Arizona State Profile

Arizona’s Sex Education Snapshot

Advocates have actively worked to advance sex education in Arizona and to defeat restrictive legislation over the past five years. In light of the coronavirus pandemic, schools statewide have reported having mixed success in implementing virtual sex education programming. While some schools have been successful in allowing outside educators to provide virtual sex education programming, other districts have reported that they’ve temporarily paused sex education programming as a whole in light of the challenges in switching to virtual learning. As a result, the number of young people receiving sex education across the state has dramatically decreased.

Despite this setback, advocates have worked over the past several years to advance sex education requirements for students statewide. Two bills (House Bill 2647 and Senate Bill 1340) were introduced in an effort to make sex education more comprehensive and accessible to students in 2019.. An identical, ultimately unsuccessful bill was introduced during the 2020 legislative session. Further, House Bill 2251 was introduced by Representative Pamela Powers Hannley in an effort to change Arizona’s “opt-in” policy to an “opt-out” policy and mandate sex education to be both medically accurate and comprehensive.

Despite these positive efforts, House Bill 2035 was introduced by Representative Gail Griffin (R-14) and enacted on July 9. The provision now further defines the responsibility of parents to provide written permission for their children to participate in sex education instruction, or broader instruction related to sexuality, in public and charter schools and prevents students in grades 1-5 from participating in sex education. The passage of this legislation builds on previous, unsuccessful efforts to further restrict sex education.

In 2019, a multi-year advocacy campaign aided in repealing the state’s “no promo homo” legislation that barred educators from discussing homosexuality in a positive manner, demonstrating a monumental step forward for providing Arizona’s young people with inclusive instruction. Also in 2019, the Arizona Board of Education held a meeting to discuss making additional changes to Arizona’s sex education guidelines but ultimately decided against updating the guidelines after intense debate dominated the meeting. Attendees included parents and legislators who had varying opinions about the state making additional amendments to the guidelines.

Advocates have also taken action at the local level to improve access to more comprehensive instruction. In 2015, the Teen Outreach Pregnancy Services, Planned Parenthood Arizona, Sunnyside Unified School District, and Child & Family Resources came together to form the Tucson Teen Pregnancy Prevention Coalition. The group was awarded $4.3 million to implement and provide sex education in the Sunnyside Unified School District in Tucson.

Student activists in the VOX: Voices for Planned Parenthood chapter at the University of Arizona, now known as the UA Planned Parenthood Generation Action, mobilized in 2016 to advocate for improved sex education in the Tucson Unified School District. Many members were alumni of the school district and reported receiving unsatisfactory instruction. While advocates have been successful in advancing sex education across Arizona, significant efforts to undermine the importance of comprehensive sex education continue. Some state legislators have hosted town halls on the purported “role of sex education in sexualizing children,” and some parents have formed the opposition group, “Purple for Parents,” to protest efforts to advance sex education.

Because Arizona schools are not required to provide sex education to students, school districts are left to decide what type of sex education–if any at all– they provide to youth. Arizona’s “opt-in” policy also presents an unnecessary barrier to receiving sex education. Because of the lack of structure surrounding curriculum, advocates report that the quality of sex education varies widely by district, ranging from comprehensive instruction to no instruction at all.

Mandating local control over sex education presents unique challenges that have resulted in a glaring disparity regarding the quality of sex education that students receive. Such discretion allows for the implementation of policies and curriculum that stigmatize marginalized youth, such as students of color and LGBTQ youth, and presents further challenges in ensuring that low-income districts have access to the resources needed to implement comprehensive sex education. One 2015 study found that Native people in Arizona experience higher rates of adverse health outcomes compared to non-native people, demonstrating a critical need for curriculum that is culturally responsive to the needs of young people of color, and Native youth in particular.

Organizations such as Planned Parenthood of Arizona have attempted to address the current gaps in sex education instruction by offering support and training for educators interested in implementing comprehensive programs in their schools through their SHARE (Sexual Health and Responsible Education) initiative.

Right now, advocates can take action to ensure young people in their community have access to quality sex education. Particularly, advocates can invest in local school board races to elect strong advocates for comprehensive sex education. In addition, they can build coalitions to advance positive narratives about sex education that center Native youth and push for a statewide opt-out policy. Advocates can also contact their local school board to determine what topics are missing from sex education instruction, such as instruction on consent, sexual orientation and gender identity, and contraceptives. They can then vocalize the important need for advancing instruction requirements in their community. Further, advocates can contact their representatives to discuss the critical need for advancing comprehensive sex education requirements and allocating additional funding to support districts in implementing more advanced curriculum. Advocates are encouraged to use the SIECUS Community Action Toolkit to guide local efforts.

