SPRINGFIELD – A proposal from Illinois Senate Assistant Majority Leader Kimberly A. Lightford (D-Maywood) would implement a pilot program to make parenting courses part of the health education curriculum for high school students.

“Parenting education gives young adults a realistic overview of what life is like when you are responsible for another human being,” Lightford said. “It also gives them skills that will hold value in adulthood.”

House Bill 4442 requires the State Board of Education to administer a three-year pilot program providing support to school districts that utilize a unit of instruction on parenting education.

The program would begin with the 2019-2020 school year, and is encouraged to include:
•    Family structure, function and management
•    Prevention of child abuse
•    Physical, mental, emotional, social, economic and psychological aspects of interpersonal and family relationships
•    Parenting education competency development

The proposal was approved in the Senate Education Committee Tuesday and will head to the full Senate for further consideration.