Social Emotional Learning & Health Education
Social Emotional Learning and Health Education
The policy recommended by Jeffco CTC passed on April 4, 2022.
Read the new policy here.
Next steps for Jeffco CTC include:
- Partnering to create systems for community guests to help with health & SEL education needs.
- Partnering to fill identified curriculum gaps.
Jeffco Health Education Policy Website
Policy Language Includes
The district recognizes that physical, social, emotional, and mental health are significant factors in the development of a total person. In a school situation, mental and physical health play an important role in the academic and social development of students. Consistent, skills-focused and standards-based health education for all students increases their readiness and ability to learn. The district believes that integrated health education is essential for all students to be career and college ready.
An evidence-informed, comprehensive health education program increases students’ knowledge and skills related to physical, social, emotional and mental health, is instructive regarding accessing reliable health and wellness resources, and improves a student’s decision-making and communications skills.
Comprehensive health education includes a planned, sequential health program of learning experiences in preschool through grade twelve, which shall be integrated across elementary, middle, and high school grade levels. Jeffco Public Schools health education program, including comprehensive human sexuality education, shall be age-appropriate, culturally and linguistically sensitive, and medically accurate, as defined by Colorado State Statute.
The health education program shall:
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Be available to all students in all schools;
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Promote involvement of families, parents, guardians, and/or other trusted adults;
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Provide instruction that addresses the skills, topics and content outlined in Colorado Academic Standards and based on state and federal statutes (see Health Education Guidelines).
Each school will ensure all students have an equitable opportunity to gain the knowledge and skills to address their physical, social, emotional, and mental health.
The district will provide the necessary resources, facilities, and support to schools to implement health education in all schools. This includes curriculum and resources based on state standards, grade-level guidance for addressing health education content, local data (such as findings from the Healthy Kids Colorado Survey, Healthy Schools Smart Source or similar) and professional learning opportunities. The district will communicate health education efforts across the district. The customary policies and regulations concerning the approval of new curriculum content, units, and materials shall apply to any health education courses offered by the district. Materials approved by the district will only be used at the designated grade level; teachers will not use unapproved materials.
Other Requirements:
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Instructional materials to be used in health education courses shall be available for review and inspection at school and/or district websites or buildings. A public forum shall be scheduled to receive public comments for significant changes to health education materials.
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Parents/guardians of students shall be notified that the fifth grade growing and changing unit, the seventh grade and high school healthy decision making units have been scheduled, and that they may request that their child be exempt from a specific portion of the program on the grounds that it is contrary to their beliefs. Exemptions from health education classes shall be provided in accordance with regulation IMBB-R, Exemptions from Required Instruction.
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Teachers who provide instruction in fifth, seventh and high school health education shall have professional preparation in the subject area, either at the pre-service or inservice level.
ALL JEFFCO STUDENTS DESERVE COMPREHENSIVE HEALTH EDUCATION
The Jefferson County Communities That Care Community Board’s 2018/2019 data assessment and resource assessments found that health and social emotional learning in Jeffco Schools was not reaching all students. In January 2021, the board recommended the following changes be made to Jeffco Schools policy.
- Ensure current state standards and statutes are addressed in the policy. The current Health Education policies were last revised in 2013. Since that time, additional state and federal policies, as well as updated Colorado Academic Standards, have passed which could be reflected in the district policy. All standards should be addressed for all students, including the 2020 Colorado Comprehensive Health Education Standards.
- Combine the health education policies and regulation into one policy with guidelines. Currently, there are two policies addressing health education content (IHAM and IHAMA). There may be an opportunity to streamline the content into one policy versus two. This would make it easier for school staff to review and understand the policy. There is also a current regulation, IHAM-R, which could be updated into less formal guidelines which district staff could update more frequently, based on needs, and to share definitions and resources with educators. A similar model is utilized with the district Wellness Policy (ADF).
- Support schools with integrating health education into their instruction. Since all students should be receiving instruction in all standards, the policy could be complemented with resources and a simple annual form for schools that demonstrates their integration of health education standards into their instruction. Currently, the Jeffco Public Schools Health Science Coordinator is working on curricular resources to support schools with this instruction. Collecting information in an annual form about who is teaching health education would help to share these resources across the district.
- Update and include best practice and inclusive language in the policy. The Jeffco CTC workgroup has compiled additional recommendations for revisions to ensure the policy utilizes language and best practices to be inclusive of all youth.
Process Overview and Next Steps
In October 2019, the workgroup presented their findings to the Jeffco CTC Community Board regarding the specific issues leading to less equitable health education and social emotional learning.
In January 2021, the workgroup send a letter to the Jeffco School Board outlining recommendations.