State Sex Education Policies and Requirements at a Glance

Arizona schools are not required to teach sex education or HIV education.
If a school chooses to teach sex education, it must stress abstinence.
If sex education is offered, curriculum is not required to include instruction on sexual orientation or gender identity.
If sex education is offered, curriculum is not required to include instruction on consent.
- Parents or guardians must provide written permission for their children to participate in sex education. This is referred to as an “opt-in” policy.
If sex education is offered, curriculum must be medically accurate.

State House Highlights

This section highlights sex education bills that were introduced during the 2020 state legislative session as well as bills that have been introduced thus far in 2021. These proposed bills provide a brief overview of both recent and current legislative action taken to advance or restrict sex education. For a more comprehensive look at relevant legislation concerning sex education and related topics such as reproductive health care, LGBTQ rights, and HIV/AIDS, continue reading on to the “State Legislative Activity” section of Arizona’s profile.

2021 Legislative Session

House Bill 2035 (enacted): Requires parents and guardians to provide their written consent prior to their children receiving sex education. This is referred to as an “opt-in” requirement. Aims to prohibit the provision of sex education prior to grade 5, and requires sex education curriculum to be available for parental review. Prior to school districts implementing their own sex education curriculum, parents and guardians must have a meaningful opportunity to provide their input on the proposed curriculum.

House Bill 2184 (failed): Sought to further define the responsibility of parents in providing permission for their children to participate in sex education, require charter schools adopt an “opt-in” policy, outline additional requirements for amending sex education curriculum, and prohibits sex education from being taught to students in grades 1-6.

House Bill 2251 (failed): Sought to replace Arizona’s “opt-in” policy with an “opt out” policy. Would require sex education to be medically accurate and comprehensive.

House Bill 2647 (failed): Sought to require all school districts and charter schools to provide medically accurate and age-appropriate sex education instruction that includes instruction on consent, healthy relationships, and populations that historically have been more vulnerable to sexual abuse and assault, including LGBTQ individuals and people with disabilities. If successful, will also replace Arizona’s “opt-in” policy with an “opt out” policy.

Senate Bill 1340 (failed): Sought to require all school districts and charter schools to provide medically accurate and age-appropriate sex education instruction that includes instruction on consent, healthy relationships, and populations that historically have been more vulnerable to sexual abuse and assault, including LGBTQ individuals and people with disabilities. If successful, will also replace Arizona’s “opt-in” policy with an “opt out” policy.

Senate Bill 1456 (failed): Sought to require parents and guardians to provide written permission prior to their children receiving sex education or instruction on gender identity or gender expression. This is referred to as an “opt-in” requirement. Would further prohibit instruction on HIV/AIDS prior to fifth grade.

2020 Legislative Session
House Bill 2067 (failed): Sought to require all school districts to provide medically accurate, comprehensive sex education. If successful, will also replace Arizona’s “opt-in” policy with an “opt out” policy.

House Bill 2277 (failed): Sought to require all school districts and charter schools to provide medically accurate and age-appropriate sex education instruction that includes instruction on consent, healthy relationships, and populations that historically have been more vulnerable to sexual abuse and assault, including LGBTQ individuals and people with disabilities. If successful, will also replace Arizona’s “opt-in” policy with an “opt out” policy.

House Bill 2658 (failed): Sought to prohibit schools from providing sex education prior to 5th grade and requires parents and guardians to provide their consent for their children to participate in instruction on AIDS. This is known as an “opt-in” policy.

Senate Bill 1082 (failed): Sought to further define the responsibility of parents in providing consent for their children to participate in sex education, prohibits students in grades 1-6 from participating in sex education, and requires sex education to emphasize abstinence. If successful, this bill will prohibit the inclusion of curriculum that depicts nudity or sexual activity, normalizes sexual activity between minors, or suggests that any type of sexual activity is safe or risk free.

Senate Bill 1120 (failed): Sought to replace Arizona’s “opt-in” policy with an “opt-out” policy and requires schools to provide age-appropriate and medically accurate sex education that includes instruction on topics such as consent, contraceptives, and healthy relationships.

