Our Schools

Referendum 90

Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction

About OSPI

The goal of Washington's K–12 education system is to prepare every student for postsecondary pathways, careers, and civic engagement. Led by Superintendent Chris Reykdal, OSPI is the primary agency charged with overseeing public K–12 education in Washington state. Working with the state's 295 public school districts and 6 state-tribal education compact schools, OSPI allocates funding and provides tools, resources, and technical assistance so every student in Washington is provided a high-quality public education. OSPI is housed in the Old Capitol Building in Olympia.


SOURCE: https://www.k12.wa.us/about-ospi

"Our schools have an important role to play in promoting the health and well-being of all students. Research consistently shows that students’ health status is linked directly to student learning and achievement. The provision of comprehensive, age appropriate, evidence-informed sexual health education is a vital component of K-12 education. When incorporated as part of an ongoing health education program, it helps address the needs of the whole child. Sexual health education helps prepare students for healthy relationships and reduces their risk for health challenges that can interfere with academic success. OSPI supports schools in providing such education in partnership with families, recognizing their role as the primary source of education about sexual health. Comprehensive sexual health education that addresses consent and provides opportunities for developing communication and decision-making skills can support students in making healthy choices that serve them for a lifetime. Inclusive sexual health education that addresses the varied needs of every student can promote safe and supportive school environments that promote respect and empathy both in the classroom and in the community."

Chris Reykdal

Washington State Superintendent, February 2020The Washington Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) identifies information that must be taught in public schools. As of 2020, Chris Reykdal (D) was the state superintendent. Reykdal assumed office in 2017. Washington superintendents are elected every four years.

OSPI provides technical assistance and support to schools by promoting best practices in HIV/AIDS prevention and sexual health education. The Guide to Sexual Health Education Implementation in Washington State (2020) (PDF) summarizes legislative requirements and best practices for providing sexual health education in schools.

Washington state law requires annual HIV/AIDS prevention education beginning in grade 5, in accordance with the AIDS Omnibus Act. The KNOW curriculum is one option for meeting HIV/AIDS prevention requirements in grades 5-8.

The Healthy Youth Act (state law) and Health Education K-12 Learning Standards provide a framework for districts choosing to provide sexual health education beyond HIV/AIDS prevention.

New Requirements

Senate Bill 5395, passed by the legislature in 2020, will add new requirements for schools starting in the 2020-2021 school year. Current and new requirements are listed below by grade band.

Grades K-3

What is currently required?

No sexual health content is currently required for grades K-3.

If districts choose to provide sexual health education, it must be consistent with requirements in the Healthy Youth Act.

New Requirements

Beginning in the 2022-23 school year, schools must provide social emotional learning (SEL) to students in grades K-3. SEL provides skills to do things like cope with feelings, set goals, and get along with others. No sexuality content or curriculum. will be required.

Grades 4-5

What is currently required?

The only instruction currently required is HIV/STD prevention, which must start no later than 5th grade and be provided annually through 12th grade. If districts choose to provide additional sexual health education, it must be consistent with requirements in the Healthy Youth Act.

New Requirements

Beginning in the 2020-21 school year, If schools are already providing sexual health education they must ensure that students get age-appropriate instruction on affirmative consent and bystander training.

Affirmative consent is an approach to giving and receiving consent that includes clear and voluntary permission to engage in sexual activity. It is not just the absence of “no.” In 4th or 5th grades it might focus on hugs or horseplay, and in older grades on hugs or sexual contact. Bystander training teaches students how to safely intervene when they see sexual harassment or unwanted sexual activity. They are included in this legislation as a way for schools to combat the high rates of unwanted sexual contact experienced by youth in our state.

Beginning in the 2022-23 school year, schools must start providing sexual health education no later than 5th grade. Instruction must be consistent with Health Education K-12 Learning Standards. Grade-level outcomes are provided as examples only and do not represent a required course of instruction.

Required topics of instruction are described in ESSB 5395, with a focus on helping students understand and respect personal boundaries, develop healthy friendships, and gain a basic understanding of human growth and development. Currently required HIV/STD prevention instruction will continue to be required.

For more information, see New Legislation: Senate Bill 5395.

Grades 6-8

What is currently required?

The only instruction currently required is HIV/STD prevention, which must start no later than 5th grade and be provided annually through 12th grade.

If districts choose to provide additional sexual health education, it must be consistent with requirements in the Healthy Youth Act. Additionally, according to RCW 28A.300.145, instruction must include "age-appropriate information about the legal elements of sexual [sex] offenses (under chapter 9A.44 RCW) where a minor is a victim and the consequences upon conviction."

New Requirements

Beginning in the 2020-21 school year, If schools are already providing sexual health education they must ensure that students get age-appropriate instruction on affirmative consent and bystander training.

Affirmative consent is an approach to giving and receiving consent that includes clear and voluntary permission to engage in sexual activity. It is not just the absence of “no.” In 6th, 7th, and 8th grades it might focus on hugs or other physical contact, including sexual contact. Bystander training teaches students how to safely intervene when they see sexual harassment or unwanted sexual activity. They are included in this legislation as a way for schools to combat the high rates of unwanted sexual contact experienced by youth in our state.

Beginning in the 2021-22 school year, schools must start providing sexual health education at least twice in grades 6-8. This could be two separate units in one grade or ideally, a unit in two different grades. Best practice suggests providing instruction over time, building on earlier instruction. Instruction must be consistent with Health Education K-12 Learning Standards. Grade-level outcomes are provided as examples only and do not represent a required course of instruction.

Required topics of instruction are described in ESSB 5395, with a focus on helping students understand and respect personal boundaries, develop healthy friendships and dating relationships, gain a deeper understanding of human growth and development, and develop skills to support choosing healthy behaviors and reduce health risks, including understanding the influence of family and society on healthy sexual relationships. Currently required HIV/STD prevention instruction will continue to be required.

