South Carolina Code of Regulations
Chapter 43 - STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION
Article 19 - INSTRUCTIONAL PROGRAM
Section 43-238 - Health Education Requirements
Current through Register Vol. 48, No. 9, September 27, 2024
The Comprehensive Health Education (CHE) Act of 1988 (59-32-5) requires that public school health instruction be planned, age-appropriate, and sequential. The CHE Act further requires that, at least one time during the four years of grades 9-12, each student shall receive a program of instruction in comprehensive health education to include the following subjects:
community health
consumer health
environmental health
growth and development
nutritional health
personal health
prevention and control of diseases and disorders
safety and accident prevention
substance use and abuse
dental health
mental and emotional health
reproductive health) a minimum of 750 minutes of
pregnancy prevention) instruction is required for
sexually transmitted diseases [FN*]) these three together.
family life (option in grades 9-12)
[FN*] Instruction in sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) includes AIDS
education and must be taught within the reproductive health, family life, or
pregnancy prevention education components or it must be presented as a
separate component (59-32-30(E)).
A school program shall provide instruction in Comprehensive Health Education from one or more of the following:
1. Each student shall receive instruction in a comprehensive health education course for 36 weeks or a semester from the list of approved high school health courses.
2. Each student shall receive instruction in each of the comprehensive health subjects through a series of mini courses, e.g., three-week short courses selected or developed by the school or district.
3. A school or district shall select or develop modular units of instruction for each of the comprehensive health education subjects and integrate them into existing required courses.
4. If options 1, 2, or 3 are not selected, a school shall develop a written plan that demonstrates that all students shall receive instruction in the required comprehensive health subjects within existing courses before graduation. This plan must be submitted to the Division of Curriculum for written approval at least six weeks prior to implementation.