Pupil instruction: sexual abuse and sexual assault awareness and prevention.

Existing law requires the State Department of Education to prepare and distribute to school districts guidelines for the preparation of comprehensive health education plans, and requires approval of district plans to be made in accordance with rules and regulations adopted by the State Board of Education. Existing law establishes the Instructional Quality Commission and requires the commission to, among other things, recommend curriculum frameworks to the state board. This bill would require the state board, based upon recommendations by the Superintendent of Public Instruction, to consider including age-appropriate content for kindergarten and grades 1 to 12, inclusive, in sexual abuse and sexual assault awareness and prevention in the next revision of the health content standards. The bill would also require the state board, based upon recommendations by the commission, to consider including information in sexual abuse and sexual assault awareness and prevention in the Health Framework for California Public Schools when next revised. The bill would authorize school districts, county offices of education, and charter schools to provide age-appropriate instruction, pursuant to the content standards adopted by the state board, for kindergarten and grades 1 to 12, inclusive, as applicable, in sexual abuse and sexual assault awareness and prevention. The bill would provide a procedure for excusing a pupil from that instruction.