HIV/STD Prevention Disclaimer:
This site contains HIV/STD prevention messages that may not be appropriate for all audiences. HIV is defined as Human Immunodeficiency Virus, AIDS is defined as Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome, and STD is defined as sexually transmitted disease.
The California Comprehensive Sexual Health and HIV/AIDS Prevention Education Act (Education Code [EC] sections 51930-51939), has two primary purposes:
- To provide a pupil with the knowledge and skills necessary to protect his or her sexual and reproductive health from unintended pregnancy and STDs;
- To encourage a pupil to develop healthy attitudes concerning adolescent growth and development, body image, gender roles, sexual orientation, dating, marriage, and family.
These sections of the EC address both comprehensive sexual health education and HIV/AIDS prevention education. The law requires that HIV/AIDS prevention education is taught once in middle school and once in high school, and states that if comprehensive sexual health education is taught, the local educational agency (LEA) must abide by all tenets of EC 51933. The LEA may not pick and choose topics.
"Comprehensive sexual health education" means education regarding human development and sexuality, including education on pregnancy, family planning, and sexually transmitted diseases (EC 51931).
"HIV/AIDS prevention education" means instruction on the nature of HIV/AIDS, methods of transmission, strategies to reduce the risk of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection, and social and public health issues related to HIV/AIDS (EC 51931).
Abstinence shall be taught within the context of HIV/AIDS prevention education (EC 51934 (3), however, abstinence-only education is not permitted in California public schools.
The following do not qualify as comprehensive sexual health instruction or HIV/AIDS prevention instruction, and therefore, are not subject to the same rules that govern comprehensive sexual health and HIV/AIDS prevention instruction:
- Description or illustration of human reproductive organs that may appear in a textbook, adopted pursuant to law, on physiology, biology, zoology, general science, personal hygiene, or health (EC 51932).
- Instruction or materials that discuss gender, sexual orientation, or family life and do not discuss human reproductive organs and their functions (EC 51932).
Frequently Asked Questions
Questions and answers regarding comprehensive sexual health education and HIV/AIDS and STD instruction.
HIV/AIDS Prevention Education
Provides information concerning mandated HIV/AIDS education.
Comprehensive Sexual Health Education
Provides information concerning authorized comprehensive sexual health education.
Clarification of Laws Pertaining to HIV/AIDS Prevention Education
Letter sent to County and District Superintendents on May 4, 2006 regarding the California Comprehensive Sexual Health and HIV/AIDS Prevention Education Act.
Curriculum Guidance
Provides information on curriculum and how to obtain curriculum for loan.
Checklist for Guest Speakers
Provides a list of criteria to determine if an outside consultant is adhering to California EC for HIV/AIDS prevention education and comprehensive sexual health education.
Checklist: HIV/AIDS Education (DOC; 39KB; 1p.)
This is a tool to help guide your review of material for compliance with EC 51934.
Checklist: Comprehensive Sexual Health Education (DOC; 40KB; 1p.)
This is a tool to help guide your review of material for compliance with EC 51933.
HIV/AIDS Instruction PowerPoint Presentation - PPT (935KB; 30pp.)
Provides information regarding mandated HIV/AIDS instruction and laws related to permisible comprehensive sexual health instruction.
Parental Notification and Consent
Provides information regarding parental notification for HIV/AIDS prevention education and comprehensive sexual health education.
Sample Parent/Guardian Notification Letter
This is a sample parent/guardian notification letter that may be adapted for use by local educational agencies.
Teacher Training and Guest Speakers
Provides information regarding the legal requirement to provide teacher trainings and the ability of local educational agencies to contract with outside consultants.
Current HIV, STD and teen birth rate data (Outside Source)
Provides statewide data as well as local health jurisdiction data for better program planning, and improved planning for resource allocation and interventions.
