State Sex Education Policies and Requirements at a Glance
- Connecticut schools are not required to teach sex education. However, they are required to provide instruction on human growth and development and disease prevention, including AIDS.
- Curriculum is not required to be comprehensive.
- Connecticut has no standard regarding instruction on abstinence. However, Connecticut’s guidelines for sexual health education include providing instruction on abstinence.
- Curriculum is not required to include instruction on gender identity or sexual orientation. However, Connecticut’s guidelines for sexual health education include providing instruction on gender identity and sexual orientation.
- Curriculum is not required to include instruction on consent. However, Connecticut’s guidelines for sexual health education include providing instruction on age of consent.
- Parents or guardians can remove their children from sex education and STI/HIV education with written notification. This is referred to as an “opt-out” policy.
- Connecticut has no standard regarding medically accurate sex education instruction. However, Connecticut’s guidelines for sexual health education include providing medically accurate instruction.
State Law
Connecticut state law does not require schools to teach sex education, but Connecticut General Statutes §§ 164-10-16(b)–(f) does require schools to teach human growth and development and disease prevention. Connecticut law also states: “Each local and regional board of education shall offer during the regular school day planned, ongoing and systematic instruction on acquired immune deficiency syndrome [AIDS], as taught by legally qualified teachers.”
The Connecticut State Board of Education is charged with developing family life education curriculum guidelines that “shall include, but not be limited to, information on developing a curriculum including family planning; human sexuality; parenting; nutrition; and the emotional, physical, psychological, hygienic, economic and social aspects of family life, provided the curriculum guides shall not include information pertaining to abortion as an alternative to family planning.” However, Connecticut statute also states that the instruction must be left to the discretion of local or regional boards of education.
Parents or guardians may remove their children from sex education and/or STI/HIV education classes with written notification. This is referred to as an “opt-out” policy.
State Profiles provided by SIECUS: Sex Ed for Social Change. For more information regarding your state’s sex ed policy, visit https://siecus.org/state_profile/connecticut-state-profile/
