The California Healthy Youth Act (CHYA) and Health Education are related but have distinct concepts within the broader framework of health education in the state.

The purpose of the California Healthy Youth Act (California Education Code [EC] sections 51930–51939) is to provide every student with the knowledge and skills necessary to protect their sexual and reproductive health from unintended pregnancy, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), and sexually transmitted infections (STIs). The California Healthy Youth Act, passed in 2015, mandates comprehensive sexual health education and HIV prevention education in public schools across California. It requires that students receive medically accurate, age-appropriate information that is inclusive of all sexual orientations and gender identities. Comprehensive sexual health and HIV prevention education are both mandated instruction and shall occur once in middle school and once in high school. 

Health education encompasses a broader range of topics beyond sexual health. It includes education on nutrition, physical activity, mental and emotional health, substance abuse prevention, personal safety, and disease prevention. While CHYA focuses specifically on sexual health education, Health Education addresses a wider array of health-related topics to promote overall well-being and healthy lifestyles among students. Health education is typically integrated into the school curriculum and may vary in content and approach depending on the district and grade level.

Resources

California Healthy Youth Act Education Codes 51930-51939
California Department of Education - California Healthy Youth Act
California Healthy Youth Act - memo for Superintendents and Principals

Health Content Standards
2019 Health Education Framework

Cheryl Frye
Administrator
cfrye@rcoe.us