A statewide curriculum to raise awareness about organ, eye and tissue donations is being relaunched by the Nevada Department of Education -- this time around in partnership with organ donation organization Nevada Donor Network.
The state's middle and high schools will have access to the materials, officials said.
"Through this groundbreaking partnership between Nevada Donor Network and the Nevada Department of Education, Nevada's students and teachers now have access to a statewide curriculum that inspires awareness about organ, eye and tissue donation -- empowering a new generation to embrace the gift of life," Tyre Gray, chief administrative and legal officer for Nevada Donor Network, said in a statement.
In May 2017, then-Gov. Brian Sandoval signed into law Senate Bill 112, which called for the adoption of regulations to create a health course for middle and high school students about organ and tissue donation, with special attention on how to register as a donor; rules governing donor gifts in Nevada; the societal and individual benefits of organ and tissue donations; and facts.
When lawmakers were considering the legislation, state Sen. Ben Kieckhefer, R-Washoe, said the proposal had "the most opportunity to increase the number of donors in our state and save the most lives."
The curriculum has been in development since the mandate went into effect, said the Nevada Donor Network and Nevada Department of Education in a joint press release.
Topics covered include the donation process and impact of donated organs, tissues and corneas -- the transparent front part of the eye; ways to register; benefits of donation; and common myths or misconceptions related to organ donation.
Pamphlets in both English and Spanish, donor family and recipient impact clips, quizzes, peer discussions and a group game will be available for teachers and students.
Material taught using this curriculum will "empower educators to meet these requirements" through current statistics, detailed information about the donation process and local donor and recipient stories.
The educational agency and nonprofit organization added that the curriculum was "designed to help students make an informed decision as they prepare to visit the Department of Motor Vehicles and consider registering as organ, eye and tissue donors."
The Nevada Department of Education said it has "worked tirelessly to ensure that teachers have the tools they need to meet health education requirements," and the Nevada Donor Network added that they're "committed to providing accurate information and resources" as Nevada's only statewide organ procurement organization.
Over 103,000 people in the United States -- including nearly 700 Nevadans -- are on the national transplant waiting list as of October 2024, according to the U.S. Health Resources and Services Administration. Another person is added to this transplant waiting list every eight minutes.
Of the thousands of Americans needing organ transplants in 2023, more than 46,000 were performed, with kidney and liver transplants occurring the most.
Students and teachers can access the coursework on the online learning platform Canvas, which is already widely used in Nevada schools.
The Nevada Department of Education told the Sun in an email that districts and charter schools have been teaching about organ and tissue donation since the 2017 mandate was passed, being provided with materials in the classroom for instruction. With the curriculum -- which they noted "is not entirely new" -- adapted to Canvas, "supplemental curriculum" will be "freely available to all teachers in Nevada."