147
physical activity-based education, provided that the number of 148
hours shall not be less than that required by this section; 149
(ii) Recommend appropriate practices that include 150
a coordinated approach to school health designed to prevent 151
obesity, cardiovascular disease, Type II diabetes and other health 152
risks, through coordination of: 153
1. Health education; 154
2. Physical education; 155
3. Nutritional services; 156
4. Parental/Community involvement; 157
5. Instruction to prevent the use of tobacco, 158
drugs and alcohol; 159
6. Physical activity; 160
7. Health services; 161
8. Healthy environment; 162
9. Counseling and psychological services; 163
10. Healthy lifestyles; and 164
11. Staff wellness * * *; 165
(iii) Provide guidance on the development and 166
implementation of the local school wellness plan * * *; and 167
(iv) Provide instruction and guidance on domestic 168
violence and dating violence prevention, including information 169
about community resources, legal protections and support services. 170
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ST: Health education curriculum; require school
districts to incorporate instruction on domestic
violence and dating violence prevention as
component of.
(c) The local school board shall appoint members to the 171
local school health council. At a minimum, the school board shall 172
appoint one (1) person from each of the following groups: 173
(i) Parents who are not employed by the school 174
district; 175
(ii) The director of local school food services; 176
(iii) Public schoolteachers; 177
(iv) Public school administrators; 178
(v) District students; 179
(vi) Health care professionals; 180
(vii) The business community; 181
(viii) Law enforcement; 182
(ix) Senior citizens; 183
(x) The clergy; 184
(xi) Nonprofit health organizations; and 185
(xii) Faith-based organizations. 186
(10) Nothing in this section shall be construed to prohibit 187
or limit the sale or distribution of any food or beverage item 188
through * * * fundraisers conducted by students, teachers, school 189
groups, or parent groups when the items are intended for sale off 190
the school campus. 191
SECTION 2. This act shall take effect and be in force from 192
and after July 1, 2026. 193