SB 55 Summary

• Establishes comprehensive sexual health education standards for Ohio public schools modeled after National Health Education Standards (NHES), with state board adoption required by December 31, 2009, subject to concurrent legislative resolution approval.

• Creates the Office of Healthy Schools within the Department of Education to coordinate school health services including physical education, health education, nutrition, school safety, counseling, and staff wellness programs.

• Requires comprehensive sexual health education programs to be age-appropriate, medically and scientifically accurate, inclusive of all students regardless of demographics, and to include instruction on abstinence, contraception, STI transmission and prevention, healthy relationships, and sexual assault recognition beginning in grade seven.

• Allows parents to opt their children out of comprehensive sexual health education with written request and requires schools to provide alternative educational activities; mandates schools make all educational materials available for parent inspection.

• Designates section 3313.6011 as the "Act for Our Children's Future" with purposes including providing students knowledge to protect sexual and reproductive health and encouraging development of responsible decision-making skills regarding relationships and development.