Provide Prevention & Intervention Education 

State law requires districts to teach about the effects of alcohol and controlled substances through age-appropriate, developmentally based drug, tobacco/nicotine, marijuana and alcohol education and prevention programs from pre-K-12. 

• • • • Per state law, this content shall be studied and taught, as thoroughly and in the same manner as other like-required branches are taught. 

      • NOTE: Districts interpret how to implement laws. 

During the Spring of 2018, the State Board of Education approved revisions to the Colorado Academic Standards (CAS), as required by statute. This resulted in the updated 2020 Comprehensive Health Education Standards that underscore important skills for navigating today’s society with its complex and often confusing messages around health, beauty, and happiness. 

• • • • The overarching guidance to districts related to CAS is “All Students, All Standards" linked here, meaning all students should have education on the content and topics outlined in the state’s Comprehensive Health Education Standards. However, how this is implemented varies by school district. 

      • Currently, Comprehensive Health and Physical Education Standards or content are not included in required state assessments. 

      • Colorado does not require any specific content or classes for graduation but instead has Graduation Guidelines linked here. Districts determine course-specific graduation requirements for all content areas, including whether or not a student is required to take Comprehensive Health or Physical Education credits to graduate.

All students should be receiving viable, guaranteed, comprehensive, factual and skills-based health education as part of the Colorado Academic Standards for Comprehensive Health Education. The Standards include foundational behavioral health and social, emotional skills, as well as substance misuse prevention.

Schools can offer health education as a stand alone course or as lessons/units integrated into advisement classes or other relevant content areas such as Biology, Social Sciences, Family and Consumer Sciences, etc. Health education can be taught by a variety of staff depending on the school and resources available, including:

• Classroom teachers 

• PE/health teachers

• School health professionals (nurses, counselors, social emotional learning specialists, etc.)

• Approved community partners

Due to limited resources, time and staff, even with state law and district policies, consistent, standards-based health education is still not truly required or measured. Implementation often depends on the school, teacher, and the time and resources they have available.