PUBLIC SCHOOLS: MENTAL HEALTH EDUCATION, the official text

Enrolled SB 41 
 Relating to mental health education. 
 _______________ 
 * Section 1. The uncodified law of the State of Alaska is amended by adding a new section 
 to read: 
 LEGISLATIVE INTENT. It is the intent of the legislature that the Board of Education 
 and Early Development develop guidelines for instruction in mental health in consultation 
 with the Department of Health, the Department of Family and Community Services, regional 
 tribal health organizations, and representatives of national and state mental health 
 organizations. 
 * Sec. 2. AS 14.03.016(a) is amended to read: 
 (a) A local school board shall, in consultation with parents, teachers, and 
 school administrators, adopt policies to promote the involvement of parents in the 
 school district's education program. The policies must include procedures 
 (1) recognizing the authority of a parent and allowing a parent to 
 object to and withdraw the child from a standards-based assessment or test required by

the state; 
 (2) recognizing the authority of a parent and allowing a parent to 
 object to and withdraw the child from an activity, class, or program; 
 (3) providing for parent notification not less than two weeks before 
 any activity, class, or program that includes content involving human reproduction or 
 sexual matters is provided to a child; 
 (4) recognizing the authority of a parent and allowing a parent to 
 withdraw the child from an activity, class, program, or standards-based assessment or 
 test required by the state for a religious holiday, as defined by the parent; 
 (5) providing a parent with an opportunity to review the content of an 
 activity, class, performance standard, or program; 
 (6) ensuring that, when a child is absent from an activity, class, 
 program, or standards-based assessment or test required by the state under this section, 
 the absence is not considered an unlawful absence under AS 14.30.020 if the child's 
 parent withdrew the child from the activity, class, program, or standards-based 
 assessment or test or gave permission for the child's absence; 
 (7) providing for parent notification not less than two weeks before 
 any class or program that provides instruction in mental health is provided to a 
 child. 
 * Sec. 3. AS 14.30.360(a) is amended to read: 
 (a) Each district in the state public school system shall be encouraged to 
 initiate and conduct a program in health education for kindergarten through grade 12. 
 The program should include instruction in [PHYSICAL] health and personal safety 
 including alcohol and drug abuse education, cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), 
 early cancer prevention and detection, dental health, family health including infant 
 care, environmental health, mental health, physical health, the identification and 
 prevention of child abuse, child abduction, neglect, sexual abuse, and domestic 
 violence, and appropriate use of health services. 
 * Sec. 4. AS 14.30.360(b) is amended to read: 
 (b) The state board shall establish guidelines for a health and personal safety 
 education program, including guidelines for developmentally appropriate

instruction in mental health. The state board shall use medically and scientifically 
 based content when developing the guidelines for developmentally appropriate 
 instruction in mental health and may not include in the guidelines any political, 
 ideological, or advocacy-oriented content that is unrelated to student mental 
 health. In developing guidelines for developmentally appropriate instruction in 
 mental health, the state board shall consult with the Department of Health, the 
 Department of Family and Community Services, regional tribal health 
 organizations, and representatives of national and state mental health 
 organizations. Personal safety guidelines shall be developed in consultation with the 
 Council on Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault. Upon request, the Department of 
 Education and Early Development, the Department of Health, the Department of 
 Family and Community Services, and the Council on Domestic Violence and Sexual 
 Assault shall provide technical assistance to school districts in the development of 
 personal safety curricula. A school health education specialist position shall be 
 established and funded in the department to coordinate the program statewide. 
 Adequate funds to enable curriculum and resource development, adequate consultation 
 to school districts, and a program of teacher training in health and personal safety 
 education shall be provided. 
 * Sec. 5. The uncodified law of the State of Alaska is amended by adding a new section to 
 read: 
 REPORT TO THE LEGISLATURE. Two years after the effective date of this Act, the 
 state Board of Education and Early Development shall submit a report to the senate secretary 
 and chief clerk of the house of representatives and notify the legislature that the report is 
 available. The report must 
 (1) include a copy of the guidelines for developmentally appropriate 
 instruction in mental health developed by the state Board of Education and Early 
 Development as required under AS 14.30.360(b), as amended by sec. 4 of this Act; and 
 (2) describe the process the state Board of Education and Early Development 
 used to develop the guidelines. 
 * Sec. 6. The uncodified law of the State of Alaska is amended by adding a new section to 
 read:

TRANSITION. The state Board of Education and Early Development shall develop 
 the mental health guidelines required by AS 14.30.360(b), as amended by sec. 4 of this Act, 
 within two years after the effective date of this Act.