Teaching, Learning and Curriculum

Sexual Health

What is Included in the New, “Comprehensive Sexual Health Education Bill?

Senate Bill (ESSB) 5395 requires public schools in Washington to teach “Comprehensive Sexual Health Education” by 2022 to students in grades K-12. Instruction is to be age appropriate and consistent with guidelines deemed medically and scientifically accurate by the state Department of Health and the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction.

Weren’t Ephrata Schools Teaching Sexual Health Prior to this Bill?

Yes, Ephrata was already providing this training. The new legislation ensures that all school districts in the state are providing sexual health education.

Does Anything Change with the Passage of this Law?

The new requirements are not that different from what Ephrata Schools had in place. In grades 4-12, instruction must be consistent with Health Education K-12 Learning Standards, must use language and strategies that recognize all members of protected classes, and must include age-appropriate, medically/scientifically, inclusive information about:

The physiological, psychological, and sociological developmental processes experienced by an individual;
Abstinence and other methods of preventing unintended pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases;
Health care and prevention resources;
The development of intrapersonal and interpersonal skills to communicate, respectfully and effectively, to reduce health risks and choose healthy behaviors and relationships based on mutual respect and affection, and free from violence, coercion, and intimidation;
The development of meaningful relationships and avoidance of exploitative relationships;
Understanding the influences of family, peers, community, and the media throughout life on healthy sexual relationships;
Affirmative consent and recognizing and responding safely and effectively when violence or a risk of violence is or may be present, with strategies that include bystander training.

The legislation did require the District to formalize the process through a School Board adopted policy and curriculum and instructional materials.

How Did Ephrata Meet the Requirements of the New Law?

The Ephrata School District established an advisory group that included parents, health education teachers, district nurses, counselors, principals and two school board members. The group studied information from the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction, draft lessons and curriculum materials and compared that information to the District’s current materials and teaching methods. In May 2021, the School Board approved an updated policy and curriculum and instructional materials which meets the requirements of the new law.

What is Taught in Sexual Education Classes?

Frequency, duration and instruction vary based on grade level:

Grades K-3	Focus on social-emotional learning to help kids understand personal boundaries, manage emotions, empathize with others and differentiate between appropriate or inappropriate touching.
Grades 4-5	Focus on human growth and development, healthy relationships, HIV/AIDs prevention instruction.
Grades 6+	Abstinence is taught as is “affirmative consent,” or the need for clear and voluntary permission to engage in sexual or other activity. Reproductive systems, physiological and developmental processes are taught as well as healthcare and prevention resources.

The new law also remains inclusive of “protected groups” of students and calls for “bystander training,” or teaching students how to safely intervene when they see bullying, sexual harassment or unwanted sexual touching.

Do All Students Have to Take Sexual Health Classes?

Not if their parents/guardians object. The new law specifies that school districts must inform parents in advance when sexual health instruction will be taught. Parents can review curriculum materials in advance and request that their children be excused from part or all of the instruction.

Where Can I Go to Review the Curriculum:

Sexual Health Curriculum

7-12 Sexual Health Curriculum Overview Video

Opt Out Of Sexual Health Education

Parents/Guardians that wish to Opt Out of Sexual Health Education, please click on the button below.

Opt out of Sexual Health Education

ELA

ELA	Name of Curriculum	Year Adopted	Adopted Curriculum	Publisher & ©
Kinder	Read Well	2008	Prelude Magazines A-C Magazines, Units 1-20	Read Well
First	Wonders	2017-2018	Teacher Bundles includes online resources Student materials includes online materials	McGraw Hill 2017
Second	Wonders	2017-2018	Teacher Bundles includes online resources Student materials includes online materials	McGraw Hill 2017
Third	Wonders	2017-2018	Teacher Bundles includes online resources Student materials includes online materials	McGraw Hill 2017
Fourth	Wonders	2017-2018	Teacher Bundles includes online resources Student materials includes online materials	McGraw Hill 2017
Fifth	Wonders	2017-2018	Teacher Bundles includes online resources Student materials includes online materials	McGraw Hill 2017
Sixth	Language of Literature	2008	Teacher resources Student materials	McDougal Littell 2006
Seventh	Language of Literature	2008	Teacher resources Student materials	McDougal Littell 2006
Eighth	Engage NY ELA	2018-2019	Unit selections made by ELA team Paper expense: N/A	Expeditionary Learning 2013
Ninth	Language of Literature	2010	Teacher Bundles includes online resources Student materials includes online materials	McDougal Littell 2008
Tenth	Language of Literature	2010	Teacher Bundles includes online resources Student materials includes online materials	McDougal Littell 2008
Eleventh	Language of Literature American Literature	2010	Teacher Bundles includes online resources Student materials includes online materials	McDougal Littell 2008
Twelfth	Language of Literature British Literature	2010	Teacher Bundles includes online resources Student materials includes online materials	McDougal Littell 2008

