Teach Safe Relationships Act of 2015 2015-07-21 Introduced in House Teach Safe Relationships Act of 2015

This bill amends the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (ESEA) to authorize the Department of Education (ED) to award competitive four-year grants to local educational agencies (LEAs) to provide: (1) professional development to school administrators, teachers, and staff in safe relationship behavior education; and (2) educational programming and curricula for students regarding safe relationship behavior.

"Safe relationship behavior education" is education that:

  • is medically accurate and appropriate for an individual's age, developmental stage, and culture;
  • promotes safe relationships and teaches students to recognize and prevent coercion, violence, or abuse, including physical and emotional relationship abuse;
  • includes education regarding communication skills, emotional health, accountability, and well-being in relationships; and
  • includes education regarding healthy relationships and consent.

ED must provide LEAs with policy guidance regarding safe relationship behavior training and the promotion of safe and healthy relationships.

ESEA funds may not be used for sex or HIV-prevention education in schools if that instruction does not include safe relationship behavior education. (Under current law, sex or HIV-prevention education in schools must be age appropriate and include the health benefits of abstinence.)

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