IMPROVING THE QUALITY OF SEX EDUCATION IN OUR NATION’S SCHOOLS
Laws and Policies Currently Promoted by “Parents Rights” Groups: Countering Parents’ Rights Frames
Hundreds of new laws are censoring what teachers can talk about, banning sex ed, stopping teachers from teaching empathy, and putting LGBTQ+ youth in danger. Those pushing this agenda call it “parents’ rights.” But it is a strategy funded by far-right activists at the national level to gain political power. Learn More
The National Sexuality Education Standards, 2nd Edition
Clear, consistent and straightforward guidance on the essential minimum, core content for sexuality education that is developmentally and age-appropriate for students in grades K–12. Learn More
The NSES in Brief: The Truth about Sex Education: What’s Actually Taught and When
Future of Sex Ed Research Agenda: A Call to Action
Developed from the Future of Sex Education Research convening to advance a conversation on improving and expanding data collection, evaluation, and research efforts to understand the broader individual, community, and social benefits of comprehensive sex education in the U.S. Download PDF
Three Decades of Research: The Case for Comprehensive Sex Education
Eva S. Goldfarb, Ph.D. and Lisa D. Lieberman, Ph.D. examined studies from over three decades of research on sex education and found “evidence for the effectiveness of approaches that address a broad definition of sexual health and take positive, affirming, inclusive approaches to human sexuality.” Learn More
National Standards and Implementation Tools
The National Sex Education Standards (NSES) outline the foundational knowledge and skills students need to navigate sexual development and grow into sexually healthy adults.
Sex Education Research and References
As they grow up, young people face important decisions about relationships, sexuality, and sexual behavior. It is not enough for programs to include discussions of abstinence and contraception to help young people avoid unintended pregnancy or disease. Comprehensive sexual health education must do more. It must provide young people with honest, age-appropriate information and skills necessary to help them take personal responsibility for their health and overall well being.
Professional Learning Standards for Sex Education from the Sex Education Collaborative
The Professional Learning Standards for Sex Education (PLSSE) are designed to help improve educators’ ability to effectively address sexuality in the classroom. Created by the Sex Education Collaborative (SEC), the PLSSE dovetail with the NSES and were developed to provide guidance to school administrators and classroom educators about the content, skills, and professional disposition needed to implement sex education effectively.
National Teacher Preparation Standards and Tools
In the United States, sexuality education is most commonly taught within the health education curriculum at the middle and high school levels. The Teacher Preparation Standards will better prepare undergraduate pre-service students in providing high-quality comprehensive sexuality education that is developmentally, culturally, and age appropriate.
Professional Preparation Program Curriculum Mapping Tool for Implementation of the National Teacher Preparation Standards for Sexuality Education- 1st Edition
Assessment of the Application of the National Teacher Preparation Standards for Sexuality Education in a Professional Preparation Program- 1st Edition
Organizing Partners
Advocates for Youth partners with youth leaders, adult allies, and youth-serving organizations to advocate for policies and champion programs that recognize young people’s rights to honest sexual health information; accessible, confidential, and affordable sexual health services; and the resources and opportunities necessary to create sexual health equity for all youth.For more information about Advocates for Youth, visit www.advocatesforyouth.org.
Founded in 1981 as the New Jersey Network for Family Life Education, Answer provides and promotes comprehensive sexuality education for young people and the adults who teach them. From its inception, Answer has provided high-quality training to educators and health professionals to ensure they are prepared to provide the information young people need and deserve to make healthy decisions. In 1994, Answer also began using the power of peer-to-peer communication in the publication of its award-winning, teen-written Sex, Etc. magazine and website, which allows teens to directly access accurate and developmentally appropriate sexuality information. To learn more about Answer visit http://answer.rutgers.edu.
Planned Parenthood is the nation’s leading provider and advocate of high-quality, affordable sexual and reproductive health care for all people, as well as the nation’s largest provider of sex education. With nearly 600 health centers across the country, Planned Parenthood organizations care for all patients with compassion, with respect, and without judgment. Through health centers, programs in schools and communities, and online resources, Planned Parenthood is a trusted source of reliable education and information that allows people to make informed health decisions. Planned Parenthood is made up of many separate nonprofit organizations. Planned Parenthood Federation of America (PPFA) is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization that supports the independently incorporated Planned Parenthood affiliates, which operate nonprofit health centers across the U.S.
Since 1964, SIECUS has asserted that sexuality is a fundamental part of being human, one worthy of dignity and respect. Through policy, advocacy, education, and strategic communications efforts, SIECUS advances sex education as a vehicle for social change—working toward a world where all people can access and enjoy sexual and reproductive freedom as they define it for themselves. For more information about SIECUS, visit www.siecus.org.
For media inquiries please contact:
Advocates for Youth
phone: 202-419-3420
email: Emily Bridges, emily@advocatesforyouth.org
Answer
phone: 848-445-7929
email: Tazmine Weisgerber, tw567@gsapp.rutgers.edu
email: media.office@ppfa.org
SIECUS
phone: 202-265-2405
email: Michelle Slaybaugh, mslaybaugh@siecus.org