Arizona Standards

Comprehensive Health Education Standards
(Adopted 4/28/97)

Rationale Statement for Comprehensive Health

PARENTS AND GUARDIANS

It is understood that parents and guardians are the primary educators in their children's health; therefore, it is important to include the applicable statutes and state Board of Education rule in the comprehensive health education standards. Parents and guardians must be provided opportunities to preview school district policies, curriculum and take-home materials. The ultimate goal of comprehensive health education is to help young people in Arizona achieve their fullest potential by attaining their highest level of health and wellness as students and adults. Basic to health education is the knowledge about the importance of the interrelationships of physical, behavioral, and social well-being and the prevention of diseases and other health problems. Students should learn to accept responsibility for personal health decisions and practices, work with others to maintain a healthy environment, as well as become informed consumers.

RATIONALE FOR STANDARD 1

Comprehension of health-promotion strategies and disease-prevention concepts enables students to become health-literate, self-directed learners which establishes a foundation for leading healthy and productive lives.

RATIONALE FOR STANDARD 2

Accessing valid health information and health-promoting products and services is important in the prevention, early detection and treatment of most health problems. Applying skills of information analysis, organization, comparison, synthesis and evaluation to health issues provides a foundation for individuals to move toward becoming health literate and responsible, productive citizens.

RATIONALE FOR STANDARD 3

Research confirms that many diseases and injuries can be prevented by reducing harmful and risk-taking behaviors. Accepting responsibility and practicing health-enhancing behaviors can contribute to a positive quality of life.

RATIONALE FOR STANDARD 4

Health is influenced by a variety of factors that co-exist within society. The ability to analyze, evaluate and interpret the influence of culture, media and technology on health is important in a rapidly changing world. The health-literate, responsible and productive citizen draws upon the contributions of these factors to strengthen individual, family and community health.

RATIONALE FOR STANDARD 5

Personal, family and community health are enhanced through effective communication. The ability to organize and to convey information, beliefs, opinions, and feelings (both verbal and non-verbal) are skills that strengthen interactions and can reduce or avoid conflict. When communicating, individuals who are health literate demonstrate care, consideration, and respect of self and others.

RATIONALE FOR STANDARD 6

Decision making and goal setting are essential lifelong skills needed to implement and sustain health-enhancing behaviors. These skills make it possible for individuals to transfer health knowledge into healthy lifestyles, thus improving the quality of life.

RATIONALE FOR STANDARD 7

Quality of life is dependent on an environment that protects and promotes the health of individuals, families and communities. Responsible citizens who are health literate communicate and advocate for positive health in their communities.

§ 15-102. Parental involvement in the school; definition

A. The governing board, in consultation with parents, teachers and administrators, shall develop and adopt a policy to promote the involvement of parents and guardians of children enrolled in the schools within the school district, including:
1. A plan for parent participation in the schools which is designed to improve parent and teacher cooperation in such areas as homework, attendance and discipline.
2. Procedures by which parents may learn about the course of study for their children and review learning materials.
3. Procedures by which parents who object to any learning material or activity on the basis that it is harmful may withdraw their children from the activity or from the class or program in which the material is used. Objection to a learning material or activity on the basis that it is harmful includes objection to a material or activity because it questions beliefs or practices in sex, morality or religion.
A. The policy adopted by the governing board pursuant to this section may also include the following components:
2. A plan by which parents will be made aware of the district's parental involvement policy and the provisions of this section, including:
(a) Rights under the family educational rights and privacy act of 1974 relating to access to children's official records.
(b) The parent's right to inspect the school district policies and curriculum.
1. Efforts to encourage the development of parenting skills
2. The communication to parents of techniques designed to assist the child's learning experience in the home.
3. Efforts to encourage access to community and support services for children and families.
4. The promotion of communication between the school and parents concerning school programs and the academic progress of the parents' children.
5. Identifying opportunities for parents to participate in and support classroom instruction at the school.
6. Efforts to, with appropriate training, support parents as shared decision makers and to encourage membership on school councils.
7. The recognition of the diversity of parents and the development of guidelines that promote widespread parental participation and involvement in the school at various levels.
8. The development of preparation programs and specialized courses for certified employees and administrators that promote parental involvement.
9. The development of strategies and programmatic structures at schools to encourage and enable parents to participate actively in their children's education.
A. For the purposes of this section, "parent" means the parent or person who has custody of the child.

