1.8 School and Organizational Impacts on Values and Beliefs Around Sexuality
Organizations, like schools, impact our values and beliefs. Educational settings can do this in a few ways. The first and most obvious example is sexuality education. The amount and type of education dedicated to these topics directly affects individual knowledge, attitudes, skills, and behaviors (Sexuality Education and Information Council of the United States, 2024; U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, n.d.). In public K-12 education this information is generally delivered by a teacher in a health class, but sometimes also occurs through peer educators. In college, students are more likely to encounter optional short educational sessions from peer education groups or be exposed through academic coursework.
The Current State of Sex Education in U.S. K-12 Schools
Federal law does not currently require schools to provide comprehensive sexuality education to young people. Each individual state has its own policies on the issue. Some have no policy, others mandate comprehensive or abstinence-only programs, and others have language that requires some form of education on prevention, but vary by their requirements (Guttmacher, 2025; Sexuality Education and Information Council of the United States, 2024). States can choose to apply for federal funds to support either comprehensive or abstinence-only-until-marriage education. Additionally, a growing number of states either encourage or require districts to provide education addressing dating violence (Chriqui et al., 2019).
What we do know is that according to the 2018 School Health Profiles report, a mere 42% of high schools and 17% of middle schools are teaching students the 20 topics the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Division of Adolescent and School Health has indicated as critical to sexual health education (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2019a). Additionally, between 2011 to 2019 the percentage of adolescents ages 15-19 receiving sexuality education declined, with significant racial and gender disparities (Lindberg & Kantor, 2022).
Important discrepancies occur amongst the educators. Some teachers may be required to teach this topic, but lack the training or interest necessary to teach it effectively, while other teachers specialize in health education or have specialized training on teaching sexuality education. Few districts require those teaching sexuality education to have training on the specific topics—33% of districts for pregnancy prevention, 37% for human sexuality and STIs, and 39% for HIV/AIDS. Some districts even provide professional development funding for this purpose (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2017b). Sometimes a teacher will bring in a community educator from a local sexual health clinic to speak, which happens in 32% of school districts (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2017b). While guest speakers in the community can help students understand local resources, they may also be invited because the teacher doesn’t specialize in these topics or because school, district, state, or federal policy prohibits the teacher from speaking about certain topics, but an outside source can.
All of these factors result in each school district, school, and teacher providing different levels of education (Guttmacher Institute, 2025). What young people are being taught is largely inconsistent. Certain school districts adopt specific sexuality education curriculum or provide teachers with standards, while others only inform educators what they can’t teach. About 41% of districts have a policy requiring schools to follow standards based on the National Sex Education Standards (PDF) (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2017b). These evidence-informed and theory-based standards outline the minimum age-appropriate content and skills students should be learning based on their grade level, from kindergarten through twelfth grade (Future of Sex Education Initiative, 2020).
Learn More: National Sex Ed Standards
Recognizing the disparate levels of sexuality education youth receive and the limited time educators are allowed to teach these topics, Future of Sex Education, a collaborative of public health, health education, sexuality education, public policy, philanthropy, and advocacy professionals, developed the National Sex Education Standards. The standards, which are based off of the National Health Education Standards, provide age- and developmentally-appropriate key indicators that specify the minimum and essential skills and information a student should receive between kindergarten and twelfth grade. Like other educational standards in a K-12 setting, the National Sex Education Standards are structured in a way that supports educators in creating a long-term plan for sexuality education by building upon previous content taught earlier in a student’s schooling. The standards are evidence-informed and guided by theory. In line with the principles of comprehensive sexuality education, the standards view sexuality as a natural part of development and acknowledge that these topics impact a student’s academics, as well as the other domains in their life.
Each of the standards is categorized based on topic and the National Health Education Standard addressed, and separated based on grade level: Kindergarten through second, third through fifth, sixth through eighth, and ninth through twelfth.
Topics addressed include:
- Anatomy and Physiology
- Puberty and Adolescent Sexual Development
- Gender Identity and Expression
- Sexual Orientation and Identity
- Sexual Health
- Consent and Healthy Relationships
- Interpersonal Violence
In alignment with the National Health Education Standards, key indicators focus on:
- Analyzing influences
- Accessing information
- Interpersonal communication
- Decision-making
- Goal setting
- Self-management
- Advocacy
Educator Perspective: Goals of Sexuality Education
Educational Environments
Another way schools can have an influence is through the resources that are offered. Some high schools have school-based clinics that can provide safer sex supplies, contraception, STI testing and treatment, and referral to other community resources. Certain districts provide specialized support and education for students who are pregnant or parenting. Support may come in the form of a gender and sexuality alliance (GSA) student group or through peer counselors or educators. Often, colleges have additional resources like student health centers, peers who specialize in sexual health promotion, and student groups that are related to health or sexuality. Much of this depends on the specific institution, and whether it’s public, private, or religiously affiliated. Certain institutions have policies in place that prohibit them from talking about certain topics, like abortion, or offering contraceptive services or safer sex supplies. Overall, the amount and type of resources and education available to students communicates a message, in and of itself, about sexuality to students.
Optional Reflection: State Profiles of Sexuality Education in the U.S.
Take a moment to consider how this information applies to your life. You can type your response below and have the option to export your reflection by advancing to the next slide using the button at the bottom of the text box. Please note, the e-textbook platform does not collect or save your responses.
Visit the Guttmacher Institute’s website and scroll through the tables to learn more about the sexuality education requirements for the state you grew up or currently live.
Self-Assess Your Understanding
- In what ways do education systems and environments impact values and beliefs around sexuality?