Committee reviews health-education AR to align district curriculum with new state requirements and Gavin’s Law

The Beaufort County School District Academics Committee on March 27 reviewed proposed revisions to Administrative Regulation IS 17, the district’s health-education rule, and recommended that the updates move forward for board consideration.

Karen McKenzie, director of secondary teaching and learning, and other instructional staff told the committee the revisions largely reflect recent state requirements. "Most of the revisions are made based on policies, procedures that the state has put in place," the presenter said, noting the AR now includes a nondiscrimination clause and clarified time requirements for health instruction (the presentation references 75 minutes over a 36-week period or roughly 45 total hours per year).

The presenters flagged family-life and reproductive-health sections that the state now requires districts to provide. For middle grades, they said, the AR sets specific minimum instructional time for grades 6 and 7 and indicates that instruction for grade 8 will be taught separately by gender per state guidance.

The presentation also incorporated provisions of "Gavin’s Law," which staff described as a South Carolina statute criminalizing sextortion and requiring age-appropriate instruction and notifications. As the presenter explained, Gavin’s Law requires schools to teach students about the dangers and consequences of explicit-image extortion and to notify parents, guardians and relevant staff when applicable.

Board members asked how the district had used legal counsel in drafting the AR and whether the district would rely on state-provided instructional materials. Staff said legal review was part of the development and that senior staff would continue to vet materials before the item goes to the full board.

The committee was asked to confirm whether the revisions would be shared with principals and incorporated into staff training; presenters said the ARs are circulated to principals after board review and that training/orientations for hearing officers and administrators will follow. Committee members did not take a final adoption vote in committee but supported moving the revisions forward to the board for consideration.

Next steps: the AR will be incorporated into the board packet for a future meeting and principals will receive guidance and training on implementation.