In 2019, the Legislature directed OSPI to convene a workgroup to review sexual health education provisions in state law and state learning standards, and to consider the merits and challenges of requiring all K–12 schools to offer comprehensive sexual health education (CSHE). The workgroup recommends providing all students in grades K–12 with access to CSHE, and clarifying the expected content of instruction for the younger grades. First question is: what is "comprehensive" sex health education? Who gets to define what that means? This is important to ask because, based on the OSPI survey data we reported in our blog article of December 21, 2019, the rates of STD's have gone up 23-120% … [Read more...]
Washington State Comprehensive Sexual Health Education Data Survey – Part 1/2
In early December 2019 OSPI (Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction) issued a report that the 2019 Legislature directed the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI), in collaboration with the Department of Health (DOH), required be conducted. The data is from a survey of availability of sexual health education and relevant health measures in public schools. The entire report can be found at: 2019-12-Sexual-Health-Education-Data-Survey Following are the summary findings in the post. We will review the Sexual Education Workgroup recommendations in Part 2. Without further ado here is their "executive summary". We'll have a few comments and questions at the … [Read more...]
Healthy Student Survey – Southwest Washington School Districts
Every 2 years OSPI (Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction) has all school districts in Washington State conduct a survey of students. In this survey they ask some very personal questions deal with drugs, sex and other issues. They use the responses to help formulate policies. For example, when the effort was being made to force the adoption of Comprehensive Sex Education Mr. Reykdal (State Superintendent) cited data from the survey. As the legislature starts the next session the very same data will be used to "demand" adoption. So that got us to wondering if we could get the results for school districts. The short answer is YES! The reality was a bit more challenging. It took nearly … [Read more...]