Alternative Delivery in the Physical and Health Education and Planning 10 Curricula

Date issued or revised

July 1, 2018 

Status

Revised

Policy Statement

Students and their parents or guardians may arrange for alternative delivery for certain sensitive topics contained in the following Education Program Guides:  

• Physical and Health Education K-9
• Physical and Health Education 10

Rationale for the policy

The education program guides above include certain sensitive topics related to reproduction and sexuality that some students and their parents or guardians may feel more comfortable addressing by means other than instruction by a teacher in a regular classroom setting.

The purpose of this policy is to explain how students and their parents or guardians may, in consultation with their school, arrange for alternative delivery of instruction about reproduction and sexuality. 

Authority

Ministerial Order 295/95, the Required Areas of Study in an Educational Program Order (PDF) says that Physical and Health Education K-9 is a mandatory part of an educational program offered to all students.

Ministerial Order 302/04, the Graduation Program Order (PDF) sets out the graduation program requirements. Physical and Health Education 10 and Planning 10 can be taken to fulfill a portion of these requirements.

Policy in full

The Physical and Health Education 10 provincial curricula include topics related to reproduction and sexuality that some students and their parents/guardians may feel more comfortable addressing by means other than instruction by a teacher in a regular classroom setting. These include learning standards outlined in the following education program guides:

• Physical and Health Education K-9
• Physical and Health Education 10

In such instances, students, with their parents' or guardians' consent, may arrange to address topics related to reproduction and sexuality by an alternative means. This must been arranged in consultation with their school. The alternate means must be agreed upon by the students, their parents or guardians, and the school.

The alternate delivery policy does not allow students to “opt-out” of learning about these topics. It is expected that students will, in consultation with their school, demonstrate their knowledge of the learning standard(s) have arranged to address by alternative means.

This alternate delivery policy does not apply to any other learning standards or learning outcomes in the education program guides listed above. Nor does it apply to any other British Columbia provincial curriculum. 

Procedures

Boards of Education and Independent School Authorities should have procedures in place to enable students to address learning standards covered in this policy. Procedures should also be in place to ensure that students have met these learning standards.

There are several ways in which the preferences of students and their parents or guardians regarding alternative delivery can be accommodated. The following are some examples:

• Home instruction using a school-determined package of materials or other agreed-upon materials
• Self-directed studies 

Boards of education and Independent School Authorities may also invite parents/guardians to propose means for alternative delivery.