Sex Abuse Prevention

Health K-12 Education Standards

• Human Sexuality Education (OAR 581-022-2050)
  Requires that each school district adopt a child sexual abuse prevention instructional program for all students, in each grade K-12, including a minimum of four lessons per year. Instruction and material must be age appropriate, medically accurate, not shame or fear based, LGBTQ2SIA+ inclusive, and build on itself. While four lessons per year is the time requirement attached to this OAR through Erin’s Law, all Health Education Standards and Performance Indicators must also be met in order to be fully in compliance with Division 22 statute. This includes information on healthy relationships and dating violence prevention.
  • Human Sexuality Education Law (2009, ORS 336.455)
  • Healthy Teens Relationships Act (2013, HB 4077; ORS 339.366)
  • Child Sexual Abuse Prevention “Erin’s Law” (2015, SB 856)

• Oregon Civil Rights Law ORS 659.850, Title IX
  Protects students against discrimination, and identifies sex and sexual orientation as protected classes (as well as race, color, religion, national origin, marital status, age or disability).

• Menstrual Dignity for Students (2021 HB 3294; Permanent OARs 581-021-0600, 581-021-0603, 581-021-0606, 581-021-0609)

• Suicide Prevention, Intervention, Postvention (Adi’s Act”) (ORS 339.343; OAR 581-022-2510)
  Requires Oregon School Districts to develop comprehensive district Student Suicide Prevention Plans.

• Every Student Belongs (HB 2697 2020; OAR 581-022-2312)
  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.

ORS 339.351 to 339.364

• Guidance for Schools, January 2023​

• ODE LGBTQ2SIA+ Student Success Plan, 2020

Connecting Goals and Strategies for a Healthier and Safer Oregon for Young People, Oregon Attorney General’s Sexual Assault Task Force (SATF)

Sexuality education plays an important role in connecting strategies between child abuse prevention, sexual and dating violence prevention, sexual health promotion, and suicide prevention.

Comprehensive Distance Learning: Erin’s Law Toolkit for Districts

A toolkit designed to help districts support students with essential understandings and skills related to healthy relationships and violence prevention in a distance learning environment during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Key Tips for Sexuality Education and Erin’s Law Instruction During Distance Learning

Webinar for Parents and Caregivers

Webinar for School District Staff

Staff Tip Sheet
SB 856 (Child Abuse Prevention Instruction)

Parent Tip Sheet
School Administrator Tip Sheet: Parent Component SB 856 (Child Abuse Prevention Instruction)

K-12 Guidance
Sex Abuse Prevention Instruction, grades K-12

Trauma Informed Mandatory Reporting (English)

When a Child Alleges Sexual Abuse by an Educator or other School Staff

Oregon Child Abuse Mandatory Reporting Website, Department of Human Services, Child Welfare Office

Questions to Consider Before Calling the Oregon Child Abuse Hotline Infographic, October 2021

Recognizing and Reporting Child Abuse and Neglect (RRCAN), Oregon Center for Career Development – PSU, (Required for childcare education providers; 0-12 years old) ​

To report suspected child abuse, call the Oregon Child Abuse Hotline at 1-855-503-SAFE (7233)

ODE Civil Rights Resources

​Gender Equity and Sexual Harassment
Includes guidance for school districts to create safe space for transgender students.

Civil Rights Title IX

Healthy Teen Relationship Act Toolkit: A Local School District’s Guide to Teen Dating Violence Prevention by Oregon Coalition Against Domestic and Sexual Violence (OCADSV)

Domestic Violence Poster English

Domestic Violence Poster Spanish

ODE provides direct support for all 197 school districts and community members who support K-12 Comprehensive Sexuality Education in Oregon, including:

• Division 22 Technical Assistance
• Meeting or presentation about K-12 Comprehensive Sexuality Education implementation for school board, school district, or community
• Email sexed@ode.oregon.gov for support

Subscribe to ODE’s Sex Ed List Serv for updates on resources and support for districts.​

The following resources have been created by ODE to support administrators and communities to better understand the scope of comprehensive sexuality education, which aligns with Oregon laws and Health Education standards.