Senate Bill 1200 (failed): Sought to require school districts and charter schools to establish age-appropriate, research-based education and training on sexual abuse prevention for employees and students.

More on sex ed in Arizona…

State Law

Arizona law does not require schools to teach sex education or HIV education. However, Arizona Revised Statutes §§ 15-711, 15-716, and 15-102 state that if a school chooses to teach these topics, instruction must be age-appropriate, include instruction on the laws relating to sexual conduct with a minor (grades 7-12), and stress abstinence. Further, if a school chooses to teach HIV education, such instruction must be medically accurate.

Arizona Administrative Code R7-2-303 states that schools may “provide a specific elective lesson or lessons concerning sex education as a supplement to the health course of study.” Schools that choose to provide sex education must have the lessons approved by the school’s local governing board. All sex education materials and instruction that discuss sexual intercourse must:

Stress that pupils should abstain from sexual intercourse until they are mature adults;
Emphasize that abstinence from sexual intercourse is the only method for avoiding pregnancy that is 100% effective;
Stress that sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) have severe consequences and constitute a serious and widespread public health problem;
Include a discussion of the possible emotional and psychological consequences of pre-adolescent and adolescent sexual intercourse and the consequences of pre-adolescent and adolescent pregnancy; and
Advise pupils of Arizona law pertaining to the financial responsibilities of parenting and legal liabilities related to sexual intercourse with a minor.

In Arizona, parents or guardians must provide written permission for the child to participate in sex education. This is referred to as an “opt-in” policy.

State Standards

Arizona has Health Education Standards in place that provide a foundation for curricula in the state for grades K-12. Although concepts related to sexuality are not specifically mentioned in the standards, “disease prevention” is included.

State Legislative Activity

State legislative activity related to sex education does not take place in isolation from the broader embroiled political and policy climate. Attacks on the rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, or questioning (LGBTQ) individuals, and efforts to limit access to abortion care and other reproductive health care services prevent students from receiving comprehensive sex education and accessing sexual and reproductive health care services. Below are highlights of current legislative activity related to these topics. Arizona’s 2021 session convened on January 11, 2021.

Title	Description	Status	Legislative Topic	Link / Url
House Bill 2786	Requires schools to inform parents and make available any training materials for teachers related to racial, sexual, gender identity, political, and social issues	Introduced (2023)	Parental Rights, Curriculum Transparency, and Book Bans	https://www.azleg.gov/legtext/56leg/1r/bills/hb2786p.htm
House Bill 2601	Creates Teen Mental Health Grant Program which would provide funding for various school districts and organizations to establish mental health first aid training, youth training, substance misuse training, and peer to peer education for youth and providing for schools to maintain a mental health specialist	Introduced (2023)	Mental Health	https://www.azleg.gov/legtext/56leg/1r/bills/hb2601p.htm
House Bill 2711	Requires school employees to notify parents of any change in sexual orientation or gender identity in less than 48 hours	Introduced (2023)	Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity	https://www.azleg.gov/legtext/56leg/1r/bills/hb2711p.htm
House Bill 2648	Adds sexual orientation and gender identity to clauses for bullying and harassment	Introduced (2023)	Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity	https://www.azleg.gov/legtext/56leg/1r/bills/hb2648p.htm
Senate Concurrent Resolution 1025	Updates parental bill of rights. Includes right to direct education, access to all records, and direct moral and/or religious upbringing. Also prohibits any employee of the state from encouraging or coercing a minor from withholding information from the minor's parent (forced outing clause).	Introduced (2023)	Parental Rights, Curriculum Transparency, and Book Bans	https://www.azleg.gov/legtext/56leg/1r/bills/scr1025p.htm
Senate Bill 1700	Establishes parents right to review and remove library material they object to and creates procedures for doing so	Introduced (2023)	Parental Rights, Curriculum Transparency, and Book Bans	https://www.azleg.gov/legtext/56leg/1r/bills/sb1700p.htm
Senate Bill 1323	Any school employee who is guilty of presenting sexually explicit materials in classroom is guilty of Class 5 felony	Introduced (2023)	Sexually Explicit Materials	https://www.azleg.gov/legtext/56leg/1r/bills/sb1323p.htm
House Bill 2548	Creates a school-based mental health program and requires for schools to have school-based mental health professionals for students with specific qualifications	Introduced (2023)	Mental Health	https://www.azleg.gov/legtext/56leg/1r/bills/hb2548p.htm
Senate Bill 1415	Infringing on parental rights is a class 6 felony	Introduced (2023)	Parental Rights, Curriculum Transparency, and Book Bans	https://www.azleg.gov/legtext/56leg/1r/bills/sb1415p.htm
House Bill 2533	Requires public and charter schools to post electronic copy of curriculum materials free of charge	Passed House (2023)	Parental Rights, Curriculum Transparency, and Book Bans	https://www.azleg.gov/legtext/56leg/1r/bills/hb2533p.htm
Arizona Accommodations for All Children Act (Senate Bill 1040)	Prohibits the use of bathroom in accordance with gender identity and only on basis of biological sex, targeting transgender students	Introduced (2023)	Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity	https://www.azleg.gov/legtext/56leg/1r/bills/sb1040p.htm
Senate Bill 1146	Companies donating to organizations that promote or advocate for abortion or "sexually explicit" content in K-12 schools are not able to receive governmental contacts	Introduced (2023)	Reproductive Health Care	https://www.azleg.gov/legtext/56leg/1r/bills/sb1146p.htm
Senate Bill 1005	Adds to parental bill of rights by saying that court cannot grant attorney fees or compensation for governmental entities on the defense of infringing on parental rights	Passed Senate (2023)	Parental Rights, Curriculum Transparency, and Book Bans	https://www.azleg.gov/legtext/56leg/1r/bills/sb1005p.htm
House Bill 2068	Repeals previous session’s transgender sports ban	Introduced (2023)	Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity	https://www.azleg.gov/legtext/56leg/1r/bills/hb2068p.htm
Senate Bill 1001	This bill would prohibit an employee or independent contractor of a public or charter school to knowingly address, identify, or refer to a minor student by a pronoun that differs from their assigned sex at birth unless they have written permission from the student's parent. Additionally, the bill would forbid a public or charter school to require an employee or independent contractor to address, identify, or refer to a person by a pronoun that differs from their assigned sex at birth if it conflicts with the individual's religious or moral convictions.	Introduced (2023)	Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity	https://www.azleg.gov/legtext/56leg/1r/bills/sb1001p.htm

