Sexual Health Education Resources

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

• Standards, Curriculum, & Instruction Supports
• Sexual Health Education
• HIV/AIDS
• Family-Child Communication
• Safe and Supportive Schools
• Sexual Health Services
• Webinars and Training

Standards, Curriculum and Instructional Supports

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. 

Health Education Standards & Requirements

• WA Health and Physical Education K–12 Standards.
• RCW 28A.300.475 – Comprehensive Sexual Health Education Requirements.
• RCW 28A.320.168 – Mandatory Instruction in Sex Trafficking Prevention and Awareness.
• RCW 28A.230.070 – HIV/AIDS Prevention Education.

Instructional Materials & Curriculum Reviews

• Instructional Materials Reviews and Supports - Tools for assessing curricula for use in WA schools, curriculum review reports.
• A Guide to Sexual Health Education Implementation in Washington State.

Data & Research

• 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 Sexual Health Fact Sheet - a summary of key findings from Washington's 2018 Healthy Youth Survey and School Health Profiles Survey. 
•  "Promising Approaches to Comprehensive Sex Education: Evidence from Three Decades of Research," Journal of Adolescent Health, Jan. 2026.
• ReCAPP (Resource Center for Adolescent Pregnancy Prevention) - evidenced-based resources, tools, and research summaries on sexuality education programs
•  "Three Decades of Research: The Case for Comprehensive Sex Education, "Journal of Adolescent Health, Oct. 12, 2020.
• Tool to Assess Characteristics of Effective Sex and STD/HIV Education Programs, ETR.

Sexual Health Education

Comprehensive sexual health education (CSHE) is a requirement for all public schools in Washington (RCW 28A.300.475), including:

• Growth & Development
• Healthy Relationships & Violence/Abuse Prevention
• Sexual & Reproductive Health

For more information about requirements for CSHE, see our CSHE Implementation webpage.

Growth & Development

Comprehensive sexual health education, including growth and development, is required instruction in Washington public schools. These resources support student understanding of physical, social, and emotional changes during puberty and adolescence, family and individual diversity, and body image. 

• Washington Open Education Resources Hub (see OSPI’s Health and Physical Education Learning Collection).
• AMAZE - videos for parents and youth (educator resources also available)
• Anwer/Rutgers University, inexpensive lesson plans on a variety of sexual health topics.
• Gender Inclusive Puberty and Health Education – Gender Spectrum.
• Rights, Respect, Responsibility (3Rs) – free downloadable, comprehensive sexual health education curriculum for grades K-12, from Advocates for Youth. WA- specific version available, aligned with WA Health Education Learning Standards.
• 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.
• What Happens During Puberty? Video, Seattle Public Schools. Available on YouTube, close-captioned with auto-translate function.

Healthy Relationships & Violence/Abuse Prevention

Affirmative Consent & Healthy Relationships

• Blue Seat Studios consent videos - "Consent for Kids" and "Consent: It's as Simple as Tea."
• Healthy Connections curriculum for high school, Harborview Abuse & Trauma Center.
• King Co. Sexual Assault Resource Center "What are Boundaries" and "What is Consent" - Videos with handouts and worksheets for middle and high school.
• Seattle Public Schools/Harborview Abuse and Trauma Center Videos: 
  • "Boundaries" - Grade 4, Vimeo with close-captioning and auto-translate.
  • "Handling Rejection: When Someone Says No" - Grade 4, Vimeo with close-captioning and auto-translate.
  •  "Consent is Everything" - Youth-led, youth-created video, YouTube with close-captioning and auto-translate.

Dating Violence/Sexual Assault Prevention 

• Futures Without Violence - Resources for coaches, athletic directors, toolkits, professional development.
• Healthy Relationships Toolkit (HeaRT) - Free online course from CDC for secondary educators on teen dating violence prevention.
• In Their Shoes: Teens and Dating Violence - One-period classroom training kit (WA State Coalition Against Domestic Violence.)
• King County Sexual Assault Resource Center - Resources for parents and teachers on prevention, consent, reporting, services.
• Stop Sexual Assault in Schools - Resources and video for parents, students, and community organizations ("Sexual Harassment: Not in Our School.")
• YES! Program (Youth-Centered Environmental Shift), OSPI. Developed to prevention bullying, sexual harassment, and sexual violence at the middle school level by creating positive, safer social and physical spaces at school, in coordination with students.

