Human Sexuality – Oregon Laws and Standards for Sexuality Education

Comprehensive Human Sexuality Education in Oregon

Three key laws guide the Oregon Department of Education’s comprehensive sexuality education efforts, which are included in Oregon Administrative Rule 581-022-2050:

• Human Sexuality Education (2009, ORS 336.455)
• Healthy Teens Relationships (2013, HB 4077; ORS 339.366)
• Child Sexual Abuse Prevention Education “Erin’s Law” (2015, SB 856; ORS 336.059)

These three laws cooperate to form a program of instruction that roundly discusses abuse prevention at all levels of a child’s education.

Comprehensive sexuality education is part of Health Education. Sexuality education includes a variety of topics, from Relationships to Reproduction, from Safety to STI’s. Instruction follows the State Board of Education-approved Health Education Standards and Performance Indicators. See the list of K-12 Health Education Standards and Performance Indicators as it relates to each of the following areas:

Learn more about Comprehensive Sexuality Education in Oregon:

• Comprehensive Sexuality in Oregon (Oregon Department of Education)
• Supporting Sexuality Education (Letter from the Director Oregon Department of Education)
• Overlap of sexual health promotion, sexual violence prevention, and child abuse prevention efforts (Oregon AG’s Sexual Assault Task Force)
• “Erin’s Law” child sexual abuse prevention

More Sexuality Education Resources (Oregon Department of Education)

Please know that in accordance with OAR 581-022-1910, parents (and students 18 and older) can elect to “opt-out” of these specific learning activities by contacting the Dean of Students in writing. If you have questions about these materials, please contact the Dean of Students.