AN ACT Relating to health education plans; adding new sections to chapter 28A.58 RCW; and creating a new section.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. The legislature finds that a comprehensive health education program is a crucial part of helping students learn to meet the complex challenges and decisions that they will face as they grow up. The legislature finds that health education is crucial at all grade levels and that it is important for health education at the elementary level to provide the foundation for understanding the curriculum offered in the upper grades. The legislature finds that the elements of a comprehensive health education program need to be coordinated and that coordination at the local level will help provide health education programs that meet the needs of local communities.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 2. Every student enrolled in kindergarten through twelfth grade in a public school in this state shall receive health education appropriate to each grade level under a health education plan established by the local school district under section 3 of this act.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 3. Every school district shall develop a written health education plan for implementation beginning with the 1992-93 school year. The development of plans may be coordinated by educational service districts. The plan shall be designed to provide an appropriate health education program for every student in the school district. The plan shall provide for:

(1) The coordination and integration of the provision of health education programs including, but not limited to:

(a) The primary prevention program for child abuse and neglect under RCW 28A.03.514;

(b) Instruction in physiology and hygiene, with special reference to the effects of alcoholic stimulants and narcotics on the human system, under RCW 28A.05.010;

(c) Instruction in the minimum requisites for good health, including the beneficial effect of physical exercise and methods to prevent exposure to and transmission of sexually transmitted diseases, under RCW 28A.05.010;

(d) AIDS prevention education under RCW 28A.05.055;

(e) Instruction in health and physical education and home and family life under RCW 28A.58.754;

(f) The substance abuse awareness program under RCW 28A.120.030 through 28A.120.050; and

(g) Parenting education including, but not limited to, information about the decision-making process regarding becoming a parent and about human development and reproduction.

(2) A definition of health education including, but not limited to, the elements in subsection (1) of this section.

(3) The development of health curriculum that is sequential and appropriate for each grade level and review of the curriculum in conjunction with the instructional materials committee under RCW 28A.58.103. Model curriculum guidelines for health education programs developed by the office of the superintendent of public instruction under RCW 28A.03.425 shall be considered.

(4) The instructional time required for health education programs at each grade level.

(5) Methods of assuring involvement of health professionals, classroom teachers, parents, students, and members of the community in providing a comprehensive health education program.

(6) Methods of providing for community and business partnerships in providing the health education program.

(7) Methods for assuring that teachers providing health education instruction have the necessary training.

(8) Methods for assessing the effectiveness of the health education program, including the goal-setting provisions of RCW 28A.58.094 and the self-study provisions of RCW 28A.58.085.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 4. (1) The superintendent of public instruction shall collect information about health education programs, curriculum, and materials through the state clearinghouse for educational information and disseminate such information, upon request, to school districts and other interested parties.

(2) The superintendent of public instruction shall share information with other state agencies, including the department of community development and the department of social and health services, regarding health education programs offered by the common schools of the state.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 5. Sections 2 through 4 of this act are each added to chapter 28A.58 RCW.