JLAC Meeting Dates 2016-2017

New Laws:

Instruction in Comprehensive Sexual Health Education and HIV Prevention

Education Code section 51938 has been updated to reflect that a district shall not require active parental consent for comprehensive sexual health education and HIV prevention education. Parents may excuse their child from such education by submitting a written request to the school district. The language of the statute also changes "HIV I AIDS" prevention to "HIV" prevention. The law has been updated to state a district shall not require active parental consent to administer anonymous, voluntary, and confidential research and evaluation tools to measure pupils' health behaviors and risks in grades 7-12 inclusive. Parents may excuse their child from participation in such research and evaluation tools by submitting a written request to the school district.

Communicable Diseases

Education Code section 48216 requires districts to notify parents they must provide evidence of proper immunizations or that the student is exempt. Immunization requirements for students contained in the Health and Safety Code have changed. All students entering kindergarten, advancing from sixth to seventh grade in the district, or prior to his or her first admission to the district, will be required to comply with the new immunization requirements of Health and Safety Code section 120335, unless the student provides the district with a valid medical exemption from a licensed physician. No new personal-belief exemptions may be accepted. Students with personal-belief exemptions on file with a district as of January I, 2016 shall be allowed to continue enrollment in that district until entering the next grade span. The grade spans are defined as birth through preschool, K through 6, including transitional kindergarten, and 7 through 12. All students entering 7th grade must be immunized for his or her age as required by Health and Safety Code section 120335. Students qualified for an individualized education program may access "special education and related services as required by his or her individualized educational program."