What are the California requirements
for sex education?
In 2015, California passed AB329, also known as the California Healthy Youth Act.
The Healthy Youth Act describes the standards all sex education programs in California must adhere to.
Basic requirements of the California Healthy Youth Act
Comprehensive Sex Education:
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Must be taught once in Junior High and once in High School
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Must be unbiased
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Must be delivered by trained instructors
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Must be age-appropriate, medically accurate, and appropriate for students of all races, ethnicities, cultural backgrounds, genders, sexual orientations, English learners, and who have disabilities
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Must affirmatively recognize different sexual orientations and be inclusive of same-sex relationships
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Must teach about gender, gender expression, gender identity, and negative gender stereotypes
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Must encourage students to communicate with parents and trusted adults
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Must provide students with knowledge and skills to develop healthy relationships and make healthy decisions about sexuality
All sexual health programs must include information about:
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Nature & transmission of HIV and other STIs
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FDA-approved methods of reducing the risk of transmitting HIV and STIs and pregnancy prevention
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Reducing the risk of HIV as a result of needle use and needle sharing
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Discussion of social views of HIV and AIDS
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Students' legal right to access resources for sexual and reproductive healthcare, and assistance with sexual assault and intimate partner violence
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Affirming that abstinence is the only 100% certain way of prevent unintended pregnancy, HIV, and STIs
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Information about pregnancy & the importance of prenatal care
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All legally available pregnancy outcomes including parenting, adoption, abortion, and newborn safe surrender
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Information about sexual harassment, sexual assault, teen relationships abuse, intimate partner violence, and sex trafficking