Michigan’s Revised Health Education Standards to Help Children Stay Healthy, Safe So They Can Learn

Local Control, Parent Opt-Out Remain Part of Guidelines Approved by State Board of Education

LANSING – Michigan’s public schools can choose from up-to-date health education standards using the Michigan Health Education Standards Guidelines after a vote by the State Board of Education today.

Board members approved the first update to Michigan Health Education Standards Guidelines since 2007, which was before social media and vaping were identified as major health concerns for children and prior to the state legalizing recreational use of marijuana for adults.

The standards provide guidance to local school districts and, as in previous versions, local control remains in place and parents retain the right to decide whether their children should participate in sex education instruction. Local boards of education determine the health curriculum for their districts, which may include sex education curriculum—if the district decides to offer sex ed— that has been reviewed by local sex education advisory boards that must include 50% parent representation.

Today’s decision came after the board and Michigan Department of Education (MDE) considered public comments by making the standards even clearer about the rights of parents to opt their children out of sex education instruction. The standards remain consistent with Michigan law by providing for local school districts to notify parents in advance of any sex ed instruction.

“Much has changed in the world and our students will benefit from the updated health standards given that the previous standards were nearly 20 years old,” said Interim State Superintendent Dr. Sue C. Carnell. “These revised standards maintain the rights of all parents to have a say in their children’s education when it comes to health and are consistent with state law that requires parents to be able to opt their children out of sexual education lessons.”

Improving the health, safety, and wellness of all learners is one of eight goals in Michigan’s Top 10 Strategic Education Plan.

State Board of Education President Dr. Pamela Pugh said: “Ensuring that every child in Michigan has the opportunity to succeed begins with equipping them with the knowledge to stay healthy and safe. The revised standards provide comprehensive, age-appropriate instruction across key areas, including mental and emotional health, safety, healthy relationships, nutrition and physical activity, substance use and misuse, sexual health, personal wellness, and community and environmental health. As a public health scientist and president of the State Board of Education, I am proud that the Michigan Department of Education has used a transparent and inclusive process to review and update these standards—grounded in research and responsive to the voices of parents, educators, and communities.”

MDE staff shared proposed updates to the standards at a public meeting on Sept. 9. Then the department sought public comments on the proposal for 30 days. It publicized the request for feedback in a press release and social media posts. The department reviewed those public comments, plus others submitted after the 30-day period, and statements from the public made at the September and October State Board of Education meetings.

“These standards provide Michigan school districts with guidance to consider as they update their health education curricula to better reflect health issues that affect students today. Students need to learn how to be healthy if they are to succeed in school,” said Dr. Diane Golzynski, MDE deputy superintendent for Business, Health, and Library Services. “Michigan is a local-control state when it comes to education, so it is ultimately up to local school boards and parents to determine what their health and sex ed curricula look like based on community input. We took seriously public comments and revised the earlier draft version of the standards to make it clearer that local control and parent opt-outs remain, as required by law.”

MDE then revised the proposed standards based on that feedback—particularly the belief expressed by parents that the opt-out would no longer be available. The version of the standards approved today added additional notations that parents must be given the chance to opt their children out of sex ed lessons as required by law.

The Michigan Parent-Teacher Association (PTA), which has more than 24,000 members, is among the organizations that support the revised standards.

“Michigan’s health education standards haven’t been updated since 2007. These new standards are a long-overdue, evidence-based approach to meeting the real health needs of today’s students,” said Dr. Tonya Whitehead, president of the Michigan PTA. “The updated standards will help create healthier, safer, and more supportive schools for every child in Michigan. Health education shouldn’t be an extra—it’s a foundation for learning and thriving.

“For more than a century, Michigan PTA has advocated for the education, health, and well-being of every child,” Whitehead said. “This framework aligns perfectly with our mission to support the whole child—emotionally, intellectually, and physically.”

Michigan’s requirements for parental input on sex education instruction are some of the most comprehensive in the country. The advisory boards review student data and curricula and make recommendations to the local district’s board of education for review and approval.

The lessons in the standards that districts can choose to offer about gender identity are important to prevent bullying, said Aimee Alaniz, director of the MDE Office of Health and Safety. Student achievement is negatively affected when children are bullied and harassed, she said.

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