HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 330        FILED ON: 1/9/2013

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 522

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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PRESENTED BY:

Martha M. Walz

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To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
Court assembled:

The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:

An Act regarding an analysis of health education in the Commonwealth.

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PETITION OF:

HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 330        FILED ON: 1/9/2013

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 522

[SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION
SEE HOUSE, NO. 1085 OF 2011-2012.]

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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In the Year Two Thousand Thirteen

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An Act regarding an analysis of health education in the Commonwealth.

Whereas, The deferred operation of this act would tend to defeat its purpose, which is to conduct a statewide analysis on the provision of health education, therefore it is hereby declared to be an emergency law, necessary for the immediate preservation of the public health.
 

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:
 

SECTION 1. The department of elementary and secondary education, in consultation with the department of public health, shall conduct a statewide analysis of and submit a report on the provision of health education by school districts and commonwealth charter schools. In preparing the report, the department of elementary and secondary education shall use the data and information obtained in the Massachusetts School Health Profiles surveys conducted in 2008, 2010, and 2012 as well as data and information it obtains through other means. The report shall include, but not be limited to, the following information for each public school district and commonwealth charter school:

(i) a description of health education curricula offered in each grade level and whether these curricula are aligned with the comprehensive health strands and learning standards recommended in the Massachusetts comprehensive health curriculum frameworks;

(ii) the number of students receiving such health education by grade level;

(iii) health education requirements by grade level; and

(iv) the number and percentage of students in each district and charter school who opt-out of any portion of the health education curriculum under the provisions of section 32A of chapter 71.

The department shall report its findings and any recommendations concerning health education to the clerks of the senate and the house of representatives, who shall forward the same to the chairs of the joint committee on education on or before June 30, 2014.  The department of elementary and secondary education shall submit an update to the joint committee on education on the status of its efforts to complete this report on or before December 31, 2013.

SECTION 2. The department of elementary and secondary education, in conjunction with the department of public health, shall provide linkages for resources and programs on health education. The department shall biennially update the list and shall post it on the department’s website.