State Profiles

SIECUS Overview

Detailed Insights on U.S. Sex Education Policies

Access the SIECUS State Profiles for real-time updates on U.S. state sex education policies. Our color-coded, state-by-state analysis evaluates current laws and legislative activities, offering detailed insights into regional sex education standards. This evolving resource includes data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s School Health Profiles, highlighting the sexual health topics taught in classrooms.

In 2023, the SIECUS Policy team developed the US Sex Ed Report Card to grade state sex education policies, providing a clearer understanding of sex education laws across the country and highlighting key gaps and discrepancies. Our goal is to empower advocates by offering an accessible and illuminating resource that underscores the urgent need for equitable access to sexual health information for all young people.

Designed for advocates, educators, policymakers, health care providers, parents, and youth, these profiles and the new report card are essential tools for advancing informed, equitable, and comprehensive sex education nationwide. Stay informed and support the movement for effective sex education in every community.

For a detailed look at sex ed policies that impact you based on where you live, click on your state in the map above.

State Profile Highlights

27 states and the District of Columbia have laws requiring sex education, either explicitly in statute or by proxy via enforced state standards. This education may be called by different names, including (but not limited to): family life education, comprehensive personal health and safety education, and human growth and development education.
- Regardless of sex education being required, this does not ensure quality instruction.
36 states and the District of Columbia specifically require instruction on HIV/AIDS in schools.
5 states (FL, OH, NH, UT, WI) require instruction on health, which incorporates some sexual health concepts such as STI prevention, sexual violence prevention, and healthy relationships
- This curriculum is not considered comprehensive enough to count as sex education
39 states and the District of Columbia require schools to emphasize or stress the importance of abstinence when sex education or HIV/STI instruction is provided, over other options.
14 states provide abstinence-only sex education
23 states and the District of Columbia require instruction on condoms or contraception when sex education or HIV/STI instruction is provided.
16 states do not require sex education or HIV/STI instruction to be any of the following, by law: age-appropriate, medically accurate, culturally responsive, or evidence-based/evidence-informed.
15 states and the District of Columbia require sex education or HIV/STI instruction to include information on consent.
8 states and the District of Columbia have policies that require instruction on sexual orientation and gender identity.
19 states have laws that create a hostile environment where LGBTQIA+ students are stigmatized and/or excluded from sex education
- 10 states explicitly require stigmatizing language about LGBTQIA+ people
- 13 states have passed “Don’t Say Gay” or similar legislation that restricts classroom discussion of sexual orientation and gender identity (SOGI)
17 states that stigmatize abortion in sex ed
- 5 of these states (ID, IN, KS, ND, TN) have “Baby Olivia” laws or laws that require inaccurate and stigmatizing instruction on fetal development, often including the viewing of the “Meet Baby Olivia” video developed by anti-abortion group LiveAction
4 states require sex education to instruct on menstrual health beyond teaching on puberty.
5 states have laws requiring comprehensive sex education (CSE). Of these:
- 3 states (CA, OR, WA) require comprehensive sex education to be taught in all schools
- 2 states (CO and IL) require sex education curriculum to be comprehensive, IF it is taught in schools
  - 1 state (IL) requires sex education curriculum to align with the National Sex Education Standards

*Provided highlights are not a comprehensive view of how sex education is implemented in each state; rather, it only represents the policies and laws in place that influence the kind of sex education that might exist in your local jurisdiction. As a result, these highlights do not reflect the realities of how sex education looks like in classrooms across the United States due to the intricacies of local control at the school district and individual school level.

Policy and Media Inquiries Contact:
Alison Macklin (she/her)
SIECUS Director of Public Affairs, amacklin@siecus.org

Download Report Card