Washington State HIV/AIDS Prevention Education Requirements

In 1988 the Washington State Legislature passed the AIDS Omnibus Act. This act mandates HIV/AIDS prevention education beginning in Grade 5 and continuing through Grade 12. Districts must adhere to the following criteria when developing an HIV/AIDS prevention education curriculum:

Beginning no later than Grade 5, students shall receive yearly instruction in the life-threatening dangers of HIV/AIDS, its transmission, and its prevention.

• Each school district board of directors will adopt an HIV/AIDS prevention education program, which is developed in consultation with teachers, administrators, parents, and other community members including, but not limited to, persons from medical, public health, and mental health organizations and agencies.
• The materials developed for use in the HIV/AIDS education program must be either:
  • Model curricula and resources available from OSPI or
  • Developed (or purchased) by the school district and approved for medical accuracy by the Department of Health Office on HIV/AIDS.
• If a district develops (or purchases) its own HIV/AIDS prevention curricula, the district must submit to the DOH office on HIV/AIDS a copy of its curricula and an affidavit of medical accuracy stating that the material has been compared to the model curricula for medical accuracy and that in the opinion of the district, the materials are medically accurate. After submission of these materials to the DOH Office on HIV/AIDS, the district may use the materials until the approval procedure by the DOH Office on HIV/AIDS has been completed.
• At least one month before teaching HIV/AIDS prevention education in any classroom, each district must conduct at least one presentation concerning the curricula and materials that will be used for HIV/AIDS education during weekend and evening hours for the parents and guardians of students.
• At least one month before teaching HIV/AIDS prevention education in any classroom, parents are to be notified of the presentation and that the materials are available for inspection.
• A student may be removed from HIV/AIDS prevention education if the student’s parent or guardian, having attended one of the district presentations, objects in writing to such participation.

NOTE: As with all school district curricula, HIV/AIDS prevention instructional materials must also be reviewed by the school district instructional materials committee for bias as provided in the Basic Education Law (RCW 28A.150.240), the Instructional Materials Law (RCW 28A.320.230), and the Sex Equity Law (RCW 28A.640.010).