The Maryland House of Delegates has passed House Bill 161, a measure requiring the development of a statewide comprehensive health education framework for public schools. The bill, which was approved by a vote of 95-39, directs the Maryland State Department of Education and the Maryland Department of Health to work together in creating guidelines that all county school boards must follow when designing their health education curricula. According to the bill, the goal is to ensure that students across the state receive consistent, age-appropriate instruction on key health topics, including sexuality and gender identity.
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Under the legislation, the framework will cover a broad range of health topics, including mental and emotional well-being, substance abuse prevention, family life and human sexuality, gender identity and sexual orientation, internet safety, healthy eating, and disease prevention. Each county school board must develop its own curriculum based on these guidelines and form a committee of educators, health professionals, and community members to review and approve instructional materials.
The bill also establishes an opt-out policy, allowing parents and guardians to excuse their children from lessons specifically related to family life and human sexuality. However, it prohibits opting out of HIV and AIDS prevention education. Additionally, school districts must identify alternative learning objectives for students who do not participate in the opted-out lessons.
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House Bill 161 does not specify exact age or grade-level requirements for the comprehensive health education curriculum. Instead, it mandates that each county board develop an “age-appropriate curriculum” that aligns with the statewide Comprehensive Health Education Framework. The bill also requires county boards to establish policies allowing parents to opt their children out of the Family Life and Human Sexuality portion of the curriculum, without specifying at what grade levels this topic must be introduced. However, the bill prohibits opting out of HIV and AIDS prevention education.
Each county is responsible for forming a review committee—including educators, health experts, and community members—to ensure that the curriculum materials align with the framework. Additionally, county boards must submit annual reports detailing their compliance with these requirements.
Each county board is required to submit an annual report detailing its compliance with the law. If passed in the Senate and signed by the Governor, the legislation is set to take effect on July 1, 2025.
Article by multiple RFHC contributors.
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