Curriculum

Michigan Model for Health: Sexual Health Education

In 2007, the Michigan State Board of Education adopted the Grade Level Content Expectations (GLCEs) for Grades K-8 and Michigan Merit Curriculum Credit Guidelines (MMC) for Grades 9-12 for Health Education. The GLCEs and MMC for Health Education provide recommendations for content and skills to include in HIV prevention, and growth and development and sex education at specific grade levels.

Michigan’s model health education curriculum, the Michigan Model for Health®, is aligned with the GLCEs and MMC and is used by North Muskegon Public Schools. It includes model curricula on HIV/STI prevention for Grades 5, 7-8, and 9-12. North Muskegon chose to adopt and adapt the model curriculum. 

Puberty Education

In Fourth and Fifth Grade a Growing Up talk is given by a certified health education teacher. The boys and girls separately receive information about puberty presented in a video, followed by a discussion led by the health educator in a question and answer session. The Marsh Media (2011) “Just Around the Corner for Boys and Girls is used in the Fourth Grade. In Fifth Grade the Always Changing (2016) movie is shown for boys and girls.

Michigan laws pertaining to parents right to information: 

For HIV/AIDS and sex education instruction, parents and/or legal guardians must be notified in advance of:

• The content of the instruction.
• Their right to review materials in advance.
• Their right to observe instruction.
• Their right to excuse their child without penalty. (§380.1507, §388.1766)

For sex education only, if a parent or legal guardian files a continuing written notice (i.e., a request to have their child permanently excluded from sex education classes), the student shall not be enrolled in the class(es) unless the parent or legal guardian submits a written authorization for that enrollment. (§380.1507a)

Curriculum Review Process

All curriculum materials and resources used in teaching sexual health education must be reviewed and approved by the NM Sexual Education Advisory Board (NM SEAB) for recommendation to the NM Board of Education.  All materials must be approved by the NM Board of Education before they can be used or presented in the public schools.

Who can submit materials?  Materials can be submitted for review by teachers and other school district staff, students, parents, community organizations and professionals, and other interested parties.

How should they be submitted?  Materials can either be submitted accompanied by a written description or individuals can request time to present materials at a SEAB meeting.

Submissions of printed or video materials must include, at a minimum, at least one complete copy of the resource.  Prior to submission, the necessary number of copies for the particular resource should be discussed with the SEAB co-chair designated with responsibility for curriculum review. Provision of multiple copies of the materials will speed the review process.

If the request is for a presentation or workshop, the materials provided should include as much detail as possible (e.g., outlines of content, copies of PowerPoint or slide presentations, copies of handouts, tapes or videos of presentations if available).

Presentations to the committee will be limited to 10 minutes, followed by questions from the committee.

What is the review process?  SEAB members will individually review and evaluate the submitted materials according to the standards outlined in the curriculum review criteria.  

SEAB members will discuss the submitted materials as a group at either a regularly scheduled or specially scheduled SEAB meeting. Following discussion, committee members will vote on whether to recommend the resource for Board approval, not adopt the resource, or gather additional information about the resource (e.g., request additional information, attend a workshop).

The SEAB will provide written feedback regarding the submission of any resources that are not approved for recommendation, explaining the reasons for the committee's decision.

Public Comment:  All materials approved by the SEAB for recommendation to the NM Board of Education will be sent to the NM Board of Education to review, along with being presented to the NM Board of Education for approval, in a separate meeting. Curriculum is approved by a majority vote of the NM Board of Education.

How quickly will they be reviewed?
The SEAB will make every effort to review resources/materials in a timely manner. The provision of multiple copies of written materials, DVDs and videos will help us to review materials more quickly.

Links:

Michigan Department of Education HIV/STD Sexual Education Page  MDE Website