115.35 Health problems education program.

(1) A critical health problems education program is established in the department. The program shall be a systematic and integrated program designed to provide appropriate learning experiences based on scientific knowledge of the human organism as it functions within its environment and designed to favorably influence the health, understanding, attitudes and practices of the individual child which will enable him or her to adapt to changing health problems of our society. The program shall be designed to educate youth with regard to critical health problems and shall include, but not be limited to, the following topics as the basis for comprehensive education curricula in all elementary and secondary schools: controlled substances, as defined in s. 961.01 (4); controlled substance analogs, as defined in s. 961.01 (4m); alcohol; tobacco; mental health; sexually transmitted diseases, including acquired immunodeficiency syndrome; human growth and development; and related health and safety topics. Participation in the human growth and development topic of the curricula shall be entirely voluntary. The department may not require a school board to use a specific human growth and development curriculum.

(2) In carrying out this section, the state superintendent may, without limitation because of enumeration:

(a) Establish guidelines to help school districts develop comprehensive health education programs.

(b) Establish special in-service programs to provide professional preparation in health education for teachers throughout the state.

(c) Provide leadership institutions of higher education to develop and extend curricula in health education for professional preparation in both in-service and preservice programs.

(d) Develop cooperative programs between school districts and institutions of higher education whereby the appropriate health personnel of such institutions would be available to guide the continuing professional preparation of teachers and the development of curricula for local programs.

(e) Assist in the development of plans and procedures for the evaluation of health education curricula.

(3) The department may appoint a council consisting of representatives from universities and colleges, law enforcement, the various fields of education, the voluntary health agencies, the department of health services, the professional health associations and other groups or agencies it deems appropriate to advise it on the implementation of this section, including teachers, administrators and local school boards.

(4) The department shall cooperate with agencies of the federal government and receive and use federal funds for the purposes of this section.

(5) In each report under s. 15.04 (1) (d), the state superintendent shall include information:

(a) As to the scope and nature of programs undertaken under this section.

(b) As to the degree and nature of cooperation being maintained with other state and local agencies.

(c) As to the state superintendent's recommendations to improve such programs and cooperation.

History: 1971 c. 219; 1977 c. 196 s. 131; 1977 c. 418; 1981 c. 291; 1985 a. 56; 1989 a. 203; 1993 a. 492; 1995 a. 27 ss. 3873, 9126 (19), 9145 (1); 1995 a. 448; 1997 a. 27; 2007 a. 20 s. 9121 (6) (a).