by Aarna Dixit, SIECUS Policy Intern

See how all 50 states were graded: State Profiles

BEST

Oregon A- : Oregon law requires sex education to be medically accurate, comprehensive while also promoting abstinence. Curriculum must recognize different sexual orientations, gender identities and gender expression, and must include instruction on consent. Parents or guardians may remove their children from sex education instruction. This is referred to as an “opt-out” policy.

Illinois A- : Illinois schools are not required to teach sex education. However, if they do teach sex education it is required to be aligned with the National Sex Education Standards.

Colorado B+ : Sex education is not currently mandated in Colorado, but schools that do must teach sex education that is comprehensive and medically accurate. As Colorado schools are not required to provide sex education to students, school districts are left to decide what, if any, type of sex education they provide to youth.

Washington B+: Washington schools are required to teach sex education. Although the curriculum must stress abstinence, abstinence may not be taught to the exclusion of other materials and instruction on contraceptives and disease prevention. Curriculum must be inclusive of all students, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity, and  is required to include instruction on consent. Parents may also remove their children from the class with written notification. Curriculum must be medically accurate.

California B: Culturally competent, comprehensive, and medically accurate sex education is mandated in California. While schools are not required to teach consent, they must include instruction on healthy relationships.

D.C. B: Sex education is required. Must be age appropriate, but not required to be medically accurate. Must cover HIV/STIs, contraception, SOGI, consent, and some healthy relationships education. Only required to cover abstinence, not stress. Not required to meet the NSES.

Maryland B: Maryland schools are required to teach sex education. This sex education, however, is not required to align with the National Sex Education Standards.

New Jersey B: Curriculum must include instruction on sexual orientation, gender identity and consent. New Jersey allows parents or guardians to remove their children from any part of the health, family life, or sex education classes if it conflicts with their beliefs. Curriculum must be medically accurate.

Rhode Island B: Rhode Island schools are required to teach sex education through their “comprehensive school health education program”. Curriculum must align with Rhode Islands’ Comprehensive Health Instructional Outcomes, and the Health Literacy for All: The Rhode Island Health Education Framework

Maine/Vermont (tied): Sex education is required in Vermont schools as a part of their mandated “comprehensive health education” program in public schools. Instruction on consent is not required, and parents can opt their students out. Maine schools are required to teach sex education through their course on “comprehensive family life education”.  This curriculum, however, does not align with the National Sex Education Standards.

10 WORST

Arizona F: Sex education is not currently mandated in Arizona. As Arizona schools are not required to provide sex education to students, school districts are left to decide what, if any, type of sex education they provide to youth.

Arkansas F: Sex education is not currently mandated in Arkansas, but if offered, it must stress abstinence. If instruction on dating violence is taught, it must be evidence-based.

Indiana F: Sex education is not currently mandated in Indiana, although instruction on HIV is required. Instruction on sex education and HIV must stress abstinence and is not required to be medically accurate, evidence-based, or comprehensive. As Indiana schools are not required to provide sex education to students, school districts are left to decide what, if any, type of sex education they provide to youth. 

Florida F: Some sex education is required by proxy via mandated state health education standards in Florida and Florida law does specify certain curriculum requirements if sex education is taught. As Florida schools are not required to explicitly provide sex education to students, school districts are left to decide what, if any, type of sex education they provide to youth.

Kentucky F: While some sex education is currently required by proxy in Kentucky through their health education standards, it is not required to be medically accurate or include instruction on consent.

Mississippi F: Curriculum must stress abstinence through “abstinence-only” or “abstinence-plus” instruction. Curriculum is not required to include instruction on consent. Mississippi has no regulation regarding medically accurate instruction.

Nebraska F: Nebraska schools are not required to teach sex education. Schools that choose to provide any human sexuality instruction are required to follow an abstinence-only approach.

South Dakota F: South Dakota is not required to teach sex education. However, abstinence is included as a topic under the required “character development instruction” mandated by South Dakota statute. Schools are required to provide instruction on disease prevention under the state’s Health Education Standards. 

Wisconsin/Oklahoma/New York D- (tied):  Sex education is not mandated in Wisconsin. However, if schools choose to teach it they must stress abstinence. Oklahoma schools are not required to teach sex education. However, they are required to provide HIV/AIDS prevention instruction and health education. New York schools are not required to teach sex education. However, HIV/AIDS instruction is required.

Wyoming and Idaho D- (tied): Wyoming schools are not required to teach sex education. Instead, school districts are left to decide what type of sex education–if any at all–they provide to youth. Sex education is not currently mandated in Idaho, but schools that do teach sex education must emphasize abstinence. As a result, school districts are left to decide what, if any, type of sex education they provide to youth.

For any questions about state grading, contact numar@siecus.org