Sex Trafficking Awareness & Prevention 

Sex Trafficking Awareness and Prevention education must be provided to all Washington State students at least once between grades 7 and 12. (RCW 28A.320.168). It may be included as part of comprehensive sexual health education or in another course. For more information, see OSPI’s Sexual Violence Prevention webpage.

•  “Guidance Document - Sex Trafficking Prevention Instruction”, guidance on best teaching practices related to sex trafficking awareness and prevention education (OSPI). 
• Washington Open Education Resources Hub (see OSPI’s Health and Physical Education Learning Collection and search for “trafficking”).
• ConnectSafely.org - Internet safety resources and tip sheets (English & Spanish)
• Everstrong Prevention Portal – lesson plans, information and resources on child sex trafficking. 
• Polaris Project, resources, facts and myths, and online education related to human trafficking, including sex trafficking. 

Sexual and Reproductive Health

Sexual and reproductive health resources support student learning about reproductive systems, pregnancy, STI and HIV prevention, safer sex strategies, access to health services, and the skills needed to make informed, healthy decisions throughout their lives.

• Washington Open Education Resources Hub (see OSPI’s Health and Physical Education Learning Collection).
• AMAZE - videos for parents and youth (educator resources also available)
• Anwer/Rutgers University, inexpensive lesson plans on a variety of sexual health topics.
• Rights, Respect, Responsibility (3Rs) – free downloadable, comprehensive sexual health education curriculum for grades K–12, from Advocates for Youth. WA- specific version available, aligned with WA Health Education Learning Standards.
• 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.

HIV/AIDS Education 

Washington state law requires annual HIV/AIDS Prevention Education beginning no later than grade 5. It must be medically accurate and must address both abstinence and other methods of prevention. (RCW 28A.230.070)

• 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 Me: Marissa’s Story, video developed for 5th grade. Should be used with teacher’s discussion guide, only as a supplement along with up-to-date instructional materials.
• Understanding HIV/AIDS: Learn the Facts, Fight the Stigma, Stay Safe, video developed for 6th grade. Should be used only as a supplement along with up-to-date instructional materials.
• Wise Bodies: HIV Awareness - Museum of Discovery & Science | IMAX AutoNation – free instructional materials (videos and educator guides) for grades 6–12.

Adolescent Health Services & Supports

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 school or community settings.

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

Creating Safe & Inclusive Learning Environments

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

Supporting LGBTQ+ Students

Comprehensive sexual health education must be inclusive of all students, using language and strategies that recognize all protected classes (RCW 28A.300.475).

• "Best Practices: Creating an LGBT-Inclusive School Climate" - Learning for Justice
•  "Furthering the Adaptation and Implementation of LGBTQ-Inclusive Sexuality Education" - Research summaries, data, and concrete implementation ideas (Trust for America's Health)
• Gender Identity and Expression in Schools - Guidance on laws and policies for WA schools, students, and families (OSPI Equity and Civil Rights)
• Gender Inclusive Schools Toolkit - Gender Spectrum
• School Safety Center, OSPI - Additional 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

School Safety & Bullying Prevention

• Learning for Justice - Lessons on bullying and bystander intervention, and broader social justice issues
• StopBullying.gov - Anti-bullying resources for schools and parents (U.S. Dept. of Health & Human Services)
• School Safety Center, OSPI - Resources on sexual violence prevention, internet safety, sex trafficking

Population-Specific Education

Resources tailored to specific student populations to ensure all students have access to relevant, culturally responsive education.

• Healthy Native Youth - Health promotion materials, including sexual health curricula
• Sex Ed for People with I/DD - Free video series from National Council on Independent Living (NCIL) and Rooted in Rights
• Sexual education resources for children, teens and young adults with developmental and intellectual disabilities - Resource list for parents and professionals (RespectAbility)
• Sexual Health Resources | OHSU - 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

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 (educator resources also available)
• 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.
• Resources for Parents – Resources to support family communication about sexual health and wellbeing, from Answer/Rutgers University.
• 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.

Webinars and Training

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