½ûÂþÌìÌÃ

Division 22 contains the standards public elementary and secondary schools are held accountable for in the state of Oregon. Any OAR 581-022-XXXX is a part of Division 22. Each school year, ½ûÂþÌìÌà departments go before the board and report whether or not we are in compliance (within that department's area of expertise). For Health & Physical Education, that means we report on the Menstrual Dignity Act, our district adopted Health and Physical Education curricula, specifics around comprehensive sexuality education, prevention education in drugs and alcohol, the amount of Physical Education instruction a student receives in a year, and more.

• HB → House Bill (law/proposed revision originated in the Oregon House of Representatives)
• SB → Senate Bill (law/proposed revision originated in the Oregon Senate)
• ORS → Oregon Revised Statute (codified laws of the State of Oregon)
• OAR → Oregon Administrative Rule (regulations that help agencies carry out Oregon laws)
• ODE → Oregon Department of Education
• State Board → Oregon State Board of Education

In June 1972, President Nixon signed into law. The outlines Title IX as a "comprehensive federal law that has removed many barriers that once prevented people, on the basis of sex, from participating in educational opportunities and careers of their choice. It states that: No person in the United States shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any education program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance."

½ûÂþÌìÌà has a Title IX webpage outlining related board policies, recommended resources, and team contact information. A portion of Title IX in Oregon is focused on . The Oregon Equality Act similarly protects the rights of gender expansive students. You can learn more about available supports protected by this law at , including the Gender Identity Support Guide and Student Name and/or Gender Marker Change Form.

On October 19, 2023, the State Board voted to link requirements of the (OAR 581-021-0590 and OAR 581-021-0593) to Division 22 with the adoption of a new rule, OAR 581-022-2515. While the new Division 22 rule does not change the requirements or intention of the original MDA, it enhances ODE’s ability to provide technical support to schools and districts in their efforts to provide menstrual product options that are free and privately accessible to all students.

The MDA helps to center student equity and menstrual dignity by requiring that school districts provide free menstrual products for all menstruating students in public schools, including elementary, middle, and high school students. Since the passing of this Act, ODE has compiled a which outlines requirements and recommendations for districts as they implement this in their schools.

The Health and Physical Education department partnered with Facilities to ensure menstrual products were available in every student restroom across the district. Signage regarding the products are posted in bathrooms in both English and Spanish. ½ûÂþÌìÌà students receive puberty education including information on menstrual products beginning in fourth grade.

SB 52, also known as "", was passed in Oregon in 2019. This legislation required each school district to adopt a policy requiring a comprehensive district plan on student suicide prevention for students in kindergarten through grade 12. The plan had to include procedures relating to suicide prevention, intervention and activities that reduce risk and promote healing after a suicide.

½ûÂþÌìÌà Board Policy 4.30.050-P outlines the district plan for suicide prevention, including mental health and youth suicide prevention education for students. Health & PE is committed to the mental health and safety of our students. 

The suicide prevention education we provide begins in Kindergarten in our Social, Emotional, and Mental Health unit. Lessons on identifying and processing emotions, personal boundaries, coping strategies, active listening skills, and external influences are taught throughout Kindergarten through 4th grade building a strong foundation for productive conversations around mental health & well-being in the older grades. Beginning in 5th grade, students begin curricula explicitly designed with suicide prevention and managing suicidality in mind. You can learn more about the materials we use in middle and high school at .

In July of 2015, the Oregon Senate passed a bill on (SB 856), commonly referred to as "Erin's Law." Subsequently, the State Board passed changes to Division 22 which requires "a minimum of 4 instructional sessions (equal to or greater than a standard class period) of sex abuse prevention instruction per year for grades kindergarten through 12." You can read more about the requirements of .

Violence Prevention education is provided annually for all students K-8. In high school, most students take health for a single year, which includes a unit on violence prevention. For the three years that students are not in health class, ½ûÂþÌìÌà partnered with to build out 4 asynchronous lessons per grade band on sex abuse prevention. Our team is continuing to work with the other high school content areas to determine the best way to ensure these lessons are reaching students outside of health class.

