279.50 Human growth and development instruction.
1. Each school board shall provide instruction in kindergarten which gives attention to experiences relating to life skills and human growth and development as required in section 256.11. School districts shall use research provided in section 256.9, subsection 46, paragraph “b”, to evaluate and upgrade their instructional materials and teaching strategies for human growth and development.
2. Each school board shall provide age-appropriate and research-based instruction in human growth and development including instruction regarding human sexuality, self-esteem, stress management, interpersonal relationships, domestic abuse, HPV and the availability of a vaccine to prevent HPV, and acquired immune deficiency syndrome as required in section 256.11, in grades one through twelve.
3. Each school board shall annually provide to a parent or guardian of any pupil enrolled in the school district, information about the human growth and development curriculum used in the pupil’s grade level and the procedure for inspecting the instructional materials prior to their use in the classroom.
4. Each school district shall, upon request by any agency or organization, provide information about the human growth and development curriculum used in each grade level and the procedure for inspecting and updating the instructional materials.
5. A pupil shall not be required to take instruction in human growth and development if the pupil’s parent or guardian files with the appropriate principal a written request that the pupil be excused from the instruction. Notification that the written request may be made shall be included in the information provided by the school district.
6. Each school board or community college which offers general adult education classes or courses shall periodically offer an instructional program in parenting skills and in human growth and development for parents, guardians, prospective biological and adoptive parents, and foster parents.
7. Each area education agency shall periodically offer a staff development program for teachers who provide instruction in human growth and development.
8. The department of education shall identify and disseminate information about early intervention programs for students who are at the greatest risk of suffering from the problem of dropping out of school, substance abuse, adolescent pregnancy, or suicide.
9. For purposes of this section and sections 256.9 and 256.11, unless the context otherwise requires:
a. “Age-appropriate” means topics, messages, and teaching methods suitable to particular ages or age groups of children and adolescents, based on developing cognitive, emotional, and behavioral capacity typical for the age or age group.
b. “HIV” means HIV as defined in section 141A.1.
c. “HPV” means human papilloma virus as defined by the centers for disease control and prevention of the United States department of health and human services.
d. “Research-based” means all of the following:
(1) Complete information that is verified or supported by the weight of research conducted in compliance with accepted scientific methods; recognized as medically accurate and objective by leading professional organizations and agencies with relevant expertise in the field, such as the American college of obstetricians and gynecologists, the American public health association, the American academy of pediatrics, and the national association of school nurses; and published in peer-reviewed journals where appropriate.
(2) Information that is free of racial, ethnic, sexual orientation, and gender biases.
10. To the extent not inconsistent with this section and section 256.11, an accredited nonpublic school may also choose curriculum in accordance with doctrinal teachings for the human sexuality component of the human growth and development requirements of this section and section 256.11.
11. Nothing in this section or section 256.11 shall be construed to prohibit a school or school district from developing and making available abstinence-based or abstinence-only materials pursuant to the requirements of section 256.9, subsection 46, and from offering an abstinence-based or abstinence-only curriculum in meeting the human sexuality component of the human growth and development requirements of this section and section 256.11.
88 Acts, ch 1018, §3, 5, 6; 90 Acts, ch 1253, §121; 91 Acts, ch 218, §19; 2007 Acts, ch 98, §4
Referred to in §256.11
Structure Iowa Code
Title VII - EDUCATION AND CULTURAL AFFAIRS
Chapter 279 - DIRECTORS — POWERS AND DUTIES
Section 279.1 - Organization — student improvement oversight.
Section 279.2 - Special meetings.
Section 279.3 - Appointment of secretary and treasurer.
Section 279.5 - Temporary officers.
Section 279.6 - Vacancies — qualification — tenure.
Section 279.7 - Vacancies filled by special election — qualification — tenure.
Section 279.7A - Interest in public contracts prohibited — exceptions.
Section 279.8 - General rules — bonds of employees.
Section 279.8A - Traffic and parking.
Section 279.8B - Petition — school board meeting agenda — public comment.
Section 279.9 - Use of tobacco, alcoholic beverages, or controlled substances.
Section 279.9A - Student transfers — information sharing.
Section 279.9B - Reports to juvenile authorities.
Section 279.10 - School year — beginning date — exemption.
Section 279.11 - Number of schools — attendance — terms — classroom assignment.
Section 279.12 - Contracts — teachers — insurance — educational leave.
Section 279.14 - Evaluation criteria and procedures.
Section 279.14A - Practitioner performance improvement program.
Section 279.15 - Notice of termination — request for hearing.
Section 279.16 - Private hearing — decision — record.
Section 279.17 - Appeal by teacher to adjudicator.
Section 279.18 - Appeal by teacher to court.
Section 279.19 - Probationary period.
Section 279.19A - Extracurricular contracts.
Section 279.19B - Coaching endorsement and authorization.
Section 279.20 - Superintendent — term — employment of support personnel.
Section 279.22 - Residence of employees.
Section 279.23 - Continuing contract for administrators.
Section 279.23A - Evaluation criteria and procedures.
Section 279.24 - Contract with administrators — automatic continuation or termination.
Section 279.25 - Discharge of administrator.
Section 279.26 - Lease arrangements.
Section 279.27 - Discharge of teacher.
Section 279.28 - Insurance — supplies — textbooks.
Section 279.29 - Claims — investments.
Section 279.30 - Payments — exceptions.
Section 279.31 - Settlement with treasurer.
Section 279.32 - Compensation of officers.
Section 279.33 - Annual settlements.
Section 279.34 - Motor vehicles required to operate on ethanol blended gasoline.
Section 279.35 - Publication of proceedings.
Section 279.36 - Publication procedures and fee.
Section 279.37 - Employment of counsel.
Section 279.38 - Membership in association of school boards — audit.
Section 279.38A - Membership in other organizations— reporting requirements.
Section 279.39 - School buildings.
Section 279.41 - Schoolhouses and sites sold — funds.
Section 279.42 - Gifts to schools.
Section 279.43 - Reporting inappropriate teaching assignments.
Section 279.44 - Energy audits.
Section 279.45 - Administrative expenditures.
Section 279.46 - Retirement incentives — tax.
Section 279.47 - Telecommunications — participation by school districts in database development.
Section 279.48 - Equipment purchase.
Section 279.49 - Child care programs.
Section 279.50 - Human growth and development instruction.
Section 279.50A - Educational standards — agreements for mathematics and science units.
Section 279.51 - Programs for at-risk children.
Section 279.51A - Classroom environment — behavioral challenges — reports of violence or assault.
Section 279.52 - Optional funding of asbestos projects.
Section 279.53 - Loan proceeds.
Section 279.54 - School district income surtax.
Section 279.55 - Teacher exchange program.
Section 279.56 - Board participation.
Section 279.57 - Period of exchange.
Section 279.58 - School dress code policies.
Section 279.59 - Access by associations.
Section 279.60 - Assessments — access to data — reports.
Section 279.61 - Individual career and academic plan — report.
Section 279.62 - Nonprofit school organizations.
Section 279.63 - Financial report.
Section 279.64 - Tax-sharing agreements.
Section 279.66 - Discipline and personal conduct standards.
Section 279.67 - Competitive living wage.
Section 279.68 - Student progression — intensive reading instruction — reporting requirements.
Section 279.69 - School employees — background investigations.
Section 279.71 - Student online personal information protection.
Section 279.72 - Training on dyslexia.
Section 279.73 - Intellectual freedom — protection — complaints.
Section 279.74 - Training and curriculum prohibited — specific defined concepts.