At SMUSD we realize that when and how parents and guardians discuss sexual health topics with their student, varies from family to family.

School districts in California are required to teach comprehensive sexual health education standards once in middle school and once in high school,with an option to offer age-appropriate health education to students in elementary school. The Health Education Content Standards for California Public Schools are adopted by the California State Board of Education; however, the curriculum used to teach the standards is selected by the school district. At San Marcos Unified, the Positive Prevention Plus curriculum is used in 5th grade, 8th grade, and 9th grade.

5th grade

Health education has been a part of the SMUSD elementary curriculum for many years, however, since 2019, this optional curriculum has been postponed due to the pandemic.

8th grade

At this grade level, concepts taught include physical, social, and emotional changes associated with adolescence, the human reproduction cycle, effectiveness of abstinence in preventing HIV, other STDs, and unintended pregnancy, and more. You can view the complete grade level curriculum here.

9th grade

At this grade level, students receive this unit during biology and concepts taught include life planning, healthy relationships, media and peer pressure, sex trafficking, sexting and more.

You can view the complete grade level curriculum here.

Parents/gurdians may choose at any time to opt their student out of sexual health education, and SMUSD provides opt out opportunities at school registration as well as before curriculum is introduced.

DISTRICT

Elementary

Middle

K-8

High

Curriculum FAQs