Section 51938.
Cal. Education Code - EDC § 51938.
in effect(a)
A parent or guardian of a pupil has the right to excuse their child from all or part of comprehensive sexual health education, HIV prevention education, and assessments related to that education through a passive consent (“opt-out”) process. A school district shall not require active parental consent (“opt-in”) for comprehensive sexual health education and HIV prevention education.
(b)
At the beginning of each school year, or, for a pupil who enrolls in a school after the beginning of the school year, at the time of that pupil’s enrollment, each school district shall notify the parent or guardian of each pupil about instruction in comprehensive
sexual health education and HIV prevention education and research on pupil health behaviors and risks planned for the coming year. The notice shall do all of the following:
(1)
Advise the parent or guardian that written and audiovisual educational materials used in comprehensive sexual health education and HIV prevention education are available for inspection.
(2)
Advise the parent or guardian whether the comprehensive sexual health education or HIV prevention education will be taught by school district personnel or by outside consultants. A school district may provide comprehensive sexual health education or HIV prevention education, to be taught by outside consultants, and may hold an assembly to deliver comprehensive sexual health education or HIV prevention education by
guest speakers, but if it elects to provide comprehensive sexual health education or HIV prevention education in either of these manners, the notice shall include the date of the instruction, the name of the organization or affiliation of each guest speaker, and information stating the right of the parent or guardian to request a copy of this section, Section 51933, and Section 51934. If arrangements for this instruction are made after the beginning of the school year, notice shall be made by mail or another commonly used method of notification, no fewer than 14 days before the instruction is delivered.
(3)
Include information explaining the parent’s or guardian’s right to request a copy of this chapter.
(4)
Advise the parent or guardian that the parent or guardian has the
right to excuse their child from comprehensive sexual health education and HIV prevention education and that in order to excuse their child they must state their request in writing to the school district.
(c)
Notwithstanding Section 51513, anonymous, voluntary, and confidential research and evaluation tools to measure pupils’ health behaviors and risks, including tests, questionnaires, and surveys containing age-appropriate questions about the pupil’s attitudes concerning or practices relating to sex, may be administered to any pupil in grades 7 to 12, inclusive. A parent or guardian has the right to excuse their child from the test, questionnaire, or survey through a passive consent (“opt-out”) process. A school district shall not require active parental consent (“opt-in”) for these tests, questionnaires, or surveys in grades 7 to 12,
inclusive. Parents or guardians shall be notified in writing that this test, questionnaire, or survey is to be administered, given the opportunity to review the test, questionnaire, or survey if they wish, notified of their right to excuse their child from the test, questionnaire, or survey, and informed that in order to excuse their child they must state their request in writing to the school district.
(d)
The use of outside consultants or guest speakers as described in paragraph (2) of subdivision (b) is within the discretion of the
school district.
References
referencesCal. Education Code - EDC § 51933.
referencesCal. Education Code - EDC § 51934.
referencesCal. Education Code - EDC § 51513.
Source: CA Legislative Counsel Bulk DataURL: https://downloads.leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/pubinfo_2025.zipFetched: 6/27/2026