FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

June 25th, 2025

Contact: Alison Macklin

amacklin@siecus.org

Sex education in the United States is anything but uniform. Whether young people receive honest, inclusive, and medically accurate information about their bodies and relationships often depends on where they live. That’s why SIECUS: Sex Ed for Social Change is releasing the 2025 Update to the State Report Cards – a tool designed to help people understand how state laws and policies shape access to sex education where they live.

For years, SIECUS published the State Law and Policy Chart, which outlined sex education laws state by state. We’ve since built on that work, launching the State Report Cards in 2023 to provide a clearer, side-by-side comparison of how states stack up  when it comes to supporting young people through sex education. These grades are updated annually to reflect changes in state legislation, education standards, and the broader social and political climate.

This Year’s Results: Room for Celebration But Also Serious Concern

The 2025 Report Cards highlight a disturbing trend: while 7 states received an “A,” signaling strong, more comprehensive policies and standards, more than 25% of states received an “F,” offering little to no meaningful support for sex education. That means millions of students across the country are growing up without the tools and information they need to make informed, healthy decisions.

Some states saw their grades shift this year, either due to new laws, revised grading criteria, or a more thorough interpretation of existing policies by our team. These changes reflect the growing number of attacks on accurate health information and help shine a light on where policy still falls short. What remains constant is our commitment to providing a clear, accessible resource for advocates, educators, and decision-makers.

The Report Cards are a resource, but more than that, they’re a call to action. Sex education is under attack, and too many young people are being left behind. These grades help make the case for change, offering a clear roadmap for where advocacy is most needed.

Read the Executive Summary

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SIECUS: Sex Ed for Social Change has served as a leading national voice for sex education since 1964, asserting that sexuality is a fundamental part of being human, one worthy of dignity and respect. Through advocacy, policy, and coalition building, SIECUS advances sex education as a vehicle for social change—where all people receive sex education, are affirmed in their identities, and have the power to make decisions about their own health, pleasure, and wholeness.