The rule prohibits hate symbols, specifically three of the most recognizable symbols of hate in the U.S. - the swastika (outside of a religious context), the Confederate flag, and the noose - except where used in teaching curricula that are aligned with the Oregon State Standards. This rule had been in effect and unchanged since October 26, 2021. You can review and for more information. The Office of Student Support Services houses additional information on ½ûÂþÌìÌÃ' commitment to student safety and belonging.

, AKA the Healthy Teens Relationship Act, requires age-appropriate education on teen dating & domestic violence in grades 7 through 12. These important violence prevention requirements are being met through HAPE's adopted Violence Prevention curricula. In middle school, "Building Foundations for Healthy Relationships," created by local organization Cares NW, is disseminated to students. Lesson topics include healthy relationships, boundaries, and consent. This arc of learning is continued in high school with a curriculum from the NEST Foundation.

on School Attendance defines . You can view ODE's for more information. ½ûÂþÌìÌÃ' Board Policy on Non-Discrimination/Anti-Harassment is also linked for your convenience.

Subsections of this statute also require school districts to incorporate into existing training programs for students and school employees information related to the prevention of, and the appropriate response to, acts of harassment, intimidation and bullying and acts of cyberbullying. This is backed by on equal education opportunities.

½ûÂþÌìÌà students receive five lessons of instruction on bullying prevention as a part of their Healthy Relationships & Violence Prevention unit Kindergarten through 5th grade. Middle and high school health education continues this arc of learning with activities related to building healthy relationships and interpersonal communication.

outlines Human Sexuality Education for Oregon, and requires that each school district provides "age-appropriate human sexuality education courses in all public elementary and secondary schools as an integral part of the health education curriculum." This revised statute includes a list of requirements, including medical accuracy, comprehensiveness, information about responsible sexual behaviors and hygienic practices, characteristics of a healthy relationship, discussion around sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and human immunodeficiency virus, and promoting abstinence as the only method that is 100% effective against unintended pregnancy and STIs.

on Human Sexuality Education includes definitions of key terms and outlines important requirements, such as the need for school districts to "provide an age-appropriate, comprehensive plan of instruction focusing on human sexuality education, HIV/AIDS and sexually transmitted infections and disease prevention in elementary and secondary schools." Age-appropriate instruction on the topics of HIV/AIDS, sexually transmitted infections and disease prevention, and human sexuality must be delivered "at least annually for all students' grades 6-8, and at least twice during grades 9-12."

½ûÂþÌìÌÃ' K-12 growth & development curriculum is Rights, Respect, Responsibility, a comprehensive sexuality education curriculum from Advocates for Youth which has been adapted to meet Oregon state standards. Some middle school teachers may choose to teach Get Real, a HealthSmart curriculum adapted by the Multnomah Education Service District for county schools. Our high school violence prevention curriculum also includes age-appropriate instruction on sexuality education to meet state requirements. To learn more about these curricula and when you can expect to be notified about their instruction, please visit our Health Education K-12 tab.

Have more questions about sexuality education in Oregon? ODE has published a Sex Ed FAQ

, a part of Division 22, states that "each school district shall develop a comprehensive plan for alcohol and drug abuse prevention program which shall include [...] instruction in the effects of tobacco, alcohol, and drugs including anabolic steroids, performance-enhancing and controlled substances, as an integral part of the district's K–12 comprehensive health education program."

At least nine lessons on Substance Use, Misuse, and Abuse Prevention are taught annually to students in grades K-8, excluding grade 7. These lessons slowly build from safety rules on poisons and medicines, to making healthy choices and resisting peer pressure, to the effects of alcohol on the developing brain. In 7th grade, ODE's lesson on fentanyl (see SB 238 below) is administered. While instruction on the effects of controlled substances is not a focal point of the seventh grade health curriculum, lessons on positive body image, mental health, and getting help from a trusted adult are. This decision came from student feedback and data trends around in Portland youth & young adults, beginning around .

High school students receive instruction from Stanford Reach Lab's Safety First curriculum, which reviews various stimulants, depressants, and hallucinogens from a harm reduction approach, which highlights school & local drug policies as well as the effects of these substances on the brain. According to the OAR, "at least annually, all high school students, grades 9–12 shall receive age-appropriate instruction about drug and alcohol prevention." For the three years that students are not in health class, there is currently not a formalized system in place for high school students to receive substance use, misuse, and abuse prevention education. Conversations between the HAPE team and high school administrators are ongoing.

