Public Invited to Comment on Changes to Health Education Framework

May 19, 2014

The Montgomery County Board of Education is providing an opportunity for public comment on changes to the Secondary Comprehensive Health Education Curriculum Framework. All feedback must be provided in writing no later than Friday, June 13, 2014.

The Framework identifies what content areas are covered during health education courses in each middle school grade and as part of the graduation requirement health course in high school. The recommended changes were developed with input from teachers, staff, parents, students, and community members, and are aligned with state and national health standards.

The Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) Comprehensive Health Education (CHE) curriculum promotes health literacy and emphasizes attitudes and behaviors that promote self-reliance and self-regulation for all students. The curriculum covers seven content areas, including mental and emotional health; alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs; personal and consumer health; family life and human sexuality; safety and injury prevention; nutrition and fitness; and disease prevention and control.

Each school will continue to provide parents with the opportunity to review the Family Life and Human Sexuality and Disease Prevention and Control units of the Framework, and allow parents to decide whether their children will participate in these units or receive alternative instruction on different health topics.

Montgomery County citizens and MCPS parents are invited to review the proposed framework and provide feedback. The Framework is posted on the MCPS Comprehensive Health Education website. Comments can be sent in using the form on the website or can be sent by mail to Health Education Framework Feedback, Montgomery County Public Schools, 850 Hungerford Drive, Rockville, Maryland 20850.

The Board of Education discussed the changes during its May 13, 2014 meeting and approved posting the revisions for public feedback. The Board plans to take final action on the new curriculum framework on June 17, 2014.

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