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Comprehensive Sexual Health & HIV/AIDS Instruction

Information on comprehensive sexual health education and HIV/AIDS/STD prevention; includes legal requirements for education in these areas and additional resources for quality instructional programs.

Enacted January 1, 2016, this law integrates the instruction of comprehensive sexual health education and HIV prevention education. The bill renamed the California Comprehensive Sexual Health and HIV/AIDS Prevention Education Act to the California Healthy Youth Act. The bill requires school districts to ensure that all pupils in grades seven to twelve, inclusive, receive comprehensive sexual health education and HIV prevention education.

California Healthy Youth Act

The California Healthy Youth Act has five primary purposes:

  • To provide pupils with the knowledge and skills necessary to protect their sexual and reproductive health from HIV and other sexually transmitted infections and from unintended pregnancy;
  • To provide pupils with the knowledge and skills they need to develop healthy attitudes concerning adolescent growth and development, body image, gender, sexual orientation, relationships, marriage, and family;
  • To promote understanding of sexuality as a normal part of human development;
  • To ensure pupils receive integrated, comprehensive, accurate, and unbiased sexual health and HIV prevention instruction and provide educators with clear tools and guidance to accomplish that end;
  • To provide pupils with the knowledge and skills necessary to have healthy, positive, and safe relationships and behaviors

For information on the California Healthy Youth Act, California Education Code (EC) sections 51930–51939, please visit the California Legislative Information web page External link opens in new window or tab..

These sections of the EC address both comprehensive sexual health education and HIV prevention education. The law requires that both comprehensive sexual health and HIV prevention education are taught once in middle school and once in high school.

A school district must provide comprehensive sexual health education or HIV prevention education consisting of age-appropriate instruction earlier than grade seven using instructors trained in the appropriate courses. A school district that elects to offer comprehensive sexual health education or HIV prevention education earlier than grade seven may provide age appropriate and medically accurate information on any of the general topics contained in paragraphs (51934(1) to (11), inclusive, of subdivision (a).

“Comprehensive sexual health education” means education regarding human development and sexuality, including education on menstrual health, pregnancy, contraception, and sexually transmitted infections (EC 51931).

“HIV prevention education” means instruction on the nature of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and AIDS, methods of transmission, strategies to reduce the risk of HIV infection, and social and public health issues related to HIV and AIDS (EC 51931).

Abstinence from sexual activity and injection drug use shall be taught within the context of comprehensive sexual health and HIV prevention education (EC 51934[3]), however, abstinence-only education is not permitted in California public schools.

The following do not qualify as comprehensive sexual health or HIV prevention education, and therefore, are not subject to the same rules that govern comprehensive sexual health and HIV prevention education (EC 51932):

This chapter does not apply to description or illustration of human reproductive organs that may appear in a textbook, adopted pursuant to law, if the textbook does not include other elements of comprehensive sexual health education or HIV prevention education as defined in EC Section 51931.

This chapter does not apply to instruction, materials, presentations, or programming that discuss gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, discrimination, harassment, bullying, intimidation, relationships, or family and do not discuss human reproductive organs and their functions.

Superintendent Letter Clarifying The California Health Youth Act
The purpose of the California Healthy Youth Act is to provide every student with the knowledge and skills necessary to protect their sexual and reproductive health from unintended pregnancy, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), and sexually transmitted infections (STIs).

Frequently Asked Questions
Questions and answers regarding the California Healthy Youth Act on the California Department of Education web page.

California Health Youth Act PowerPoint Presentation (PPTX)
Provides information regarding new laws for comprehensive sexual health education and HIV prevention education.

Sexual Health Education Accountability Act
Provides information on the requirements of the Sexual Health Education Accountability Act.

Curriculum Guidance

Curriculum Guidance
Provides information on curriculum and how to obtain curriculum for loan.

A school district must provide comprehensive sexual health education or HIV prevention education consisting of age-appropriate instruction earlier than grade seven using instructors trained in the appropriate courses. A school district that elects to offer comprehensive sexual health education or HIV prevention education earlier than grade seven may provide age appropriate and medically accurate information on any of the general topics contained in paragraphs (51934(1) to (11), inclusive, of subdivision (a).

“Comprehensive sexual health education” means education regarding human development and sexuality, including education on menstrual health, pregnancy, contraception, and sexually transmitted infections (EC51931).

Checklist for Guest Speakers
EC Section 51936 permits school districts to contract with guest speakers to provide comprehensive sexual health education and HIV prevention education. All outside consultants and guest speakers shall have expertise in comprehensive sexual health education and HIV prevention education and have knowledge of the most recent medically accurate research on the relevant topic or topics covered in the instruction. If school districts do use outside consultants, their instruction shall comply with all requirements listed in EC sections 51930–51939.

For information on this section of the CHYA, (EC Section 51936), please visit the California Legislative web page External link opens in new window or tab..

For information on determining if an outside speaker is adhering to EC for comprehensive sexual health education and HIV prevention education. Please visit the CDE Checklist for Guest Speakers web page.


Questions:   School Health and Safety Office | 916-319-0914
Last Reviewed: Monday, July 14, 2025