Prenatal Human Growth and Development
SDCL 13-3-98, 13-3-99, and 13-3-100 effective July 1, 2026, requires that instruction in prenatal human growth and development includes two specific videos.
Approved videos listed on the South Dakota Department of Education Prenatal Human Growth and Development page may be used to meet the requirement.
Approval Process for Videos
The Board of Education Standards shall recommend resources that a school district shall use in providing a health or science curriculum.
The following criteria of the resources must be met:
- is research-based
- age-appropriate
- includes a high-definition ultrasound video that shows the presence of the brain, heart, and other major organs as they appear at various states of prenatal development and must be at least three minutes in length
- includes a high-quality, computer-generated rendering or animation, or high-definition ultrasound video that shows the progress of prenatal human development from fertilization through birth, noting significant moments in the progress of the cellular growth and organ development and must be at least three minutes in length
The Board of Education Standards will not accept an application from an entity that:
- Performs abortions
- Promotes abortions
- Contracts or subcontracts with an entity that performs abortions or promotes abortion
- Becomes or continues to be affiliated with an entity that performs abortions or promotes abortions
- Regularly makes referrals to an entity that provides abortions or promotes abortions
To become approved:
- The training provider completes the Application for Approval by Dec. 1. Submit any additional information to Shannon Malone.
- Applications are reviewed annually after Dec. 1. SD DOE staff will review the training using an evaluation and determine if it meets the approval criteria. If the training meets the approval criteria, SD DOE staff will present to the South Dakota Board of Education Standards in a following spring meeting for approval. If the training does not meet the approval criteria, SD DOE staff will provide feedback to the provider outlining why the training does not meet the requirements.
- Trainings approved by the South Dakota Board of Education Standards will be made available by July 1 of the year they are approved and posted on the Prenatal Human Growth and Development page.
Recommended Videos
| The Biology of Prenatal Development (Running time: 42 minutes) |
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| Endowment for Human Development (EHD) Cost: Independent Sellers with costs ranging from $15 - $29 plus shipping Audio: English, Subtitles: English, Spanish, and French Content: DVD Additional Content: PDF of program script, footnotes, bibliography, appendices, and index; PDF files with program script in Spanish and French; |
| How a Human Embryo Develops into a Fetus (Running time: 3 minutes 39 seconds) |
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| How a Human Embryo Develops into a Fetus - Encyclopedia Britannica, Inc. Cost: Free Audio: English, Subtitles: English Content: Online Streaming |
| A Never Before Seen Look at Human Life in the Womb | Baby Olivia (Running time: 3 minutes 13 seconds) |
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| A Never Before Seen Look at Human Life in the Womb | Baby Olivia - Live Action Cost: Free Audio: Options available, Subtitles: English, Hebrew, Spanish Content: Online Streaming |
For questions related to the approval of Prenatal Human Growth and Development videos, contact Shannon Malone at (605) 773-4681.