On August 10, 2022, the State of Illinois updated the information regarding the adoption of the National Sex Education Standards for Illinois schools. In a Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) Document about the new standards sent in July, the State required districts that provide instruction in sexual health education to “develop or select a curriculum that is aligned with the new standards.” Today, the State posted a new FAQ that clarifies the implementation of the standards. The FAQ states that school districts that teach “comprehensive sexual health education” must adhere to the new National Sex Education Standards. Districts that do not teach “comprehensive sexual health education” may still teach sexual health aligned to the Illinois Physical Development and Health Standards.

With this clarification, District 103 will continue to use our current sex education units, which align to the Illinois Physical Development and Health Standards for the 2022-2023 school year. We will conduct a review of the new standards and modify the curriculum for the 2023-2024 school year. We will share the information with our community regarding any curriculum changes prior to them being implemented in the Fall of 2023.

The Board of Education planned to discuss the new sex education standards at the regular board meeting on August 16, 2022. With the change in the guidance from the State, the Board will postpone the discussion to later in the school year when the staff shares any proposed changes. We will keep you informed regarding this process.

Thank you for your partnership and we look forward to seeing our students back in school on August 18th.