Ark. Code § 6-16-157

Current with legislation from 2024 effective through May 3, 2024.
Section 6-16-157 - Child sexual abuse and human trafficking prevention - Instruction required
(a) The Division of Elementary and Secondary Education shall:
(1)
(A) Enhance or adapt curriculum materials to assist public school personnel in providing instruction through a multidisciplinary approach on the detection, intervention, prevention, and treatment of child sexual abuse and human trafficking.
(B) The curriculum materials developed under subdivision (a)(1)(A) of this section shall:
(i) Be geared toward a sequential program of instruction from kindergarten through grade twelve (K-12); and
(ii) Include strategies for utilizing the curriculum in schools; and
(2) Ensure that curriculum materials developed under subdivision (a)(1)(A) of this section are incorporated into the Health and Safety and Physical Education Standards developed by the Department of Education in an age-appropriate manner.
(b) Each public school district and open-enrollment charter school shall:
(1) Implement a child sexual abuse and human trafficking prevention program that meets the standards and requirements established by the division;
(2) Provide training for teachers employed by the public school district or open-enrollment public charter school on child sexual abuse and assault and human trafficking:
(A) Awareness;
(B) Reporting requirements; and
(C) Prevention;
(3) Notify parents, legal guardians, and persons standing in loco parentis to a student when child sexual abuse and assault and human trafficking prevention education shall occur in the public school district or open-enrollment public charter school;
(4) Allow parents, legal guardians, and persons standing in loco parentis to a student to preview curriculum materials before classroom instruction; and
(5) Allow parents, legal guardians, and persons standing in loco parentis to a student to exempt their child from the child sexual abuse and assault and human trafficking prevention program.
(c) Before grade five (5), a public school teacher shall not provide classroom instruction on the following topics:
(1) Sexually explicit materials;
(2) Sexual reproduction;
(3) Sexual intercourse;
(4) Gender identity; or
(5) Sexual orientation.

Ark. Code § 6-16-157

Added by Act 2023, No. 237,§ 16, eff. 3/8/2023.