Science

VIDEO: What is the California health education framework? Here’s your two-minute primer — also available in Spanish

You can access the health education standards by grade level here: www.cde.ca.gov/be/st/ss/

The Health Education Curriculum Framework for California Public Schools represents the first major update on the subject since 1994 and includes recommendations for physical, mental, emotional and social health, along with sex education guidance in alignment with the 2016 California Healthy Youth Act.

The following data were "Last Reviewed" in 2025.

• Superintendent Letter Clarifying The California Health Youth Act
  The purpose of the California Healthy Youth Act is to provide every student with the knowledge and skills necessary to protect their sexual and reproductive health from unintended pregnancy, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), and sexually transmitted infections (STIs).

• Sexual Health Education Accountability Act - Provides information on the requirements of the Sexual Health Education Accountability Act.

• The California Department of Public Health, STD Control Branch, in collaboration with the California Department of Education, Coordinated School Health and Safety Office, can offer free local in-person trainings for LEA staff and community partners. Please e-mail STDHealthEd@cdph.ca.gov to inquire. [read more: https://www.cde.ca.gov/ls/he/se/]

• California Health Youth Act PowerPoint Presentation (PPTX) - Provides information regarding new laws for comprehensive sexual health education and HIV prevention education.

• Frequently Asked Questions - Questions and answers regarding the California Healthy Youth Act on the California Department of Education web page.

• Checklist for Guest Speakers

Note: The two curricular resources (Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System (YRBSS) & The Respect Online Course FREE) cited by the CDE through California Healthy Kids Resource Center are currently unavailable. Teen Talk Middle School - Health Connected is a viable option.

For questions regarding the California Healthy Youth Act, contact:

Sharla E. Smith HIV/STD Prevention Education Consultant shsmith@cde.ca.gov

Comprehensive Sexual Health & HIV/AIDS Instruction:

http://www.cde.ca.gov/ls/he/se

Highlighted Resources:

• California Health Education Framework: Summary of Guidance on Growth and Development Content in Grades K-6
• Brains On Universe presents…Puberty! (The Podcast)
• Apple and Spotify
• Talk to Your Boys by Joanna Shroeder and our subcommittee member and health educator, Christopher Pepper
• Reference Guide for Physical Education.

K-6 Growth, Development, & Sexual Health Resources, provided by Nora Gelperin, Advocates for Youth Division Director:  

• CA Aligned Rights, Respect, & Responsibility (3Rs) Lessons for grades 4^th – 12^th
• 3 Rs Curriculum Teacher Guide (K-12 Educators)
• Growth, Development, and Healthy Relationships in Elementary School Teacher Guide (K-5 Educators)
• Oregon Department of Education K-5 Open Learning Lessons
•  Hip Hop Public Health: Building Health Literacy resources
  •       The ABCs of Me teaches autonomy, boundaries, and consent
•  K-5 Lessons Aligned with CA Health Education Standards

Other Resources:

• Advocates for Youth Online: https://www.advocatesforyouth.org
• A talk from Aspen Ideas: Health with Doug E. Fresh about how Hip Hop and Public Health came together https://www.youtube.com/live/ZIurTTvfz70?si=noWY0oKcHZouwIOw
• Book recommendation: Hip Hop As Healing: The Art and Science of Healing in Tumultuous Times by Roberto Rivera https://books.google.com/books/about/Hip_Hop_As_Healing.html?id=TEKb0QEACAAJ
• Alphabet Rockers: https://www.alphabetrockers.com/.  They offer PL for staff, sessions with students using art and hip hop to create and express themselves, community workshops, and residencies.
• Inspiring speaker: Kevin Bracy https://kevinbracy.com/about-kevin/
• Free guides from Talk More are organized by age (0-2, 3-5, etc.) and useful for families https://www.talk-more.org/parent-planner
• Ashanti Branch and Ever Forward Club Linktree - Young Men’s Conference in November: https://linktr.ee/everforwardclub
• Resources for health ed materials: https://californiahealtheducation.org/Pages/Home.aspx and https://www.californiahealthykids.net/
• Educational videos: https://amaze.org/
• Christopher Pepper’s newsletter for educators and families, including “how to” posts https://www.teenhealthtoday.com/
• An article from the Los Altos High School student newspaper about why they are moving to in-person Health classes for all 9th graders https://lahstalon.org/health-at-los-altos-high-school-in-person-online-and-into-the-future/

Proposed Legislation:

• AB 1851 – This proposes to require the State Department of Education to establish a statewide Tier 1 Social and Emotional Learning, behavioral health, and restorative justice education program for pupils in kindergarten and any of grades 1 to 12. 
• AB 1956 – This proposes the Statewide Office of Suicide Prevention to focus on activities of young men. 
• AB 1985 – This proposes mental health training requirements for athletic coaches as part of university training programs. 
• AB 2003 - This proposes the BHSOAC to develop an online training program to train school staff, parents, and pupils serving grades 1-12 on suicide prevention. 
• AB 2071 - This proposes the Department of Education, prior to Jan 1, 2028, to develop a plan to expand digital wellness in CA public schools.
• SB 1133 - This proposes the IQC to consider including information on evidence-based preventative health instruction, including information on nutrition, food literacy, sleep, movement, stress management, and digital balance in an integrated manner.

