Existing law requires the board of trustees of each school district to establish a course or unit of a course of instruction concerning the human immunodeficiency virus, the human reproductive system, related communicable diseases and sexual responsibility which must be taught by a teacher or school nurse whose qualifications have been approved by the board of trustees. Existing law requires each board of trustees to establish an advisory committee to advise the district concerning the content of and materials to be used in such a course. (NRS 389.036) Section 2 of this bill revises these requirements by requiring the board of trustees of a school district to establish a course or unit of a course of instruction in evidence-based, factual instruction in sexuality education. Section 2 also: (1) adds two pupils who attend schools in the district to the membership of the advisory committee; and (2) requires each member of the advisory committee to have one vote on each matter requiring a vote. Section 2 additionally requires the advisory committee to make recommendations on the persons who will provide instruction in a course or unit of a course in sexuality education. Section 3 of this bill requires the standards adopted by the Council to Establish Academic Standards for Public Schools for instruction in health to include standards for sexuality education. Section 2 requires the course or unit of a course of instruction to: (1) comply with such standards of content and performance established by the Council for a course of study in health; and (2) be appropriate for the ages of pupils who receive the instruction. Section 3 also authorizes the Council to include topics related to sexuality education in the standards for other courses where appropriate. Existing law further requires notice to be given to a parent or guardian of a pupil to whom such a course or unit of such a course of instruction will be offered and requires the school district to provide a form for the parent or guardian of a pupil to provide written permission for the pupil to participate in the course or unit of a course. (NRS 389.036) Section 2 replaces this form by requiring the school district to provide a form for the parent or guardian of a pupil to refuse to authorize a pupil's participation in specific lessons in the course or the entire course. Section 2 authorizes a school district to make this form available on a secure Internet website and requires the form to include an option for a parent or guardian of a pupil to refuse permission for the pupil to participate in a course of sexuality education: (1) for that school year only; or (2) for any school year in which the pupil is enrolled in the school district. Section 1 of this bill requires the board of trustees of each school district to submit an annual report on the status of the establishment of such a course or unit of such a course of instruction in the district to the Director of the Legislative Counsel Bureau for transmittal to the Joint Interim Standing Committee on Education. Section 3.5 of this bill makes an appropriation to the Department of Education for costs related to the development and implementation of standards of content and performance for the course in sexuality education established in section 2.

Statutes affected:
As Introduced: 389.036, 389.520
Reprint 1: 389.036, 389.520
BDR: 389.036, 389.520