Illinois H.B. 2547 – Critical
Health Problems &
Comprehensive Health
Education Act [1970]
Requires that health
education be taught in:
H.B. 2547
Elementary – Specific time
requirements purposely avoided.
Schools are expected to have a
well developed plan to insure the
inclusion of health curricula.
H.B. 2547
Secondary – Minimal time allocation is
to be not less than one semester hour
[or its equivalency] during middle
school (6,7,8) or junior high school
(7,8,9) – AND – Not less than one
semester hour [or its equivalency] of a
more advanced curriculum during high
school* (grades 9-12 or grades 10-12).
* State mandated requirement for high school
graduation.
Administrative Approaches to
Satisfying the Health Education
Mandate
Direct Teaching
Integrated Teaching
Correlated
Incidental Approach
Direct Teaching
Separate, formal health education
class.
Integrated Teaching
(Unsystematic)
Incorporating health education
into other subject areas (e.g.
Biology – reproduction; Social
Studies – world nutrition needs,
etc.)
Correlated (Systematic)
Teaching health using a health
theme across all courses (e.g.
Theme = population; Social
Studies – food shortage; Science –
overpopulation & family planning;
Math – geometric equations
showing population growth.)
Incidental Approach
The teachable moment.
“When the student is ready, the
teacher will appear.”
What specific topics MUST you
cover?
The Illinois School Code specifies that
the following major content areas shall
be included within the comprehensive
health education curricula in all state
elementary and secondary public
schools. Specific topics that are state
mandated to be included within the
curriculum are identified by grade level
(E= Elementary[k-5], M=Middle
School[6-8], HS= 9-12] and with an
asterisk (*).
Illinois School Code
1. Human Growth and Development (E, M,
HS)
2. Human Ecology and Health (M, HS)
3. Nutrition (E, M, HS)
4. Prevention and Control of Disease/*6-12,
Sex ed./*5-12, Drug ed.
a.
b.
Including instruction in grades 6-12 on the
prevention, transmission, and spread of AIDS
(HIV) in sex education. (E,M,HS)
Including instruction in grades 5-12 on the
prevention, transmission, and spread of AIDS
(HIV) in drug education. (E, M, HS)
Illinois School Code (cont.)
5. Mental Health and Illness/k-12
permissive/*7-12, Staff In-Service.
a.
b.
Curriculum for reduction of self destructive
behavior (suicide). Optional for grades k-12:
permissive. E, M, HS
Adolescent and teen suicide detection and
intervention training (mandated for school
guidance counselors, teachers, and other school
personnel who work with students in grades 712; in-service.) HS
6. Personal Health Habits (M, HS)
Illinois School Code (cont.)
7. The emotional, psychological,
physiological, hygienic and social
responsibilities of family life,
including sexual abstinence until
marriage/*Sec. 7-12, JH/6-12
MS. M, HS
Illinois School Code (cont.)
8. Alcohol and Drug use and abuse/*k-12,
Annually/*5-12, Legal & Med.; *K-8,
Prevention & Avoidance/*7-12, Steroid
Abuse Ed./*5-12, HIV-AIDS Ed./*k-12, Red
Ribbon – “Just Say No Day.”
a.
Including classroom instruction in grades 5-12
concerning physical and legal effects and
ramifications of drug and substance abuse
including medical and legal ramifications of
alcohol, drug and tobacco use and abuse during
pregnancy. M, HS
Alcohol and drug use and abuse (cont.)
b. Instruction, study, and discussion in grades
k-8 of effective methods for the prevention
and avoidance of drug and substance abuse.
M, HS
c. Steroid abuse education mandate in grades
7-12. Such instruction shall emphasize that
the use of anabolic steroids presents a
serious health hazard to persons who use
steroids to enhance athletic performance or
physical development. M, HS
Alcohol and drug use and abuse (cont.)
d.
**Instruction in grades 5-12 on the prevention,
transmission, and spread of AIDS (HIV) in drug
education. E, M, HS
e. All schools, k-12, must recognize Red Ribbon Day,
“Just Say No” Day in October.
** “No pupil shall be required to take or participate in
any class or course on AIDS instruction or family
life (and sex education) if the pupil’s parent or
guardian submits WRITTEN OBJECTION thereto,
and refusal to take or participate in such course or
program shall not be reason for suspension or
expulsion of such person.”
Illinois School Code (cont.)
9. Tobacco (E,M,HS)
10. Dental Health (E,M)
11. Public and Environmental Health
(Conservation Ed., no specific time
allotment). (M,HS)
12. Safety Education and Disaster Survival/*1-8,
Annually for at least one class period each
week or its equivalency/*k-8, Annual
instruction about danger and avoidance of
abduction/*4-12, Violence prevention and
Conflict Resolution. E,M, HS
Safety Ed. And Disaster Survival (cont).
a. In every public school there shall be
instruction, study and discussion of effective
methods by which pupils may recognize the
danger of and avoidance of abduction.
Mandated k-8 annually. E, M
b. Protective eye devices shall be provided to
and worn by all student, teachers, and
visitors when participating in or observing
dangerous vocational arts and chemicalphysical courses of laboratories. (E, M, HS)
c. Violence prevention and conflict resolution
must be address in grades 4-12. (E, M, HS)
Illinois School Code (cont.)
13. Consumer Health/*8-12, minimum of
9 weeks required. M, HS
14. Inclusion of the teaching of Illinois
(Body) Donations and Transplantation
at the secondary level. M, HS)