For more information, please see New Legislation: Senate Bill 5395.

Grades 9-12

What is currently required?

The only instruction currently required is HIV/STD prevention, which must start no later than 5th grade and be provided annually through 12th grade.

If districts choose to provide additional sexual health education, it must be consistent with requirements in the Healthy Youth Act. Additionally, according to RCW 28A.300.145, instruction must include "age-appropriate information about the legal elements of sexual [sex] offenses (under chapter 9A.44 RCW) where a minor is a victim and the consequences upon conviction."

New Requirements

Beginning in the 2020-21 school year, If schools are already providing sexual health education they must ensure that students get age-appropriate instruction on affirmative consent and bystander training.

Affirmative consent is an approach to giving and receiving consent that includes clear and voluntary permission to engage in sexual activity. It is not just the absence of “no.” In 4th and 5th grades it might focus on hugs or horseplay, and in older grades on hugs or other physical contact, including sexual contact. Bystander training teaches students how to safely intervene when they see sexual harassment or unwanted sexual activity. They are included in this legislation as a way for schools to combat the high rates of unwanted sexual contact experienced by youth in our state.

Beginning in the 2021-22 school year, schools must start providing sexual health education at least twice in grades 9-12. This could be two separate units in one grade or ideally, a unit in two different grades. Best practice suggests providing instruction over time, building on earlier instruction. Instruction must be consistent with Health Education K-12 Learning Standards. Grade-level outcomes are provided as examples only and do not represent a required course of instruction.

Required topics of instruction are described in ESSB 5395, with a focus on helping students understand and respect personal boundaries, develop healthy friendships and dating relationships, gain a deeper understanding of human growth and development, and develop skills to support choosing healthy behaviors and reduce health risks, including how to access valid health care and prevention resources and understanding the influence of family and society on healthy sexual relationships. Currently required HIV/STD prevention instruction will continue to be required.

For more information, please see New Legislation: Senate Bill 5395.

Instructional Materials Review Reports and Tools

In partnership with the Department of Health, OSPI conducts regular reviews of curricula and other materials to support districts in meeting state requirements for the delivery of sexual health education (RCW 28A.300.475).

Erin’s Law (Sexual Abuse Prevention)

SHB 1539 (Erin’s Law), passed by the WA legislature in 2018, addressed sexual abuse prevention in Washington state schools. The bill did not require schools to provide sexual abuse prevention instruction. OSPI and the Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF) were tasked with reviewing curricula and developing recommendations for the school-based sexual abuse prevention in grades K-12.

2019 Sexual Health Education Workgroup

The 2019 Washington State Operating Budget (House Bill 1109, Section 501 [3][h]) required OSPI to create a workgroup to review sexual health education learning standards and consider the merits of requiring comprehensive sexual health education in all public schools and to submit the group's findings to the state legislature by December 1, 2019. The workgroup was composed of the state superintendent, three school district representatives, three school principals, three public school health teachers, three public health officials, and three parents. The workgroup met four times.

As of 2016, Washington had 294 school districts. The workgroup surveyed the school districts asking if they provided sexual health education, to what grade levels it was provided, and what curriculums they were using. The workgroup found that of 285 districts that responded, 93% reported providing sexual health education to at least one grade-level grouping, as follows:[23]

  • K-5: 64.7%;

  • 6-8: 86.1%; and

  • 9-12: 75.2%.

Of the school districts providing sexual health education, 42.1% reported using curriculums that had not been reviewed for compliance with education standards required by state law.[24]

The workgroup ultimately agreed that all students should receive comprehensive sexual health education in grades K-12, citing that "students who receive CSHE have better health outcomes than students who receive abstinence-only instruction or no instruction, or whose primary source of information is the internet."[24]

The workgroup's full report may be found here.

Reasons to consider Comprehensive Sexual Health Education (CSHE)

Compiled from OSPI Public Comment Survey between August 6 and September 22, 2019.

Definitions

  • How is comprehensive defined?

    • Should be inclusive of all students

    • Should include consent education

Safety/overall health

  • Data supports positive health outcomes for students receiving comprehensive sexual health education

    • Important for students to have an adequate understanding of human biology

      • Lack of this information leads to negative health outcomes

  • Allows children to be knowledgeable and proactive when making decisions about their bodies

    • Vulnerable populations like young children, students with disabilities, and others need to understand consent and bodily autonomy. This is an important part of abuse prevention

  • Sexual health and health education are closely related

  • Education about healthy relationships is important to reducing sexual violence and improved emotional health

  • Leads to lower STD rates, fewer unplanned pregnancies, fewer abortions

  • Gives students the skills to recognize and reduce risky situations

  • Misinformation is a problem, and it can lead to negative health outcomes

    • If students don’t learn through school, they can learn from other, potentially inaccurate sources

Concerns about abstinence-only education

  • Often not medically or scientifically accurate

  • Data does not support positive health outcomes

  • Can cause harm if based in shame

Many children will not learn about this at home

  • Better informed youth grow into more prepared adults

Allows for inclusion of LGBTQ+ folks

  • Much of the sexual health education that is implemented currently does not address the health needs of the LGBTQ+ community

Association of Washington School Principals

Official Website: http://www.awsp.org/

Fact or Fiction?

Districts will continue to have a wide variety of curricula choices.

Fact or Fiction?

Instruction for students in Kindergarten through third grade will be in social emotional learning.

Fact or Fiction?

My district already offers sexual health education so I think we are meeting the requirements of this bill.

Fact or Fiction?

Parents can opt their child out of comprehensive sexual health education.