Ellensburg School District

ESD Comprehensive Sexual Health Education Standards and Outcomes

Senate Bill 5395 (signed by governor March 27, 2020; Referendum Measure No. 90, approved November 3, 2020)

OSPI’s information on Comprehensive Sexual Health Education Implementation

OSPI FAQ on Comprehensive Sexual Health Education Legislation

Ellensburg School District’s Board Policy on Sexual Health Education (adopted August 2004)

Guidelines for Sexual Health Information and Disease Prevention

• Grade 5: Maturation Unit with District selected videos and teacher led discussions found here

• Grades 6 - 8: Sexual Health Education taught 2x with Essential Health for Middle School here

• Grades 9 - 12: Sexual Health Education taught in Health with Essential Health for High School here  and with pilot materials for 22-23 of FLASH curriculum here

• Adopt and implement K-3 curriculum that focuses on social-emotional learning (SEL) for 2022-2023. There is no sexual health content required for students in grades K-3. Curriculum must be aligned to SEL standards, which can be found here. This curriculum must be taught at least once in K - 3.

• Teach Comprehensive Sexual Health Education 2x in 6-8 and 9-12

• Include information on Affirmative Consent and Bystander Training K-12*

*Affirmative consent is an approach to giving and receiving consent for any activity that includes clear, voluntary, enthusiastic permission. It is not just the absence of “no.” In earlier grades it might focus on hugs or horseplay, and in older grades on hugs, exchanging photos, or romantic sexual contact.

Bystander Training teaches students how to safely intervene when they see bullying, sexual harassment, or unwanted sexual activity.

• Parents and guardians have the right to opt their child out of any or all instruction in comprehensive sexual health education. Opt out form can be found English here/ Spanish here.

• School districts must honor the parent or guardian’s request to opt their child out.

• School districts must consult with parents and guardians in the adoption of their locally determined comprehensive sexual health education curriculum.

• School districts must notify parents and guardians at the beginning of the school year when their child’s school will be providing sexual health education instruction and make instructional materials available to parents and guardians for review.

In the 2021-2022 school year, Ellensburg School District will be going through an adoption process for K-12 Health curriculum that includes Comprehensive Sexual Health Education. For more information on how ESD adopts materials, please visit our site here. The timeline for that is as follows:

• Dec. 2021/Jan 2022: Materials will be reviewed and selected for a pilot

• Jan - April 2022: Materials will be piloted

• May 2022:Materials selected will be reviewed by the Instructional Materials Committee

• June 2022: Materials (if approved by Instructional Materials Committee) will go before the Ellensburg School District Board for approval and adoption

• June/July 2022: Materials (if adopted by Board) will be purchased

• Summer 2022: Teachers will be trained on curriculum

• 2022-2023 school year: new materials are implemented 

Any potential materials must meet the following guidelines:

• medically and scientifically accurate;

• age appropriate; 

• inclusive of all students, regardless of their protected class (Chapter 49.60 RCW); and 

• Consistent with the Washington State Health and Physical Education K–12 Learning Standards and the 2005 Guidelines for Sexual Health Information and Disease Prevention developed by the Washington State Department of Health and OSPI.

AIDS Omnibus Act (signed into law in 1988)

OSPI’s information HIV/AIDS Prevention Education requirements

Ellensburg School District’s Board Policy on HIV/AIDS Prevention Education (adopted August 2004)

• Grade 5:  Marissa's Story video here

• Grades 6 - 8: HIV/AIDS Prevention Education annually with Essential Health for Middle School here

• Grades 9 - 12: HIV/AIDS Prevention Education annually with Essential Health for High School here 

• At least one month before teaching HIV/AIDS prevention education in any classroom, each district must notify parents and guardians that instruction will take place AND must conduct at least one presentation, during weekend and evening hours, for parents and guardians of students concerning the curriculum and materials that will be used for HIV/AIDS education.

• A student may be removed from HIV/AIDS prevention education if the student's parent or guardian, having attended one of the district presentations, objects in writing to such participation. Opt out form can be found English here/Spanish here.

• School districts must honor the parent or guardian’s request to opt their child out if the parent has attended one of the district’s presentations and objects in writing.