MODEL CORE CURRICULUM; PARENTING EDUCATION
House Bill 4985
Sponsor: Rep. Artina Tinsley Hardman
Committee: Education
Complete to 6-22-01
A SUMMARY OF HOUSE BILL 4985 AS INTRODUCED 6-21-01
House Bill 4985 would amend the Revised School Code to expand the recommended model core curriculum so that it would include life management. Under the bill, life management would include parenting education for all children in grades seven through 12, and in parenting for all children in grades kindergarten through six.
House Bill 4985 specifies that the parenting learning objectives that would be required in the recommended model core academic curriculum content standards:
-be designed to teach children about early childhood development, care-giving, and parenting in order to enhance pupils' understanding of the responsibilities of being a parent and a caring person, to teach positive ways to respond to stressful situations, and, by exposing pupils to care-giving alternatives that they might never have experienced, in order to decease the likelihood of child abuse and neglect;
-be integrated as much as practicable into the academic curriculum; and,
-be included beginning in kindergarten.
In addition, the bill specifies that a school district that included parenting in its curriculum could contract for the development of the curricular materials. Further, if the instruction in parenting included any instruction in sex education, then it could not be offered unless it had been submitted to the sex education advisory board process that is described in section 1507 of the Revised School Code. [Under section 1507 of the code, sex education includes family planning, human sexuality, and the emotional, physical, psychological, hygienic, economic, and social aspects of family life. Instruction can also include the subjects of reproductive health and the recognition, prevention, and treatment of sexually transmitted disease. The code requires that when a school district provides a class to offer this kind of instruction, it must be taught by a teacher qualified to teach health education. Further, a school district cannot offer the instruction unless an advisory board is established by the district board to periodically review the materials and methods of instruction used, and to make recommendations to the district regarding changes in the materials or methods. Under the code, the advisory board consists of parents having children attending the district's schools, pupils in the district's schools, educators, local clergy, and community health professionals.]
Finally, House Bill 4985 specifies that funds appropriated by the legislature to support professional development and education could be allotted to professional development programs
for teachers on teaching parenting information and skills, and integrating the teaching of parenting education into the curriculum beginning in kindergarten.
MCL 380.1278 and 380.1525
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This analysis was prepared by nonpartisan House staff for use by House members in their deliberations, and does not constitute an official statement of legislative intent.