SIECUS’ policy team brings to bear 55 years of research-based expertise on comprehensive sex education to ensure that public policies reflect best practices and current research in support of our nation’s young people. Our agenda is simple: SIECUS advances comprehensive sexuality education as a means of building a foundation for a long-term culture shift that will positively impact all levels of society, particularly issues of gender equity, sexuality, sexual and reproductive health, consent, personal safety, and autonomy. Through technical assistance to states, SIECUS’ staff support states in educating advocates and policymakers about providing rights-based sexuality information and education at the federal, state, and local levels and leading, strengthening, and developing partnerships with other organizations, coalitions, and initiatives to advance policies that promote positive sexual and reproductive health outcomes across the lifespan. Technical assistance is focused on meeting a state’s immediate needs in a timely way.
Training Hub
The Sex Education Collaborative Training Hub lists trainings for sex educators, facilitators, and other professionals on best practices for sharing important information with clients and the public. From teaching anatomy inclusively to effectively addressing bias in the classroom to addressing racial justice and equity in sex education, the Training Hub includes trainings, technical assistance, and policy support from state, regional, and national leaders in the field of sex education.
Please note: The Training Hub includes both in-person and online professional trainings. If you see a training you are interested in and it isn’t listed as virtual, please reach out directly to any of our members to find out what's possible!
Trainings Offered by State-Based and National Organizations
Displaying results 61 - 65 of 154Virtual PD - Answering Difficult Questions
Virtual Professional Development is a simulated classroom where teachers can practice teaching student avatars using short scenarios and support from an instructional coach, so they can quickly learn and master the skills they most need to be effective. With upper elementary, middle and high school classrooms, Virtual PD has scenarios for teachers of all grade levels across a wide range of topics aligned with the Professional Learning Standards for Sex Education (PLSSE). You can watch the video here to learn more about Virtual PD.
Using the Virtual Professional Development simulated classroom, the educator will practice Answering Difficult Questions about Sexuality with the student avatars. In this VPD scenario, the participant is teaching a group of five students about risk behaviors for transmission of STDs using three categories (High Risk, Low Risk and No Risk). Lots of questions arise as students try and determine which category certain behaviors fall into if one person has an STD. The educator will need to demonstrate the ability to effectively respond to three different types of challenging questions including students’ values-based questions. This scenario is available for high school, middle school and upper elementary students with varying questions depending on grade selected.
- Indicator 2 (K-12): Demonstrate the ability to effectively respond to three different types of challenging questions. (S)
Evidence-Based Interventions
What is an evidence-based intervention (also known as evidence-based program) anyway? You may know the definition—a specific kind of programming that has been evaluated to show behavior change—but what does that really mean? Evidence-based interventions and programs can expand or strengthen the programming you deliver in your community. Explore what evidence-based interventions are, what makes them different from other kinds of programs, and learn some of the basics for using evidence-based interventions effectively. Complete this course at your own pace.
- Indicator 1 (K-12): Describe three health (e.g. physical, social and/or emotional) and/or academic benefits of sex education for young people
Virtual PD - Using Medically Accurate Terms When Teaching Sex Education
Virtual Professional Development is a simulated classroom where teachers can practice teaching student avatars using short scenarios and support from an instructional coach, so they can quickly learn and master the skills they most need to be effective. With upper elementary, middle and high school classrooms, Virtual PD has scenarios for teachers of all grade levels across a wide range of topics aligned with the Professional Learning Standards for Sex Education (PLSSE). You can watch the video here (link is external) to learn more about Virtual PD.
Using the Virtual Professional Development classroom simulator, the educator will practice Using Medically Accurate Terms When Teaching Sex Education with the student avatars. In this scenario, the educator will soon be starting a unit on puberty with their students. One of the points they want to stress with their students is the importance of using medically accurate names for body parts, including reproductive anatomy and external genitalia. In this simulation with five students, the participant will need to demonstrate the ability to use medically accurate terms and explain the benefits of teaching these to students.
- Indicator 2 (K-12): Demonstrate the ability to use medically accurate terms for sexual and reproductive anatomy, including all external genitals. (S)
Virtual PD - Responding to Parents' Concerns about Sex Education
Virtual Professional Development is a simulated classroom where teachers can practice teaching student avatars using short scenarios and support from an instructional coach, so they can quickly learn and master the skills they most need to be effective. With upper elementary, middle and high school classrooms, Virtual PD has scenarios for teachers of all grade levels across a wide range of topics aligned with the Professional Learning Standards for Sex Education (PLSSE). You can watch the video here (link is external) to learn more about Virtual PD.
Using the Virtual Professional Development classroom simulator, the educator will practice Responding to a Parent's Concerns about Sex Education. In this scenario, the educator will have a meeting with a parent who has expressed concern about their child learning sex education. The scenario is adapted for upper elementary, middle or high school and includes parent concerns about puberty, teaching about condoms and sexual orientation. Educators will need to demonstrate effective strategies to address the parent's concerns.
- Indicator 1 (K-12): Describe three health (e.g. physical, social and/or emotional) and/or academic benefits of sex education for young people
- Indicator 2 (K-12): Describe state and/or district laws, policies, and standards that relate to sex education where one teaches.
Additional Trainings offered by out-of-state organizations
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2SLGBTQ+ Inclusivity for Sex Educators
- Indicator 1 (K-12): Demonstrate three techniques to create an inclusive and affirming learning environment. (S)
- Indicator 7 (K-12): Demonstrate the ability to analyze and tailor lesson plans to match the age, developmental stages, cultural backgrounds, and other identities of students. (S)
- Indicator 2 (K-12): Define sexual orientation and sexual identity, including that everyone has both.
- Indicator 3 (6-12): Explain the difference between sexual orientation, sexual behavior, and sexual identity.
- Indicator 4 (K-12): Demonstrate the use of inclusive and affirming language. (S)
- Indicator 5 (K-12): Demonstrate the ability to intervene effectively in homophobic and other bullying comments and actions. (S)
- Indicator 6 (K-12): Explain three ways that LGBQ+ youth are at disproportionate risk for health disparities.
- Indicator 7 (K-12): Identify three credible, medically accurate, youth-friendly resources that can provide information or support related to sexual orientation.
- Indicator 8 (K-12): Explain why it is essential to include positive portrayals of LGBQ+ people in lessons.
- Indicator 2 (K-12): Demonstrate the use of inclusive and affirming language. (S)
- Indicator 3 (K-12): Define gender identity and sex assigned at birth.
- Indicator 4 (K-12): Explain how gender identity and gender expression are distinct from each other and from sexual orientation.
- Indicator 5 (K-12): Demonstrate the ability to intervene effectively in transphobic, sexist, misogynistic and other gender-related bullying comments and actions. (S)
- Indicator 6 (K-12): Explain three ways that transgender and gender expansive youth are at disproportionate risk for health disparities.
- Indicator 7 (K-12): Identify three credible, medically accurate, youth-friendly resources that can provide information or support related to transgender and gender expansive people.
- Indicator 8 (K-12): Explain why it is essential to include positive portrayals of transgender and gender expansive people in lessons.
- Indicator 9 (K-12): Demonstrate three strategies that can be used to make lessons affirming for transgender and gender expansive people. (S)



