Sexual Health Education Resources

Resources listed here are for educators, administrators, and families and are not necessarily intended for classroom use. We recommend reviewing all instructional materials for alignment with district policy and state requirements before using them with students. Resources are provided for informational purposes and not as recommendations from OSPI. Contact Laurie Dils if you’re looking for resources not listed here.

• Sexual Health Education
• HIV/AIDS
• Family-Child Communication
• Safe and Supportive Schools
• Sexual Health Services
• Webinars and Training

Sexual Health Education

Districts, when providing sexual health education, must comply with RCW 28A.300.475, which is based on the legislature's finding "that young people should have the knowledge and skills necessary to build healthy relationships, and to protect themselves from unintended pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases, including HIV infection." The law defines comprehensive sexual health education, which must be age-appropriate, medically accurate, evidence-informed, address both abstinence and other prevention methods, and inclusive of all students, using language and strategies that recognize all protected classes.

Online & Remote Learning Resources

See our Training/Staff Development page for Online Professional Development opportunities

• HIV and Me: Marissa’s Story, video developed to support the KNOW curriculum for 5th grade. Should be used with teacher’s discussion guide.
• King Co. Sexual Assault Resource Center (KCSARC) "What are Boundaries" and "What is Consent," sexual violence prevention online resources for middle and high school. Videos with handouts and worksheets.
• Seattle Public Schools/Harborview Abuse and Trauma Center, “Boundaries" video for use in Grade 4. Available on Vimeo, close-captioned with auto-translate function.
• Seattle Public Schools/Harborview Abuse and Trauma Center, “Handling Rejection: When Someone Says No" video for use in Grade 4. Available on Vimeo, close-captioned with auto-translate function.
• Seattle Public Schools/Harborview Abuse and Trauma Center, "Consent is Everything", youth-led, youth-created video. Available on YouTube, close-captioned with auto-translate function.
• Seattle Public Schools, Puberty and You video. Available on YouTube, close-captioned with auto-translate function.
• Sex Ed To-Go, free portal with classroom resources based on the National Sexuality Education Standards, closed-captioned materials, available in English and Spanish, Planned Parenthood Pacific Southwest.
• Understanding HIV/AIDS: Learn the Facts, Fight the Stigma, Stay Safe, video developed to support the KNOW curriculum for 6th grade.

Health/Sexual Health Education Standards

• WA Health and Physical Education K-12 Standards
• Sexual Health Education Standards Comparison (2018) provides a comparison of the 2016 WA Health Education K-12 Learning Standards and the National Sexuality Education Standards. This document will be useful for curriculum alignment and planning purposes and may be used in conjunction with the 2013 Standards Comparison.
• Sexual Health Education Standards Comparison (2013) provides a comparison of National Sexuality Education Standards, ELA Common Core State Standards, WA 2005 Guidelines, the Healthy Youth Act, and the 2008 K-12 Health and Fitness Learning Standards. Sample activities to link sexual health education and ELA standards are provided.
• Health Education K-12 Learning Standards: Focus on Sexual Health | audio recording (Note that information about sexual health education requirements has changed; for updated information, see the CSHE Implementation page.)

Instructional Materials, Reviews, Scope & Sequence

• Instructional Materials Reviews and Supports - tools for assessing curricula for use in WA schools, curriculum review reports.
• School-Based Sexual Health Education Guidance Tool, ETR - curriculum planning tool offering a step-by-step process for implementing an effective curriculum.

Evidence-Based Programs and Research

• ReCAPP (Resource Center for Adolescent Pregnancy Prevention) - evidenced-based resources, tools, and research summaries on sexuality education programs
• WA PREP (Personal Responsibility Education Program) for Healthy Youth - Washington's evidence-based federally funded teen pregnancy prevention program.
• "Three Decades of Research: The Case for Comprehensive Sex Education, "Journal of Adolescent Health, Oct. 12, 2020.

Population-Specific Education

Also, see resources below on "Support for LGBTQ Students"

• Healthy Native Youth - health promotion materials, including sexual health curricula for American Indian and Alaska Native youth.
• Sex Ed for People with I/DD, free video series from the National Council on Independent Living (NCIL) and Rooted in Rights, with support from the WITH Foundation.
• Sexual education resources for children, teens and young adults with developmental and intellectual disabilities, for parents and professionals. Resource list from RespectAbility.
• Sexual Health Resources | OHSU, including teaching tools for working with young people with I/DD, University Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities.
• Sexuality Education for Students with Disabilities, Resources from the Center for Parent Information and Resources.

Data

• Adolescent and School Health - data and other resources, CDC/DASH.
• Child Trends - data and research on adolescent health, teen pregnancy, and other topics.
• Healthy Youth Survey - data from WA secondary students on health behaviors and education, including sexual health.
• School Health Profiles - national and WA State data on secondary health education, including sexual health.
• National School Climate Survey: The Experiences of LGBTQ+ Youth in Our Nation's Schools, GLSEN
• WA Department of Health - state data and statistical reports on STDs, pregnancy, etc.
• Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System (YRBSS) - national data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
• Youth Sexual Health Fact Sheet - a summary of key findings from Washington's 2018 Healthy Youth Survey and School Health Profiles Survey.

HIV/AIDS

Washington state law requires annual HIV/AIDS Prevention Education beginning no later than grade 5 (AIDS Omnibus Act). It must be medically accurate and must address both abstinence and other methods of prevention.

