HB 1270 Text
Health Education Bill, HB 1270
The Health Education bill is written by Rep. Ann Coody and Sen. Clark Jolley; if passed HB 1270 will become effective July 1, 2012. This piece of legislation is a priority for the Oklahoma Fit Kids Coalition, a statewide initiative of the Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy, and a 2011 legislative agenda item under the Oklahoma Health Improvement Plan.
In contingent upon the appropriation of funding, the requirements for this bill are as follows:
- Health education shall be taught in public schools during six, seventh, or eighth grade in accordance with the priority Academic Student Skills for Health and Safety, which was adopted by the State Department of Education.
- Each school district may determine which grade level, sixth, seventh, or eighth grade, that health education will be taught.
- Each one of the following ten units needs to be used to fulfill the bill requirements:
- Physical activity
- Nutrition
- Alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs
- Behavioral health
- Oral health
- Environmental heath
- Growth and development
- Injury prevention
- Bullying prevention
- Wellness
- Teachers instructing the course must be certified by the State Department of Education to teach health education.
- Any student whose parent or guardian presents a conflict to the school principal with one of the above units because of his or her moral or religious beliefs, shall be exempt from that unit with no penalties to credit or graduation results.
Local school districts are encouraged to work with community based organizations, including county health departments, local hospitals, county extension offices, and other organizations with proven expertise in the subject areas listed above. All materials and resources provided to the school districts by the community-based organizations will be made available to parents and guardians upon request.
