HD22 - Current HIV/AIDS Prevention Programs in the Public Schools of Virginia

  • Published: 1992
  • Author: Department of Education
  • Enabling Authority: House Joint Resolution 343 (Regular Session, 1991)

Executive Summary:
This study was conducted during the spring and summer of 1991 in response to House Joint Resolution (HJR) 437 (1991 session). The resolution requested that the Department of Education study HIV/AIDS prevention education programs and suggest revised approaches to more realistically reflect current issues related to HIV infection and other sexually transmitted diseases. This study was conducted in conjunction with the study required by HJR 343 (1991) on comprehensive health education. Please see the response to HJR 343 for additional related information.

Objectives of the Study

• evaluate the AIDS education programs as implemented by local school divisions to assess (a) compliance with any relevant guidelines and standards of learning objectives, and (b) the effectiveness of such programs;

• develop a plan to encourage revision of local approaches for those divisions not aggressively complying with appropriate guidelines for AIDS education programs in elementary and secondary schools;

• prepare a report presenting the research resulting from this study, the recommendations of the team, and the implications of the recommendations.

Sources of Information

• review of health curriculum documents from Virginia school divisions;
• survey of Virginia school divisions, and
• analysis of the need to coordinate efforts with other agencies and organizations.

Findings of the Study

• Thirty-six school divisions (30%) judged the effectiveness of their HIV/AIDS prevention education programs to be in need of improvement or ineffective.

• HIV/AIDS prevention education is taught primarily by regular classroom teachers in elementary schools and by health and physical education specialists in middle and high schools. In general, even health and physical education specialists have had little training on the topic and most elementary teachers have had no formal training on the topic. Virginia school divisions reported that 1,055 (44%) of their HIV/AIDS teachers needed additional training. Divisions' training needs are greatest for HIV/AIDS and a few other specialized topics in health.

• To date, 130 of 135 school divisions have adopted local guidelines for school attendance for children with HIV.

• Ninety of 118 school divisions reported that they had a local curriculum for HIV/AIDS instruction.

• Seventy percent of Virginia school divisions reported that their HIV/AIDS prevention instruction is entirely within their Family Life Education program. More than 90 percent of students in grades 7-10 received instruction in HIV/AIDS prevention, whereas only about 50 percent of students in grades 11-12 received such instruction.

Recommendations

• The Department of Education should review school divisions' policies for school attendance of students who are HIV infected; advise school divisions of recommendations for strengthening their policy statements.

• The Department of Education should work with colleges and universities to promote the incorporation of HIV/AIDS education in all pre-service teacher preparation programs, K-12.

• The Department of Education should design and implement a plan for evaluating the long-term effectiveness of its HIV/AIDS prevention education program.

• The Department of Education should conduct a student health-risk behavior survey for middle and high school students on a regular basis. The survey findings should be used for making modifications in the Comprehensive School Health Education Programs.

• The Board of Education and Department of Education should commit to the incorporation of HIV/AIDS prevention education into Comprehensive School Health Programs in the public schools of Virginia, emphasizing the need for increased educational efforts aimed at 11th-12th grade students and the infusion of prevention education into many curriculum areas. Further, that the Department should communicate this commitment to Virginia school divisions.

• The Department of Education should increase personnel and fiscal commitments to provide on-going training to staff to school divisions on HIV/AIDS education and related topics. Recommended for funding in the 1994-96 biennium.

• The Department of Education should incorporate HIV/AIDS prevention education into all substance prevention education curricula and teacher training workshops.