Choosing the Best Choosing the Best is a character building, decision making, abstinence - focused education curriculum for elementary, middle, and high school students mandated by Senate Bill 19.

Parent Involvement Students need to be educated about good decision making both at home and at school. Students need open lines of communication with their parents and teachers. Parents are 3 times more influential in a teen’s life than their friends.

5th Grade Program There are 6 lessons for students about making appropriate personal decisions. Each lesson follows the health TEKS required by the state. A short video segment accompanies each lesson. 1. Deciding on Your Future 2. Figuring Out Friendships and Relationships 3. Avoiding Unhealthy Relationships 4. Identifying the Risks 5. Choosing the Best Way 6. Learning How to Say NO

Salient Statistics By 8th grade, 28 % of all students will have had sex. By 12th grade that number increases to 62%. 2,500 teens get pregnant daily in the U.S. 80% of these 820,000 teens and their offspring end up on welfare. The five basic influences on teens becoming sexually active are: media, peer pressure, alcohol, physiological changes, and relationships.

Forty Years of Change In 1966, there were two types of sexually transmitted diseases: syphilis and gonorrhea. Both were treatable with penicillin and considered curable. In 2006, there are more than 25 types of sexually transmitted diseases. Today’s STD’s are both bacterial and viral in nature. Not all are curable, only treatable. More than 4,000,000 teens will contract an STD this year.

Rewards of Informed Decisions Teens will have the freedom to pursue the dreams of a lifetime. Teens will be free from the concerns of STD’s and teen pregnancy. Teens are encouraged to approach their parents or other adults with questions about appropriate decision making.

Abstinence Education Abstinence education for CFBISD students gives our children the opportunity to make informed decisions regarding risky behaviors. Through decision making programs such as Choosing the Best, there has been a 13% decrease in teen sexual activity since 1991. CFBISD teachers, nurses, and counselors are here to help your child to make informed decisions, but not to make them for them. Your involvement as parents, can make the difference in your child’s future.