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HIV/STD Prevention Education


Our goal is to help young people develop healthy attitudes regarding sexuality as well as prevent the spread of HIV, other STD's and unplanned pregnancies among youth in Siskiyou County. We know that by increasing their awareness, knowledge and skills through prevention education this goal can be achieved.

To achieve this goal the Siskiyou County Office of Education adopted the curriculum, Positive Prevention PLUS (PP+). Further information on the curriculum can be found on www.positivepreventionplus.com . PP+ is a research validated, evidence-based curriculum.

Parents/guardians have the right, responsibility and opportunity to preview the curriculum materials during a Parent Preview meeting. Parents/guardians are able to use this time to make an informed decision as to whether they want their child to participate in the program. Parents/guardians can opt their child out of the program. The preview also permits parents/guardians to receive valuable information in the ongoing dialogue with their child on these important subjects.

Why is HIV/STD Prevention & Comprehensive Sexual Health Education (CSHE) important?

  • It is important to provide students with the knowledge and skills necessary to:
    • Develop healthy attitudes concerning adolescent growth and development, body image, gender, sexual orientation, relationships, marriage, and family;
    • Have healthy, positive, and safe relationships and behaviors;
    • Protect their sexual and reproductive health from HIV and other sexually transmitted infections and from unintended pregnancy;
    • Promote understanding of sexuality as a normal part of human development; and
    • To ensure pupils receive integrated, comprehensive, accurate, and unbiased sexual health and HIV prevention instruction and provide educators with clear tools and guidance to accomplish that end.
  • Adolescence is a time of enormous change, physically, emotionally and socially. It is a difficult time for young people. Young people say that they WANT to talk to about sexuality.
  • Many HIV infected individuals were infected as a result of their behavior in their teens and early twenties.
  • Adolescents ages 15-24 account for nearly half of the 20 million new cases of STD's each year, in the world.
  • Over 250,000 teens experience pregnancy each year in the U.S.

Comprehensive Sexual Health Education & HIV/STD Prevention Education is governed by AB 329 - the California Healthy Youth Act and Education Code 51930-51939. It is required to be taught at least once in grades 7-8 and at least once in grades 9-12. Topics areas include:

  • Life/Goal Planning
  • Gender and Sexual Orientation
  • Healthy Friendships/Relationships
  • Bullying/Dating Violence/Relationship Abuse
  • Human/Labor/Sex Trafficking
  • Human Reproductive Anatomy
  • Conception/Pregnancy
  • Preventing Pregnancy/STDs/HIV
  • Contraception
  • STDs/HIV/AIDS
  • Media & Peer Pressure
  • Communication/Refusal/Negotiation Skills
  • Student/Family/Community Resources

For further information and frequently asked questions regarding AB 329 and Education Code 51930-39 please go to https://www.cde.ca.gov/ls/he/se/faq.asp .