MS HB837

Requires every Mississippi local school board to adopt either an abstinence-only or abstinence-plus sex education policy by June 30, 2011, with implementation beginning in the 2011-2012 school year, or alternatively adopt a program developed by the Department of Human Services and Department of Health

Mandates gender-segregated classrooms for all sex-related education instruction and prohibits any teaching that abortion can be used to prevent the birth of a baby

Changes parental consent from an opt-out to an opt-in model, requiring a parent or guardian to submit a written request before a student may participate in any sex-related education class

Renames and expands the Teen Pregnancy Task Force (now "Teen Pregnancy Monitoring Task Force") to evaluate the implementation and comparative effectiveness of abstinence-only versus abstinence-plus programs, with annual reporting to the Legislature and a repeal date of July 1, 2015

Directs the State Department of Health and Department of Education to establish teen pregnancy prevention pilot programs in each of the nine health districts, located in the county with the highest number of teen pregnancies, subject to available funding