Comprehensive Sexual Health Education

a systematic, effective way schools can provide adolescents the essential knowledge and critical skills needed to decrease sexual risk behaviors.

The goal of the National Sexuality Education Standards: Core Content and Skills, K–12 is to provide 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.

This module contains the tools to analyze and score curricula that are intended to promote sexual health and prevent sexual risk-related health problems, including teen pregnancy, Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) infection, and other sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), regardless of sexual orientation.

This document was prepared by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), National Center for HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and TB Prevention (NCHHSTP), Division of Adolescent and School Health (DASH) with technical and editorial assistance provided by CDC-funded partners and other external experts in field of school health education. CDC acknowledges Dr. Susan Telljohann for her contribution to the steps and examples described in this document.

A sexual health education scope and sequence identifies what students should know and when it should be taught for each grade or grade group to lower students’ risk of HIV, STD, and teen pregnancy. The scope and sequence is an essential part of the curriculum framework and serves as a guide for curriculum directors, administrators, teachers, parents, and school board members.

Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer/questioning (LGBTQ) youth are part of every community, come from all walks of life, and are present in every racial, ethnic, socioeconomic, and geographical group. While many LGBTQ youth transition from childhood to adulthood successfully and become healthy and productive adults, others are negatively impacted as a result of many factors; for LGBTQ youth, social stigma about their sexual choices or identities can be particularly difficult. Stigma comes in many forms, such as discrimination, harassment, family disapproval, social rejection, and violence. This puts LGBTQ youth at increased risk for certain negative health outcomes.

Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer/questioning (LGBTQ) youth are part of every community, come from all walks of life, and are present in every racial, ethnic, socioeconomic, and geographical group. While many LGBTQ youth transition from childhood to adulthood successfully and become healthy and productive adults, others are negatively impacted as a result of many factors; for LGBTQ youth, social stigma about their sexual choices or identities can be particularly difficult. Stigma comes in many forms, such as discrimination, harassment, family disapproval, social rejection, and violence. This puts LGBTQ youth at increased risk for certain negative health outcomes.

This fact sheet developed by the CDC provides an overview of sexual violence and prevention strategies.

This CDC toolkit provides resources and strategies for families, schools and communities to prevent sexual violence.