Sex Education
Get insights into how schools teach about sexual health, relationships, reproduction, sexual orientation, gender identity, and abstinence
The Sex Ed. Battleground Heats Up (Again). Here's What's Actually in New Standards
Vocal opposition from some conservative groups has put a spotlight on schools’ instructional choices.
School & District Management
Could the #MeToo Movement Change Sex Ed.?
The #MeToo movement has brought widespread attention to gender-based harassment in all walks of life. Will it do the same for sex education in schools?
Equity & Diversity
#MeTooK12 Seeks to Spotlight Problem of Sexual Assault in Schools
After months of discussion of workplace sexual assault and harassment, organizers hope the #MeTooK12 campaign will shine a spotlight on sexual violence in public schools.
Equity & Diversity
Consent, Contraception, and LGBT Issues: Sex Ed. Bills States Considered in 2017
There were a total of 64 sex education bills proposed in 27 states and Puerto Rico during 2017 legislative sessions.
Student Well-Being
Responding to and Preventing Sexual Violence Must Be Higher Priority for K-12, Experts Tell Lawmakers
While there's been a spotlight on sexual violence on college campuses in recent years, sexual assault and harassment are also problems in elementary and secondary schools, a panel of experts told a congressional task force on sexual violence.
Student Well-Being
DeVos Kills Obama-Era Guidance on Title IX and Sexual Assault
The U.S. Department of Education withdrew Obama-era guidance on Title IX and sexual assault Friday, and it released interim guidance it plans to leave in place while it seeks public input to inform a new policy.
Student Well-Being
DeVos' Actions on Title IX and Sexual Assault Could Affect K-12 Schools, Too
U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos announced Thursday plans to revise Obama-era civil rights guidance on Title IX and sexual assault, a move that could affect elementary and secondary schools.
Student Well-Being
Trump Administration Abruptly Cuts Off Teen Pregnancy Prevention Funding
Teen pregnancy prevention programs set to end in 2020 will now lose funding in 2018 after the Trump administration opted to end federal grants, Reveal reports. Many of those programs targeted teen girls from minority populations that are at higher risk for early pregnancy.
Student Well-Being
Opinion
We Aren't Doing Enough to Teach Girls About Sex (Q&A)
Abstinence-only "garbage" fails to prepare kids for positive sexual encounters and relationships, says Peggy Orenstein in a Commentary Q&A.
Student Well-Being
Should Schools Teach About Sexting, Consent? Nevada Students Pitch Rule
A panel of Nevada students has proposed a bill that would require high schools to teach about issues like sexting, consent, and driving under the influence.
School & District Management
Teen Birth Rates Hit All-Time Low, But Disparities Persist
Births to American teenagers have dropped 40 percent in the last decade, hitting an all-time low in 2014, new federal data show. But Hispanic and black teens still have significantly higher rates than their white peers.
Curriculum
Sex Education Programs Don't Meet Federal Recommendations in Many States
Nearly half of the high schools examined in a recent report don't include all 16 recommended topics in their sex education programs.
States
Sex Education Programs Fall Short of CDC Recommendations in Many States
Many U.S. high schools and middle schools fall short of meeting the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's recommendations for sex education programs. How does your state stack up?
States
Advocates for LGBT Students Push for More Inclusive Sex Education in Schools
Issues important to LGBT students are too often ignored in school sex education classes, a coalition of advocacy groups said.
States
California Blazes Trail With New Sex Education Mandates
A pair of new laws includes a requirement that students learn about affirmative sexual consent, known as "yes means yes."