The SIECUS State Profiles 2019 / 2020

State Profiles

State Profile Highlights

  • 29 states and the District of Columbia mandate sex education.
  • 35 states require schools to stress abstinence when sex education or HIV/STI instruction is provided.
  • 16 states require instruction on condoms or contraception when sex education or HIV/STI instruction is provided.
  • 15 states do not require sex education or HIV/STI instruction to be any of the following: age-appropriate, medically accurate, culturally responsive, or evidence-based/evidence-informed.
  • Only 9 states require sex education or HIV/STI instruction to include information on consent.
  • Only 8 states require culturally responsive sex education and HIV/STI instruction.
  • 7 states have policies that include affirming sexual orientation instruction on LGBQT identities or discussion of sexual health for LGBQT youth. 
  • 9 states explicitly require instruction that discriminates against LGBTQ people.

For more on state sex ed laws and policies across the US, view our Sex Ed State Law and Policy Chart. For a detailed look at sex ed activity in your community, click on your state in the map above.

About the SIECUS State Profiles

The SIECUS State Profiles provides an in-depth and up-to-date look at the state of sex education in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the outer United States territories and associated states. 

The profiles include an overview of each state’s current sex education laws, policies, and guidelines, newly introduced legislation, and relevant action that advocates have taken to advance or defend sex education in their communities. This report also incorporates the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s School Health Profiles data to help paint a comprehensive picture of what sexual health education topics are, or are not, being taught to young people in the classroom.

The SIECUS State Profiles serves as a living resource and will be regularly updated as new legislation and related activity becomes available. 

This resource is intended to be used by advocates, educators, policymakers, health care providers, parents, and youth to aid in efforts to advance sex education in every community across the country. To request older editions of the SIECUS State Profiles (2003 – 2018), please email info@siecus.org.

Other State Profile Editions (Archive)

Review the 2023 Sex Ed State Profiles

Review the 2022 Sex Ed State Profiles

Review the 2021 Sex Ed State Profiles

Older Archives (2016-2018)