For FAQs, visit:

https://www.cde.ca.gov/ta/ac/cm/dbscifaq.asp

California Science Test Information & Links

The statewide California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress (CAASPP) System includes federally required science assessments in grades five and eight and once in high school (i.e., grade ten, eleven, or twelve). Since the adoption of the Next Generation Science Standards for California Public Schools, Kindergarten Through Grade Twelve (CA NGSS) in 2013, the California Department of Education developed the California Science Test (CAST), which is aligned with these standards.

CAST Interim Assessments (IAs)

The CAST Interim Assessments (IAs) available through CAASPP's Test Operation Management System (TOMS). The California Science Test (CAST) Interim Assessments (IAs) were released in two rounds, with the first round released during the 2023–24 school year and the second round of updates were released for the 2024–25 school year. 

The following Science IAs are available: 

• Two (2) IAs for 3^rd Grade, 4^th Grade, and 5^th Grade — all of which contain all three domains (physical, life, and earth sciences;
• Six (6) IAs middle school and high school — two for physical sciences, two for life sciences, and two for earth and space sciences.

The grade five assessment draws on PEs from grades three through five (3–5) and includes the foundational concepts that are addressed in kindergarten through grade two (K–2). The grade eight assessment draws on PEs from grades six through eight (6–8), and the high school assessment draws on PEs from the grades nine through twelve (9–12). More information about the construction of the CAST can be found in the Revised CAST Blueprint (PDF attached).

Each IA has one performance task, which needs to be hand-scored through the Teacher Hand Scoring System (THSS). Once scored, after about 20 min, the data will be posted on California Educator Reporting System (CERS). More examples of performance tasks are available through Authentic Tasks for Learning & Assessment in Science (ATLAS).

CASE- California Association of Science Educators

As the advocate for high-quality science education in California for more than 50 years, the California Association of Science Educators (CASE) offers networking, professional development, and advocacy to ensure state policies and legislation support you in inspiring your students. CASE includes a community of more than 2,000 K-6, middle school, and high school science teachers, college faculty, and educators.

National Science Teachers Association 

The National Science Teachers Association (NSTA), founded in 1944 and headquartered in Arlington, Virginia, is the largest organization in the world committed to promoting excellence and innovation in science teaching and learning for all. NSTA's current membership of 60,000 includes science teachers, science supervisors, administrators, scientists, business and industry representatives, and others involved in and committed to science education.

NAE -  National Academy of Engineering

The NAE convened a select, international committee to evaluate ideas on the greatest challenges and opportunities for engineering. The grand challenges for engineering are presented and described in the project website at http://www.engineeringchallenges.org.The NAE Committee on Engineering's Grand Challenges identified 14 grand challenges and opportunities for engineering during the world's next few generations. It pointed to engineering or scientific research and innovation that look promising for addressing each challenge as well as suggested currently unmet research needs.

Society of Women Engineers

For more than seven decades, Society of Women Engineers (SWE) has given women engineers a unique place and voice within the engineering industry. The organization is centered around a passion for members’ success and continues to evolve with the challenges and opportunities reflected in today’s exciting engineering and technology specialties.

American Society for Engineering Education  

Engineers use their imagination and analytical skills to invent, design, and build things that matter. They are team players with independent minds.  Engineers are changing the world all the time by dreaming up creative and practical solutions.​

Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers  

The Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers (SHPE) was founded in Los Angeles, California, in 1974 by a group of engineers employed by the city of Los Angeles. Their objective was to form a national organization of professional engineers to serve as role models in the Hispanic community.

Society For the Advancement of Chicano and Native Americans In Science (SACNAS) 

SACNAS is a society of scientists dedicated to fostering the success of Hispanic/Chicano and Native American scientists—from college students to professionals—to attain advanced degrees, careers, and positions of leadership in science.

National Math and Science Initiative  

The National Math and Science Initiative (NMSI) and the teacher training organization Laying the Foundation (LTF) merged at the end of 2011, putting in place a seamless system for preparing middle school and high school students to succeed in Pre-AP and AP courses in the critical fields of math and science.

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The Nation's Report Card  

In 2015, National Assessment of Educational Progress measured students' knowledge in science including physical science, life science and earth and space science. Results are available at the state level in grades 4, 8 and 12.

Promising Practices for Differentiated Assistance Learning From County Offices of Education Across California June 2024 

The Geographic Leads (Geo Leads) partnered with WestEd to research, summarize, and disseminate information on promising practices for providing differentiated assistance (DA). This partnership is part of the Geo Leads’ continuous efforts to encourage collaboration among county offices of education (COEs) and enhance statewide capacity for DA. 

WonderWorks Field Lab