The Jefferson City Public School Board went through a round of policy updates at its July meeting, including some changes to pre-kindergarten immunizations and teaching human sexuality.
Starting next year, parents will receive notification if there is a non-immunized child enrolled in the Southwest Early Childhood Education Center or the daycare - the name of the non-immunized child will not be released.
In previous years, that information was only provided upon request, but a new state statute is requiring districts to notify all parents with students enrolled in those programs.
Southwest Principal Nicole Langston said unimmunized students are rare. Last year, only two students opted out of the immunizations, and the number varies from year to year.
Parents can only opt their child out of immunizations for religious or medical reasons. An exemption for medical reasons requires certification from a licensed medical doctor, according to the district's policy. But an exemption for religious reasons only requires a letter from the parent or guardian.
Another state statute change requires schools to include sexual predators, online sexual predators and sexting in the human sexuality curriculum. Sexting includes sending sexually explicit photos, images, text messages or emails using a mobile device.
The Missouri School Board Association also recommended districts expand the requirement that students be educated on the penalties of statutory rape.
In years past, the district has covered predators and sexting but not in the breadth that is now required, and it may have been taught outside of health class by guest speakers brought in by the district. Human sexuality is taught in fifth through ninth grade, and those subjects will be modified for age appropriateness, said Gretchen Guitard, assistant superintendent for curriculum and staff services.
Out of the four topics, Assistant Superintendent for Secondary Education Tammy Ridgeway said sexting is by far the biggest issue.
Students primarily in middle and high school may not realize the repercussions of sending inappropriate images of themselves or another person, or that it often leaves a permanent digital imprint.
"Even down to the middle school age, some of the things students see have desensitized them, and they don't realize why it's bad when they do it," Ridgeway said.
The district has dealt with sexting cases and, when appropriate, turned them over to law enforcement.
Statutory rape is an area the school hasn't covered much, Guitard said, and will expand the conversation about the consequences. Guitard said statutory rape becomes more of an issue among college students, which is likely why it's surfacing in high school curriculum.
The board policy, Teaching About Human Sexuality, states the board recognizes parents or guardians are the primary source of sexual education for their children. Guitard said the district teaches only what's factually and medically accurate and leaves the moral aspect of sex up to parents.
Parents are notified before the material is taught and can opt their child out of any aspect of the lessons.
Ridgeway said some parents are uncomfortable with their children learning about the human body and sexuality from anyone other than them, but they're required by the state to include it in the curriculum. It's not something students are tested on, but the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education has standards districts have to follow.
"Parents are a part of this," she said. "There has to be a partnership. It takes all of us to tackle this."
The health teachers will go through the curriculum on Aug. 15 before school starts to incorporate the necessary changes.
The immunization and human sexuality policies were among the 19 updated policies approved by the board in its July meeting. Most of the policies were slight changes to district operations, including teacher sick leave, early resignation notices and graduation credits.
The board isn't required to create a policy for every new state statute, unless it's written in the legislative bill that all districts need a policy or if it's required by DESE, said Human Resources Director Penney Rector.
Human sexuality and immunizations were policies the district wasn't required to amend, but they were approved for greater transparency and as a historical log for district practices.
Twice a year, JCPS receives roughly 60 policy updates from the MSBA after the legislature passes new statutes. The district has to be compliant with the new law regardless of whether or not its part of its policies.