The Vermont Statutes Online
The Statutes below include the actions of the 2024 session of the General Assembly.
NOTE: The Vermont Statutes Online is an unofficial copy of the Vermont Statutes Annotated that is provided as a convenience.
Title 16 : Education
Chapter 001 : ADMINISTRATION GENERALLY
Subchapter 007 : COMPREHENSIVE HEALTH EDUCATION
(Cite as: 16 V.S.A. § 131)-
§ 131. Definition
As used in this title, “comprehensive health education” means a systematic and extensive elementary and secondary educational program designed to provide a variety of learning experiences based upon knowledge of the human organism as it functions within its environment. The term includes the study of:
(1) Body structure and function, including the physical, psychosocial, and psychological basis of human development, sexuality, and reproduction.
(2) Community health to include environmental health, pollution, public health, and world health.
(3) Safety, including:
(A) first aid, disaster prevention, and accident prevention; and
(B) information regarding and practice of compression-only cardiopulmonary resuscitation and the use of automated external defibrillators.
(4) Disease, such as HIV infection, other sexually transmitted diseases, as well as other communicable diseases, and the prevention of disease.
(5) Family health and mental health, including instruction that promotes the development of responsible personal behavior involving decision making about sexual activity, including abstinence; skills that strengthen existing family ties involving communication, cooperation, and interaction between parents and students; and instruction to aid in the establishment of strong family life in the future, thereby contributing to the enrichment of the community; and that promotes an understanding of depression and the signs of suicide risk in a family member or fellow student that includes how to respond appropriately and seek help and provides an awareness of the available school and community resources such as the local suicide crisis hotline.
(6) Personal health habits, including dental health.
(7) Consumer health, including health careers, health costs, and utilizing health services.
(8) Human growth and development, including understanding the physical, emotional, and social elements of individual development and interpersonal relationships, including instruction in parenting methods and styles. This shall include information regarding the possible outcomes of premature sexual activity, contraceptives, adolescent pregnancy, childbirth, adoption, and abortion.
(9) Drugs, including education about alcohol, caffeine, nicotine, and prescribed drugs.
(10) Nutrition.
(11) How to recognize and prevent sexual abuse and sexual violence, including developmentally appropriate instruction about promoting healthy and respectful relationships, developing and maintaining effective communication with trusted adults, recognizing sexually offending behaviors, and gaining awareness of available school and community resources. An employee of the school shall be in the room during the provision of all instruction or information presented under this subdivision. (Added 1977, No. 131 (Adj. Sess.), § 1, eff. March 3, 1978; amended 1987, No. 270 (Adj. Sess.), § 1; 2005, No. 114 (Adj. Sess.), § 2; 2009, No. 1, § 3, eff. July 1, 2011; 2011, No. 151 (Adj. Sess.), § 1, eff. May 16, 2012; 2011, No. 156 (Adj. Sess.), § 29, eff. May 16, 2012; 2019, No. 157 (Adj. Sess.), § 3, eff. Nov. 1, 2020.)
