Starting family life & sex education programs: a health agency's perspective.

Abstract

Focus is on the ways school districts can develop sex education programs with minimal funds, utilizing existing teachers and building on existing support among students, parents, faculty and administrators. In 1978, Planned Parenthood, funded by the Department of Health, Education and Welfare, implemented the Family Life Education Program Development Project. This was a statewide research and demonstration project that worked with 13 diverse California school districts to develop programs. Within each district, an administrator and a designated district trainer were initially trained. After community and administrative involvement and support were ensured, teacher training was conducted, and programs were successfully implemented in 12 of 13 selected districts. Preliminary evaluation findings based on observation and interviews with participating district staff identified 4 key factors critical to program success: 1) community involvement and support; 2) administrative involvement and support; 3) effective and acceptable curriculum; and 4) teacher training with impact. These factors are reviewed in detail, and suggestions are presented related to each. In most communities there is existing support for family life and sex education. What is needed is to involve the community in the creation of the local program, for this ensures support. Mechanisms to ensure involvement include advisory and specialized committees, broad community input, and community orientation workshop, school boards, and parent preview sessions. Unless the school administration is solidly behind a program, its chances for successful and continued implementation will remain low.