• AIDSvu.org - interactive maps with local/state data on HIV and AIDS, links to testing sites, and resources
• HIV/AIDS Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) - resources, data, policy reports, training, research
• HIV and Sexual Health Education Resources
• Wise Bodies: HIV Awareness - Museum of Discovery & Science | IMAX AutoNation – free videos and educator guides for grades 6-12

Family-Child Communication

Research shows that positive communication between parents and their children can help young people establish individual values and make healthy decisions. A major study showed that adolescents who reported feeling connected to parents and their family were more likely than other teens to delay initiating sexual intercourse. Confident, loving parent-child communication leads to improved contraceptive and condom use, improved communication about sex, and fewer sexual risk behaviors among adolescents. (from "Parent-Child Communication: Promoting Sexually Healthy Youth," Advocates for Youth)

• AMAZE - videos for parents and youth
• Let's Talk: Teens, Sexuality & Media (College of Education - University of Washington) - media literacy resources for educators and parents
• Puberty and Adolescence Resource: A Guide for Parents of Adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorder - toolkit from Autism Treatment Network.
• Stop Sexual Assault in Schools - resources and video for parents, students, and community organizations ("Sexual Harassment: Not in Our School")
• Talk With Your Kids - resources for parents to encourage healthy relationships and sexual health. In English and Spanish. A project of Essential Access Health.
• "The Talk: How Adults Can Promote Young People's Healthy Relationships and Prevent Misogyny and Sexual Harassment," Making Caring Common Project, Harvard Graduate School of Education.

Safe & Supportive Schools

All students deserve to learn about all subjects in settings that are safe and supportive, free from sexual violence, bullying and harassment. Providing a safe learning climate is especially important when teaching sexual health education.

Dating Violence/Sexual Assault Prevention

• Blue Seat Studios consent videos (Consent for Kids, Consent: It's as Simple as Tea).
• Dating Matters, free, online course from the CDC, available to secondary educators, school personnel, youth mentors, and others dedicated to improving teen health and reducing teen dating violence. Follow a school administrator throughout his day as he highlights what teen dating violence is and how to prevent it through graphic novel scenarios, interactive exercises, and information gathered from leading experts.
• Futures Without Violence - resources to prevent teen dating violence, sex trafficking, and sexual assault; includes resources for high school coaches and athletic directors, professional development events, toolkits, and more.
• In Their Shoes: Teens and Dating Violence - classroom training kit to support discussions about dating violence and healthy relationships in one class period. From WA State Coalition Against Domestic Violence.
• King County Sexual Assault Resource Center - offers resources for parents and teachers on prevention, consent, reporting, services, etc.
• Learning for Justice lessons on bullying and bystander intervention as well as broader social justice issues.
• School Safety Center, OSPI - resources on sexual violence prevention, internet safety, sex trafficking, etc.
• StopBullying.gov - anti-bullying resources for schools and parents from the U.S. Dept. of Health & Human Services.

Sex Trafficking Awareness and Prevention

• “Guidance Document - Sex Trafficking Prevention Instruction”, guidance on best teaching practices related to sex trafficking awareness and prevention education (OSPI). 
• ConnectSafely.org provides resources and tip sheets on internet safety (in English & Spanish). 
• “Human Trafficking” online course, grades 8-12, Sex Ed To-Go. 
• Polaris Project, resources, facts and myths, and online education related to human trafficking, including sex trafficking. 
• “Sex Trafficking: A Lesson Plan” from Rights, Respect, Responsibility, Advocates for Youth (select “Middle School” or “High” and the files with “Trafficking” in the title).   
• “Sex Trafficking, Lesson 26 from Be Real, Be Ready, Adolescent Health Working Group (AHWG) (see reviewer comments from CSHE Instructional Materials Review 2024). 
• “Sex Trafficking: What Is It?”, introductory video on sex trafficking awareness from Amaze.org. 

Support for LGBTQ Students

• "Best Practices: Creating an LGBT-Inclusive School Climate" and other school climate resources (Learning for Justice)
• "Furthering the Adaptation and Implementation of LGBTQ-Inclusive Sexuality" Education, from Trust for America's Health, includes summaries of research and data, as well as concrete ideas for providing inclusive education.
• Gender Identity and Expression in Schools - guidance on laws and policies for WA State schools, students, and families (OSPI Equity and Civil Rights)
• Gender Inclusive Puberty and Health Education - Gender Spectrum.
• School Safety Center, OSPI - resources to support LGBTQ students.
• "Schools in Transition: A Guide for Supporting Transgender Students in K-12 Schools," NEA, ACLU, HRC, NCLR, and Gender Spectrum.
• Teach All Families - teaching tools and resources for making schools inclusive of LGBTQ+ families.

Adolescent Health Services

Helping students change risk behaviors requires providing information, skills, motivation, and access to services. Youth in Washington have the right to confidential, youth-friendly sexual health services in the school or community setting.

• American Public Health Association's Center for School, Health and Education provides resources for and about school-based health centers.
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) provides resources on adolescent and school health for adults and youth, links to services, prevention information, and data.
• School-Based Health Alliance - resources and training to support school-based health care.
• Teen Heath Hub WA – information and resources, WA Department of Health.
• Youth-Friendly Services Assessment Tool & Guide, Healthy Teen Network.