SACRAMENTO — State Superintendent of Public Instruction Jack O'Connell today announced the health instructional materials for kindergarten through eighth grade as recommended for adoption by the State Board of Education are now available for public review and comment.

"I want to make sure every student gets the best materials possible to develop lifelong, positive health-related attitudes and behaviors that will help them succeed in school and in life," said O'Connell. "So this is the time for parents, educators, and anyone interested in the health textbooks used by California's students to take a look at the materials and make their opinions known to the State Board of Education."

The Curriculum Development and Supplemental Materials Commission released the list of instructional materials it would be recommending to the Board for adoption, which is attached below. The instructional materials cover the health curriculum as described in the Health Framework for California Public Schools. Members of the Instructional Materials Advisory Panel and Content Review Panel have evaluated the materials. Panelists include classroom teachers, doctors, nurses, and others in the health field .

The materials under consideration are on display at Learning Resources Display Centers (LRDCs) located throughout the state. For those locations, please visit Learning Resource Display Centers - Curriculum Frameworks & Instructional Materials. The public may submit their comments on forms available at the LRDCs. Comments also may be mailed or faxed by October 31, 2004 to: Curriculum Frameworks and Instructional Resources Division, California Department of Education, 1430 N Street, Suite 3207, Sacramento, California, 95814, fax 916-319-0172.

The Board adopts instructional materials for grades K-8 and is scheduled to take action on November 9-10, 2004. People also have the opportunity to present their concerns at a public hearing of the Board on November 9, 2004, whether or not they have completed public comment forms. This public hearing will mark the conclusion of the review for the instructional materials submitted for the 2004 health adoption for the grades K-8 process. Once selected, these materials will be used for at least the next eight years.

If members of the public would like more information on the availability of health instructional materials for review, please contact Thomas Adams, director, Curriculum Frameworks and Instructional Resources Division, at 916-319-0663; or Suzanne Rios, administrator, Instructional Resources, at 916-319-0665. If members of the news media have any further questions, please contact the California Department of Education Communications Office at 916-319-0818.

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Attachment

2004 Health Primary Adoption

Summary of the Curriculum Commission's Recommendations
to the State Board of Education*

*The Curriculum Commission's Recommendations will be taken to the State Board of Education (SBE) at the November 9-10, 2004 meeting for discussion and action. Programs are not adopted until SBE takes action.