• Sex Ed Made Simple: A Toolkit for Administrators, OHA & ODE
  This toolkit was created to support administrators in developing a K-12 Sex Ed Comprehensive Plan of Instruction, as required by OAR 581-022-2050. Please view this webinar to learn more about the administrator toolkit.
• Comprehensive Sexuality Education in Oregon, 1 page summary
• Supporting Sexuality Education, A letter from the Director of ODE
• ​Sexuality Education Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) – English Version
  Comprehensive Sexuality Education is a powerful tool for promoting health and safety among young people. This FAQ is intended to help anyone learn more about what sexuality education is, what it includes, and why it’s important.
  • ​Sexuality Education Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) – Spanish Language Version
• ODE Guidance for Sex Ed Speakers​
• Oregon Sexual Violence Prevention Map, OHA & ODE
• Mapping tool which displays county-specific data from the Oregon Student Health Survey (formerly the Oregon Healthy Teens Survey), which are specifically related to identity, sexual health, bullying and violence prevention. This tool also includes data on school districts who have a Sex Ed Comprehensive Plan of Instruction, as required by OAR 581-022-2050.

The following resources have been created by ODE to support districts in K-12 implementation of sexuality education through instructional materials. To learn more about instructional materials, please the ODE website here.

Health Education Adopted Instructional Materials

• Oregon Open Learning Hub (OOL)
  Includes content area resources that are openly licensed and free to use, remix, and share. See the Health Group for resources related to Health and Sexuality education.
• Comprehensive Distance Learning: Erin’s Law Toolkit for Districts
  A toolkit designed to help districts support students with essential understandings and skills related to healthy relationships and violence prevention in a distance learning environment during the COVID-19 pandemic.
  • Key Tips for Sexuality Education and Erin’s Law Instruction During Distance Learning
  • Webinar for Parents and Caregivers
  • Webinar for School District Staff

• ODE Designing Learning for 2020-21, Sex Ed 4-pager

The following resources have been created by ODE to support districts in K-12 implementation of sexuality education through Health Education standards and instructional materials.

2023 Health Education Standards Documents:

The Oregon State Board of Education adopted the new Health Education Standards on October 19, 2023. These new standards will come into full effect in Oregon Public Schools by the 2025-26 school year. To help prepare for the transition to the new 2023 Health Standards, please see the documents below:

• 2023 Health Education Standards
• 2016/2023 Health Standards Comparison

Other Resources to support the 2023 Health Education Standards:

Oregon’s 2023 Comprehensive Sexuality Education Health Standards: K-12 learning progressions and Reference Guide (one pagers by the Oregon Sexual Assault Task Force (SATF) that highlight Oregon’s new 2023 sex ed standards by subtopic.

The following ODE professional development resources are available to all Oregon school districts who support K-12 sexuality education implementation.

​​Sexuality Education Made Simple: A Teacher’s Guide (.pdf version)

Sexuality Education Made Simple: A Teacher’s Guide (.doc version)

• Oregon Teacher Training Institute (OTTI)
  • In Person 2-Day Series on K-5 Comprehensive Sex Ed
  • Virtual Synchronous 4-Part Series on K-5 Comprehensive Sex Ed

Sex Ed Made Simple: An asynchronous webinar series, Canvas Course

The webinars are hosted by the Sexuality Education Specialists at ODE, presented in partnership with various community organizations, state agencies, and other sexual health colleagues across the state of Oregon.

Related sexuality education trainings, conference, and professional development opportunities can also be found within our monthly Sex Ed Newsletter. Subscribe to the ODE Sex Ed Listserv for more information.

To receive updates about Sexuality Education, including our monthly newsletter, please subscribe to ODE’s Sex Ed Listserv by entering your email address. You may update your ODE Listserv subscriptions by clicking “Subscriber Preferences”.

Archived ODE Sex Ed Newsletters can be found here.