Outline of the state of Texas
State
Texas
Addressed

Category
Health Education K-12 Curriculum—Alcohol and Drug Use or Abuse—HS

Category
Health Education K-12 Curriculum—Alcohol and Drug Use or Abuse—HS

State law addresses alcohol and Drug-use/abuse.

Texas Administrative Code Title 19 RULE §74.35 Additional Requirements for High School Health Classes

(b) Alcohol awareness.

(1) A school district and an open-enrollment charter school shall incorporate instruction in the dangers, causes, consequences, signs, symptoms, and treatment of binge drinking and alcohol poisoning into any course meeting a requirement for a health education credit in accordance with TEC, §28.002(r).

(2) A school district shall choose an evidence-based alcohol awareness program to use in the district's middle school, junior high school, and high school health curriculum from a list of programs approved by the commissioner of education for this purpose.

Policy Type
Regulation

Texas Education Code Sec. 28.002. REQUIRED CURRICULUM

(a)Each school district that offers kindergarten through grade 12 shall offer, as a required curriculum:

(2)an enrichment curriculum that includes:

  • (A)to the extent possible, languages other than English;

  • (B)health, with emphasis on:

  • (i)physical health, including the importance of proper nutrition and exercise; and

  • (ii)mental health, including instruction about mental health conditions, substance abuse, skills to manage emotions, establishing and maintaining positive relationships, and responsible decision-making; and

  • (iii)suicide prevention, including recognizing suicide-related risk factors and warning signs;

  • (C)physical education;

Policy Type
Statute

Texas Education Code Sec. 28.002. REQUIRED CURRICULUM

(a)Each school district that offers kindergarten through grade 12 shall offer, as a required curriculum:

(2)an enrichment curriculum that includes:

  • (A)to the extent possible, languages other than English;

  • (B)health, with emphasis on:

  • (i)physical health, including the importance of proper nutrition and exercise; and

  • (ii)mental health, including instruction about mental health conditions, substance abuse, skills to manage emotions, establishing and maintaining positive relationships, and responsible decision-making; and

  • (iii)suicide prevention, including recognizing suicide-related risk factors and warning signs;

  • (C)physical education;

Policy Type
Statute

Texas Health and Safety Code Sec. 163.001. PROGRAM.

(a) The department shall develop a model public health education program suitable for school-age children and shall make the program available to any person on request. The program should emphasize:

  • (1) that abstinence from sexual intercourse is the most effective protection against unwanted teenage pregnancy, sexually transmitted diseases, and acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) when transmitted sexually;
  • (2) that abstinence from sexual intercourse outside of lawful marriage is the expected societal standard for school-age unmarried persons; and
  • (3) the physical, emotional, and psychological dangers of substance abuse, including the risk of acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) through the sharing of needles during intravenous drug usage.
Policy Type
Statute