R7-2-303. Sex Education

A. Instruction in sex education in the public schools of Arizona shall be offered only in conformity with the following requirements.
1. Common schools: Nature of instruction; approval; format.
a. Supplemental/elective nature of instruction. The common schools of Arizona may provide a specific elective lesson or lessons concerning sex education as a supplement to the health course study.
i.> This supplement may only be taken by the student at the written request of the student's parent or guardian.
ii. Alternative elective lessons from the state-adopted optional subjects shall be provided for students who do not enroll in elective sex education.
iii. Elective sex education lessons shall not exceed the equivalent of one class period per day for one-eighth of the school year for grades K-4.
vi. Elective sex education lessons shall not exceed the equivalent of one class period per day for one-quarter of the school year for grades 5-8.
a. Local governing board approval. All elective sex education lessons to be offered shall first be approved by the local governing board.
ii. Each local governing board contemplating the offering of elective sex education shall establish an advisory committee with membership representative of district size and the racial and ethnic composition of the community to assist in the development of lessons and advise the local governing board on an ongoing basis.
iii. The local governing board shall review the total instructional materials for lessons presented for approval.
iv. The local governing board shall publicize and hold at least two public hearings for the purpose of receiving public input at least one week prior to the local governing board meeting at which the elective sex education lessons will be considered for approval.
v. The local governing board shall maintain for viewing by the public the total instructional materials to be used in approved elective sex education lessons within the district.
a. Format of instruction.
iii. Lessons shall be taught to boys and girls separately.
>vi. Lessons shall be ungraded, require no homework, and any evaluation administered for the purpose of self-analysis shall not be retained or recorded by the school or the teacher in any form.
v. Lessons shall not include tests, psychological inventories, surveys, or examinations containing any questions about the student's or his parents' personal beliefs or practices in sex, family life, morality, values or religion.
1. High Schools: Course offering; approval; format.
b. A course in sex education may be provided in the high schools of Arizona.
c. The local governing board shall review the total instructional materials and approve all lessons in the course of study to be offered in sex education.
d. Lessons shall not include tests, psychological inventories, surveys, or examinations containing any questions about the student's or his parents' personal beliefs or practices in sex, family life, morality, values or religion.
e. Local governing boards shall maintain for viewing by the public the total instructional materials to be used in all sex education courses to be offered in high schools within the district.
1. Content of instruction: Common schools and high schools.
c. All sex education materials and instruction shall be age appropriate, recognize the needs of exceptional students, meet the needs of the district, recognize local community standards and sensitivities, shall not include the teaching of abnormal, deviate, or unusual sexual acts and practices, and shall include the following:
i. Emphasis upon the power of individuals to control their own personal behavior. Pupils shall be encouraged to base their actions on reasoning, self-discipline, sense of responsibility, self-control and ethical considerations such as respect for self and others; and
ii. Instruction on how to say "no" to unwanted sexual advances and to resist negative peer pressure. Pupils shall be taught that it is wrong to take advantage of, or to exploit, another person.
a. >All sex education materials and instruction which discuss sexual intercourse shall:
ii. stress that pupils should abstain from sexual intercourse until they are mature adults;
iii. Emphasize that abstinence from sexual intercourse is the only method for avoiding pregnancy that is 100 percent effective;
iv. Stress that sexually transmitted diseases have severe consequences and constitute a serious and widespread public health problem;
v. Include a discussion of the possible emotional and psychological consequences of preadolescent and adolescent sexual intercourse and the consequences of preadolescent and adolescent pregnancy;
vi. Promote honor and respect for monogamous heterosexual marriage; and
vii. Advise pupils of Arizona law pertaining to the financial responsibilities of parenting, and legal liabilities related to sexual intercourse with a minor.
A. Certification of compliance. All districts offering a local governing board-approved sex education course or lesson shall certify, under the notarized signature of both the president of the local governing board and the chief administrator of the school district, compliance with this rule except as specified in paragraph (C). Acknowledgment of receipt of the compliance certification from the State Board of Education is required as a prerequisite to the initiation of instruction. Certification of compliance shall be in a format and with such particulars as shall be specified by the Department of Education.
B. All districts offering State Board approved sex education lessons or courses prior to the effective date of this rule shall comply with this rule on or before June 30, 1990.

§ 15-716. Instruction on acquired immune deficiency syndrome; department assistance

A. Each common, high and unified school district may provide instruction to kindergarten programs through the twelfth grade on acquired immune deficiency syndrome and the human immunodeficiency virus.
B. Each district is free to develop its own course of study for each grade. At a minimum, instruction shall:
1. Be appropriate to the grade level in which it is offered.
2. Be medically accurate.
3. Promote abstinence.
4. Discourage drug abuse.
5. Dispel myths regarding transmission of the human immunodeficiency virus.
A. No district shall include in its course of study instruction which:
3. Promotes a homosexual life-style.
4. Portrays homosexuality as a positive alternative life-style.
5. Suggests that some methods of sex are safe methods of homosexual sex.
A. At the request of a school district, the department of health services or the department of education shall review instruction materials to determine their medical accuracy.
B. At the request of a school district, the department of education shall provide the following assistance:
1. A suggested course of study.
2. Teacher training.
3. A list of available films and other teaching aids.
A. At the request of a parent, a pupil shall be excused from instruction on the acquired immune deficiency syndrome and the human immunodeficiency virus as provided in subsection A of this section. The school district shall notify all parents of their ability to withdraw their child from the instruction.