Teen dating violence education. (FE)

2. Requires the school district to include instruction and materials regarding teen dating violence and sexual violence that include methods for doing all of the following:

a) Recognizing what constitutes a healthy relationship.

b) Identifying teen dating violence, abusive behavior, physical intimidation, stalking, physical abuse, inappropriate sexual behavior, sexual harassment, sexual violence, sexual assault, and Internet abuse and cyberbullying.

c) Locating sources for legal, medical, mental health, and other supportive services regarding teen dating violence.

3. Requires the instructional program offered by the school district to satisfy certain criteria. The information must be medically accurate and objective, age appropriate, and available to English learners, encourage communication with parents, and teach respect for marriage and committed relationships.

4. Requires each school district to notify the parent or guardian of each pupil about instruction planned for the coming year. The notice must inform the parent or guardian of all of the following:

a) That educational materials are available for inspection.

b) Whether the prevention education will be taught by school personnel or by outside consultants. If the instruction is by consultants, the notice must specify the date of instruction, name of the organization of each speaker, and a statement of the right of parents to request a copy of the statute.

c) An explanation of the right to request a copy of the statute.

d) That the parent may request in writing that his or her child not participate in teen dating violence prevention education.

e) That upon written request to the school principal, a parent must be allowed to examine the instructional materials at the school in which the child is enrolled.

5. Authorizes anonymous, voluntary, and confidential research and evaluation tools to measure pupils' health behaviors and risks, including questionnaires and surveys containing age-appropriate questions about the pupil's attitudes concerning teen dating violence to be administered to any pupil in grades 7 to 12. The questionnaire or survey may be given only if the parent is first notified in writing that it is going to be administered and the pupil's parent is given the opportunity to review the questionnaire or survey and to request in writing that his or her child not participate.

6. Prohibits a pupil from attending any class in teen dating violence prevention education, or participating in any questionnaire or survey, if the school has received a written request from the pupil's parent excusing the pupil from participation. The bill also prohibits a pupil from being subject to disciplinary action, academic penalty, or other sanctions if the pupil's parent declines to permit the pupil to receive teen dating violence prevention education or to participate in a questionnaire or survey.

The bill requires schools to provide an alternative educational activity for pupils who are not participating in teen dating violence prevention education or the questionnaire or survey.

7. Authorizes schools to use school district personnel or outside consultants who are trained in the appropriate courses.

Current law requires DPI to have developed a model school policy on bullying by pupils and a model education and awareness program on bullying. The policy on bullying must include a definition of bullying. This bill requires DPI to periodically revise its model school policy on bullying and the education and awareness program.

The bill also requires DPI to include in the definition of bullying a statement that bullying includes violence in a dating relationship.

Finally, the bill requires DPI to incorporate teen dating violence and sexual violence curriculum into the model health curriculum and to make the updated health curriculum available to school districts prior to the start of the 2016-17 school year. The bill requires DPI to consult with the Department of Health Services, the Attorney General, and domestic violence and sexual assault prevention advocates for advice on the development of grade-level concepts and content guidelines to be incorporated into the health education program currently taught in grades 7 to12.