, passed in 2024, requires to implement "one of the at each grade level (6, 7, 8 and at least once in high school)." These fentanyl lessons are a part of our MS & HS curricula, and are taught during our Substance Use, Misuse, & Abuse Prevention units.

directs districts to provide a coordinated comprehensive school counseling program to support the academic, career, social-emotional, and community involvement development of each and every student. These requirements are being met by Student Success & Health. You can access their website here.

SB 79, effective in 2015, cites instruction in cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and automated defibrillators as integral parts of a health education curriculum for students in grades 7-12. ½ûÂþÌìÌà currently teaches students CPR and associated skills in Health 1, which is taught to most ½ûÂþÌìÌà high school students their freshman or sophomore year.

Students need to learn, practice, and apply skills successfully, numerous times, with positive reinforcement and social support, in order to enhance and maintain their own and others’ personal health and safety. At ½ûÂþÌìÌÃ, our Health Education curricular scope & sequence draws upon three different sets of standards that outline what students should know and be able to do by the end of each grade level, with an emphasis on skill development:

• The Oregon Health Education Standards

• The National Health Education Standards ()

• The National Sexuality Education Standards ()

As students participate in health education, they develop skills, practice problem solving, assess risks, learn facts, and build their understanding of complex health concepts and issues. The topics included in ½ûÂþÌìÌà Health Education address Oregon State mandates and ½ûÂþÌìÌà Policies, are designed to prevent the priority youth health-risk behaviors identified by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and meet Oregon State laws and standards related to Health Education.

Physical education (PE) is an important component of a well-rounded education. PE develops life skills that encourage students to be active for life, while positively impacting students' physical, mental, social and emotional health. You can read more on ODE's website regarding . School districts and public charter schools shall offer instruction in physical education that meets the academic content standards for physical education, which can be found in . At least 50 percent of physical education class time must be devoted to actual physical activity in each school week, with as much class time as possible spent in moderate physical activity. All teachers of physical education for public school students in K-8 shall be adequately prepared and shall regularly participate in professional development activities to effectively deliver the physical education program. These requirements are outlined in as a part of Division 22.

In grades K-5 students are to receive 150 minutes of physical education instruction per week, every week for the entire school year, by a licensed physical educator. Schools may provide up to 45 minutes per week of instruction that meets the ODE state standards for physical education by any teacher who is licensed to work with children but does not have a physical education endorsement so long as they have been reviewed and approved by a licensed teacher who does have a physical education endorsement. Health & Physical Education worked with Social & Emotional Learning to crosswalk their curriculum and ensure at least 45 minutes of structured movement were a part of each week's lessons at the elementary level. The additional Physical Education minutes are met in PE with a licensed Physical Educator. In the 2023-24 school year, 92.45% of schools serving K-5 students reported compliance with the required PE minutes.

In grades 6-8, students are to receive an average of 150 minutes during each school week as calculated over the duration of the school year. This is so that students do not have to take physical education all year round, but minutes can be met with three quarters of PE and one quarter of Health, as outlined by . Classes must be taught by licensed physical education teachers. Last year, ½ûÂþÌìÌà did not report compliance in this area. Health & Physical Education has been helping implement the increase in minutes at the middle school level by attending hiring meetings, consulting on new spaces for physical education, and purchasing additional equipment for extra classes. ½ûÂþÌìÌà is looking forward to being able to report full compliance on this portion of Division 22 in the 24-25 school year.

To graduate high school, students must complete 1 PE credit. High school students at ½ûÂþÌìÌà have the opportunity to participate in one of five pathways: Strength & Conditioning, Group Fitness, Lifetime Fitness, Sports & Games, and Mind & Body.These pathways were chosen to encourage ½ûÂþÌìÌà students to find joy in movement and to be active for life. To learn more about the pathways available at your school, please contact your school's administrative assistant.

There are a number of federal and state laws protecting the rights of our students with disabilities, including their right to physical education, regardless of ability. The (IDEA) ensures students evaluated and identified as having a disability receive a free and appropriate public education (FAPE) that provides special education and/or related services. Special education is defined as specially designed instruction designed to meet the unique needs of an individual student and includes instruction in physical education. It’s important to note that physical and occupational therapy are related services, and cannot take the place of adapted physical education.