Math

Math	Name of Curriculum	Year Adopted	Adopted Curriculum	Publisher & ©
Kinder	Engage New York	2019-2020	Teacher materials and resources Students consumables	Eureka Math
First	Engage New York	2019-2020	Teacher materials and resources Students consumables	Eureka Math
Second	Engage New York	2019-2020	Teacher materials and resources Students consumables	Eureka Math
Third	Engage New York	2019-2020	Teacher materials and resources Students consumables	Eureka Math
Fourth	Engage New York	2019-2020	Teacher materials and resources Students consumables	Eureka Math
Fifth	Engage New York	2019-2020	Teacher materials and resources Students consumables	Eureka Math
Sixth	Engage New York	2019-2020	Teacher materials and resources Students consumables	Eureka Math
Seventh	Math Connects	2011-2012	Course 2 Teacher materials and resources, including online resources Student texts w/online	McGraw Hill 2012
Eighth	Math Connects	2011-2012	Course 3 Teacher materials and resources, including online resources Student texts w/online	McGraw Hill 2012
Eighth	Algebra	2011-2012	Teacher materials and resources Student texts	Holt McDougal 2011
Ninth	Algebra	2011-2012	Teacher materials and resources Student texts	Holt McDougal 2011
Ninth & Tenth	Geometry	2011-2012	Teacher materials and resources Student texts	Holt McDougal 2011
Tenth & Eleventh	Advanced Algebra (Alg.2)	2011-2012	Teacher materials and resources Student texts	Holt McDougal 2011
Eleventh & Twelfth	Algebra III
Tenth, Eleventh & Twelfth	Pre-Calculus	2011-2012	Teacher materials and resources Student texts	McGraw Hill 2011
Eleventh & Twelfth	College Pre-Calculus	2016-2017	Student materials	BBCC 2016

Social Studies/History

Social Studies/History	Name of Curriculum	Year Adopted	Adopted Curriculum	Publisher & ©
Kinder	Learning About Myself and My Classroom	2013-2014	Teacher created materials: GLAD Units & Read Well Students – teacher created materials	Read Well GLAD
First	Families in Our Community and Other Places	2013-2014	Teacher created materials: GLAD Units Students – teacher created materials	Family Themed books, Continents book series
Second	SSA! My Community	2013-2014	Teacher materials and resources Student texts and consumable workbooks	TCI 2010
Third	SSA! Our Community and Beyond SSA! Regions of Our Country	2013-2014	Teacher materials and resources Student texts and consumable workbooks	TCI 2010
Fourth	Washington Connections Studies Weekly	2013-2014	Teacher materials and resources Student texts and consumable workbooks Current articles about WA State	Educational Maps & Globes LLC Kurt Fullmer 2008 American Legacy Publishing
Fifth	SSA! America’s Past	2013-2014	Teacher materials and resources Student texts and consumable workbooks	TCI 2010
Sixth	HA! The Ancient World	2013-2014	Teacher materials and resources Student texts and consumable workbooks	TCI 2011
Seventh	PNW Discovering Our Past: History of the Worlds	2018-2019 2017-2018	Teacher Bundles includes online resources Student materials includes online materials	Gibbs Smith McGraw Hill 2017
Eighth	Discovering Our Past: History of the United States	2017-2018	Teacher Bundles includes online resources Student materials includes online materials	McGraw Hill 2017
Ninth	GA! People, Politics, and You	2012-2013	Teacher Bundle w/online Student texts and online	TCI 2014
Tenth	World History	2018-2019	Teacher bundle w/online Student texts and online	TCI 2020
Eleventh	HA! Pursuing American Ideals	2016-2017	Teacher bundle w/online Student texts and online	TCI 2013
Twelfth	Econ Alive! Power to Choose	2011-2012	Teacher Bundle w/online Student texts and online	TCI 2010

Science

Science	Name of Curriculum	Year Adopted	Adopted Curriculum	Publisher & ©
Kinder	LASER Kits		2-3 kits per year	Carolina & Smithsonian
First	LASER Kits		2-3 kits per year	All kits come from NCESD
Second	LASER Kits		2-3 kits per year
Third	LASER Kits		2-3 kits per year
Fourth	LASER Kits		2-3 kits per year
Fifth	LASER Kits		2-3 kits per year
Sixth	LASER Kits		2-3 kits per year

Seventh	Course 1-3	2004-2005	TE & SE editions	McDougall Little 2005
Eighth	Course 1-3	2004-2005	TE & SE editions	McDougal Little 2005
Ninth	BSCS Integrated Science Course 1	2014-2015	Student text w/online	Kendall Hunt
Tenth	BSCS Integrated Science Course 2	2014-2015	Student text w/online	Kendall Hunt
Tenth, Eleventh, Twelfth	Chemistry	2017-2018	Student print text + 6yr online	Kendall Hunt 2009
Eleventh & Twelfth	Physics	2017-2018	Student edition w/digital access	Pearson 2015
Eleventh & Twelfth	Advanced Biology	2015-2016
	Ag Science	2013-2014		Cengage

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