Bill > S340

This bill requires schools (including cities, towns, regional, vocational, and charter schools) to file a biennial report on sexual health education, detailing curriculum specifics, hours of instruction, student enrollment, and student withdrawals. The bill mandates that schools adopt a written policy informing parents and guardians about sexual health education, including their right to withdraw their child from instruction and the process for doing so. The policy must be distributed annually and translated into commonly spoken languages. The bill establishes comprehensive guidelines for sexual health education, requiring it to be medically accurate, age-appropriate, and inclusive of various topics such as human development, anatomy, reproduction, abstinence, prevention of sexually transmitted infections, relationship skills, consent, gender identity, sexual orientation, and resources for all students. Schools must provide education that is non-discriminatory and considers students' diverse backgrounds. The curriculum must align with the Massachusetts Comprehensive Health and Physical Education Curriculum Framework, which will be reviewed and updated at least every 10 years. The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education is tasked with issuing rules for implementation and may determine minimum qualifications for sexual health education instructors. The act will take effect in the academic year immediately following its passage.

Budget and Finance, Education

https://malegislature.gov/Bills/194/S340