1. California healthy youth act + foster youth
November2018
Ruth Dawson, Staff Attorney
Amy Lemley, Executive Director

2. Learn about what the California Healthy Youth Act requires schools teach all students
Learn about how foster youth have the right to this crucial education and how advocates are making this a reality
Connect with resources
G O A L S

3. A G E N D A Who’s in the room? Why is CHYA important for foster youth?
Understanding the law
Its purpose
Baseline requirements (all grades)
Content requirements (grades 7-12)
SB 89 – expanding CHYA to foster youth
LA pilot program
Resources
Q&A

4. Who’s in the Room?
3 minutes

5. why is comprehensive sex ed important…?
Young people deserve and benefit from receiving quality sexual health education.
More than half of CA students are sexually active in 12th grade
Rates of STIs are growing faster in CA than any other state, highest among those 15-24
Nearly 12% of CA high school students have experienced sexual dating violence; 10% have experienced physical dating violence
CSE can help prevent sexual harassment/ abuse before it starts
Between 2015 and 2017, the % of sexually active CA students using birth control increased
LGBTQ-inclusive education has been shown to have a positive effect on school climate and make LGBTQ youth feel safer in school

6. why is comprehensive sex ed important…?
Quality sex ed is especially critical for low-income communities and communities affected by systemic discrimination, poverty, lack of access to health care, and lifelong health disparities.
National research shows that students of color and low- income students have less access to formal sex education.
89% of CA parents want students to receive comprehensive sex education.
Discrimination means different treatment, not equal treatment, or not respecting who someone is.

7. UNDERSTANDING THE LAW

8. CHYA: The law Education Code 51930-51939
California’s comprehensive sexual health education law
Effective as of January 1, 2016

9. CHYA: The law
Requires districts to provide sex education to students at least twice—once in middle school and once in high school
Allows sex education to be provided in K-6 in an age appropriate way
Expands and strengthens instruction in healthy relationships and requires that all instruction be affirmatively inclusive of students of all genders and sexual orientations
Applies to continuation schools and independent study programs

10. CHYA: baseline req’s all grades k-12
Age appropriate, medically accurate, and objective
Not promoting of any religious doctrine
Accessible and appropriate for students of all abilities, genders, sexual orientations, and racial, ethnic and cultural backgrounds
Requires that tone and content must be consistent across all instruction and materials—regardless of who provides each component

11. CHYA: baseline req’s all grades k-12
Recognize that people have different sexual orientations and examples of relationships must also include same-sex relationships
Include instruction on:
Gender
Gender expression
Gender identity; and
The harms of negative gender stereotypes

12. CHYA: baseline req’s all grades k-12
Parental notification and opt-out
Training requirements
At the beginning of the school year or at least 14-days before instruction
Districts must also provide opportunities to view the curriculum and other instructional materials
Must also allow parents to opt their student out of instruction using a passive consent (“opt-out”) process
All instructors must have knowledge in the most recent medically accurate research on human sexuality, healthy relationships, pregnancy, and HIV and other sexually transmitted infections
Outside consultants and guest speakers must also have expertise in comprehensive sexual health education

13. ChYA: add’l content req’s for grades 7-12
About HIV and other STIs, including how to prevent and treat them
Effectiveness and safety of all FDA-approved contraceptive methods, including abstinence
All legally available pregnancy outcomes, including:
Parenting, adoption, and abortion;
Information about California law on surrendering custody of an infant; and
The importance of prenatal care
NOTE: ABSTINENCE-ONLY EDUCATION HAS BEEN STRICTLY PROHIBITED UNDER CA LAW SINCE 2004

14. CHYA: add’l content req’s for grades 7-12
Sexual assault, sexual abuse, adolescent relationship abuse, and intimate partner violence
Sexual harassment
Human trafficking
Local resources and student rights about:
Accessing sexual and reproductive health care; and
Assistance with sexual assault and intimate partner violence

15. CHYA: human trafficking ab 1277 (2017)
CHYA already required instruction on healthy relationships, including abuse and sex trafficking, and AB 1277 expands those requirements to explicitly include sexual abuse and human trafficking
Instruction must now specifically include information about:
Sexual abuse;
The prevalence and nature of human trafficking
Strategies to reduce the risk of human trafficking;
Techniques to set healthy boundaries;
How to safely seek assistance; and
The early warning signs of adolescent relationship abuse and intimate partner violence

16. CHYA: charter schools ab 2801 (2018)
Effective as of July 1, 2019
This bill extends CHYA requirements to charter schools across the state

17. QUESTIONS & RESOURCES CHYA resources My School, My Rights
org/en/know-your- rights/sex-education
My School, My Rights
Your Health, Your Rights

18. QUESTIONS & RESOURCES
aclusocal.org/en/lgbtq-know-your-rights

19. 1313 West 8th Street, Los Angeles, CA 90017
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