California Healthy Youth Act

California Healthy Youth Act

Summit Public Schools Healthy Youth Opt-Out Forms (Google Doc) >

California state law, the California Healthy Youth Act, requires that comprehensive sexual health education and HIV prevention education be provided to students at least once in middle school and once in high school, starting in grade 7. The Healthy Youth Act requires instruction to, among other things, encourage students to communicate with parents, guardians or other trusted adults about human sexuality. Instruction must be medically accurate, age-appropriate and inclusive of all students. It must include the following:

  • Information about HIV and other sexually transmitted infections (STIs), including transmission, FDA approved methods to prevent or reduce the risk of contracting HIV and STIs, and treatment
  • Information that abstinence from sexual activity and injection drug use is the only certain way to prevent HIV and other STIs and abstinence from sexual activity is the only certain way to prevent unintended pregnancy, and information about value of delaying sexual activity
  • Discussion about social views of HIV and AIDS
  • Information about accessing local resources for sexual and reproductive health care
  • Information about pregnancy, including FDA approved prevention methods, pregnancy outcomes, prenatal care, and the newborn safe surrender law
  • Information about sexual orientation and gender, including the harm of negative gender stereotypes
  • Information about healthy relationships and avoiding unhealthy behaviors and situations
  • Information about sexual harassment, sexual assault, sexual abuse, and human trafficking.

How can I view the curriculum materials?

You can view instructional materials and the CA Healthy Youth Act (California Education Code Sections 51930-51939) at your child’s school site in the main office. You can also examine the curriculum digitally on the Platform using the links below.

How is the curriculum facilitated?

Our approach to health and wellness education mirrors our personalized approach to learning in other classes. All students will have access to playlists that have been tagged as challenge focus areas in science classes. For students who want a more facilitated, community based learning experience, they can choose from a number of elective classes that include health and wellness, identity, fitness, and more. Please reach out for a comprehensive list of elective classes at our school if you have any questions.

Can I opt my child out of the curriculum?

State law allows you to excuse your student from this instruction. If you do not want your student to participate in comprehensive sexual health education, HIV prevention education, and assessments related to that education, please fill out the attached “Opt-Out” form and provide it to your child’s mentor or school’s site administrator. Please be aware that per the education code, some lessons are not included in our opt-out policy (please see below for a copy of the forms). Those lessons are notated with an asterisk (*) on our opt-out form. If you have questions or feedback, please reach out to your school site director.

Summit Public Schools Healthy Youth Opt-Out Forms (Google Doc) >