Chapter III of the IDEA includes sections on both and . Section 300.39 defines special education as "specially designed instruction, at no cost to the parents, to meet the unique needs of a child with a disability, including instruction conducted in the classroom [...] and instruction in physical education." Section 300.108 states that "physical education services, specially designed if necessary, must be made available to every child with a disability receiving FAPE," that "each child with a disability must be afforded the opportunity to participate in the regular physical education program available to nondisabled children unless the child is enrolled full time in a separate facility or the child needs specially designed physical education, as prescribed in the child's IEP," that "if specially designed physical education is prescribed in a child's IEP, the public agency responsible for the education of that child must provide the services directly or make arrangements for those services to be provided through other public or private programs," and that "the public agency responsible for the education of a child with a disability who is enrolled in a separate facility must ensure that the child receives appropriate physical education services in compliance with this section."

All of the PE-specific requirements of the IDEA are met by the ½ûÂþÌìÌà Adapted Physical Education (APE) team, housed under Special Education. To refer your student for APE services, please contact your student's physical education teacher.

Students need to learn, practice, and apply skills successfully with positive reinforcement and support in order to enhance and maintain their own physical health and and others’ safety. Although PE emphasizes moderate to vigorous physical activity, students must also know how to demonstrate social responsibility and apply intentional movement concepts and strategies to be successful while participating. At ½ûÂþÌìÌÃ, our Physical Education curriculum draws upon two sets of standards that outline what students should know and be able to do by the end of each grade level, with an emphasis on both locomotor movement and cognitive skill refinement:

• , including grade-level outcomes

As students participate in physical education, they develop motor skills and physical literacy through consistent practice and timely repetition. They also grow their social emotional literacy by participating in group activities, sharing equipment, and planning for skill development. The topics included in ½ûÂþÌìÌà Physical Education meet Oregon State laws and standards, as well as uphold ½ûÂþÌìÌà Policies and federal guidelines.

"½ûÂþÌìÌà is committed to an anti-racist and racial equity and social justice approach to public education to ensure a learning environment that is free from hate and the legacy of school segregation and institutional racism for all students and staff. The District unequivocally affirms that Black lives matter. We believe in the fundamental right to human dignity and that generating an equitable world requires an educational system that intentionally disrupts - and builds leaders to disrupt - systems of oppression.

We can begin the process of healing through our policies and curriculum to address cultural and institutional racism. The District must create an inclusive environment that reflects and supports the racial and ethnic diversity of our student population and community." Such policies include the Racial Educational Equity Policy (2.10.010-P). This policy asserts ½ûÂþÌìÌà commitment to "significantly change its practices in order to achieve and maintain racial equity in education" and centers the belief that "educational equity benefits all students, and our entire community."

Read the full Anti-Racist & Anti-Oppression Learning Communities policy and check out the Racial Equity and Social Justice website for more information.

This administrative directive furthers the Board’s Non-Discrimination Policy and to provide "guidance to district and school staff so that transgender, nonbinary and gender expansive students are fully included in their school communities and have the supports necessary to actively participate in all school activities free of discrimination." The ½ûÂþÌìÌà Gender Diversity and Support Guide includes resources and tools to support the implementation of this administrative directive.

Read the full administrative directive here.

"½ûÂþÌìÌà requires students in grades K through 12 be taught Comprehensive Health Education that is medically-accurate, age and developmentally appropriate, culturally and linguistically sustaining, and implemented in safe and supportive environments where all students feel valued. All ½ûÂþÌìÌà shall take a skills-based approach to teach comprehensive health education that addresses a variety of topics, such as tobacco, alcohol, and other drug use/abuse, healthy eating/nutrition, mental and emotional health, personal health and wellness, physical activity, safety and injury prevention, violence prevention, and comprehensive sexual health education that is LGBTQ inclusive."

"Schools help ensure that students possess the knowledge and skills necessary to make healthy choices for a lifetime. Further, schools can partner with families and the community to promote good health and make the healthy choices easy. The Portland Public School District is committed to providing school environments that promote lifelong wellness by supporting comprehensive wellness programs."

Read the full policy, review the associated administrative directive, and check out the Nutrition Services website for more information.