Have you noticed some sex ed lessons missing from your Michigan Model for Health portal?

We know districts are working hard to deliver health education that demonstrates excellence—accurate, accessible, and realistic to implement. To make that job easier, the Michigan Model for Health (MMH) has updated the HIV units at both the middle and high school levels- streamlining content and making it easier than ever to use.

Simplified Access: Everything in One Place

Beginning August 1, 2025, HIV instruction at grades 7-12 will be fully integrated into each grade band’s core MMH license. This innovative approach means no additional licenses are needed—everything you need is in one place, creating equity in access for all districts.

If you wondered about those missing lessons, here’s why: To keep things more targeted, lessons that fell outside the core focus of HIV and STI prevention have been removed from the units. This keeps the curriculum manageable and fully aligned with Michigan’s current HIV education standards.

Quick Overview: Grade-by-Grade Changes

• Grades 7–8 HIV Unit: Condensed to three lessons (original Lessons 1–3).
• Grades 9–12 HIV Unit: Condensed to six lessons (original Lessons 5–9 and 19).
• Digital Access: All six high school lessons have been digitized for ease of use.
• Content: No revisions have been made to lesson content at this time.

Don’t worry! Districts that previously had these lessons approved can still retain them as printed hard copies, but please note that MMH no longer provides support for these omitted lessons, as they are outdated and no longer reflect best practices in prevention education.

Easy Implementation: What You Need to Know

If your district’s Sex Education Advisory Board (SEAB) has already approved the lessons that were left out of the update, you should still continue teaching them. But remember—any changes to your instruction will require a full board review. To request access to archived lessons, please contact Sarah Flinsky at SarahFlinsky@kentisd.org.

As a reminder, the only thing mandated by law is the instruction of HIV content once a year at every building level (MCL 380.1169). Sex education is still a district decision. With the changes to Michigan Model sex education lessons, now would be a great time to review new opportunities for your students!

Get Certified: Required HIV Training Available

Need certification or want to refresh your knowledge? Kent ISD offers Reproductive Health: HIV Certification trainings throughout the school year.

This comprehensive training covers legal requirements, HIV facts, effective curriculum strategies, and how to handle students’ sensitive questions. You’ll earn 4 SCECHs and gain confidence discussing this topic with students.

Important: To get the most from this training, make sure you know what curricula your local School Board has approved.

We have four sessions scheduled this school year. View all health education training dates and register here.

Free Resources to Help You Decide

Curriculum Snapshot Guide: Our colleagues at Eaton RESA have created a free snapshot guide to help districts compare sex education programs. This document provides a quick overview of resources, including the grade levels it’s designed for, the number and length of lessons, and the overall cost. These snapshots also show whether the curriculum covers key subject areas, including those required by law, such as the A–K criteria for sex education.

MiPHY Data: Students deserve education that reflects their real needs. The Michigan Profile for Healthy Youth (MiPHY) survey gathers critical data from 7th, 9th, and 11th graders on health behaviors like nutrition, physical activity, substance use, and sexual health. These insights can help districts choose a curriculum that is both compliant and relevant.

Don’t wait—2025–2026 is an implementation year for MiPHY. Click here for an overview and resources to get started today.

Free Grant Funding: Don’t Miss Out

Take advantage of all that Michigan Model for Health has to offer! From pre-k through grade 12, MMH is equipping students with life skills that go far beyond the classroom. Through lessons on social-emotional health, safety, nutrition, physical activity, and substance use prevention, students develop strong relationships with learning to:

• Build healthy habits
• Make responsible decisions
• Communicate and manage emotions
• Navigate real-world challenges

And here’s some more good news: Kent ISD has grant funds set aside to help districts purchase the Michigan Model for Health curriculum. Whether you’re renewing licenses, adopting MMH for the first time, or moving from binder to digital, we’re here in service to support you.

Ready to get started? Don’t miss out—fill out this form by November 1, 2025 to secure funding for your district.

We know these updates may require planning, but you don’t have to navigate the changes alone. Connect with our Health Education Consultant, Sarah Flinsky (SarahFlinsky@kentisd.org), for guidance and support.

Together, we can ensure students get the high-quality health education they deserve.

#MichiganEducation #HIVEducation #HealthCurriculum #EducatorResources #GrantFunding

This blog post was written by Sarah Flinsky, Health Education Consultant for Kent ISD and edited by Amanda Walma, T/L Marketing and Communications Specialist for Kent ISD.