Youth Sexual Health Data

Young people are more than their health behaviors and outcomes. While data can be a powerful tool to demonstrate the sex education and sexual health care needs of young people, it is important to be mindful that these behaviors and outcomes are impacted by systemic inequities present in our society that affect an individual’s sexual health and well-being. To learn more about Arizona’s Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS) results, click here.

Alabama School Health Profiles Data

In 2019, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released the School Health Profiles, which measure school health policies and practices and highlight which health topics were taught in schools across the country. Since the data were collected from self-administered questionnaires completed by schools’ principals and lead health education teachers, the CDC notes that one limitation of the School Health Profiles is bias toward the reporting of more positive policies and practices. In the School Health Profiles, the CDC identifies 20 sexual health education topics as critical for ensuring a young person’s sexual health.

Arizona did not participate in the 2018 School Health Profiles. Below are key instruction highlights for secondary schools in Arizona as reported for the 2015–2016 school year. In this edition of the School Health Profiles, the CDC identified 19 sexual health education topics and has since updated the number of topics to 20.

Reported teaching all 19 critical sexual health education topics

5.1% of Arizona secondary schools taught students all 19 critical sexual health education topics in a required course in any of grades 6, 7, or 8.
14.5% of Arizona secondary schools taught students all 19 critical sexual health education topics in a required course in any of grades 9, 10, 11, or 12.

Reported teaching about the benefits of being sexually abstinent

17.7% of Arizona secondary schools taught students about the benefits of being sexually abstinent in a required course in any of grades 6, 7, or 8.
41.6% of Arizona secondary schools taught students about the benefits of being sexually abstinent in a required course in any of grades 9, 10, 11, or 12.

Reported teaching how to access valid and reliable information, products, and services related to HIV, other STDs, and pregnancy

13.3% of Arizona secondary schools taught students how to access valid and reliable information, products, and services related to HIV, other STDs, and pregnancy in a required course in any of grades 6, 7, or 8.
36.2% of Arizona secondary schools taught students how to access valid and reliable information, products, and services related to HIV, other STDs, and pregnancy in a required course in any of grades 9, 10, 11, or 12.

Reported teaching how to create and sustain healthy and respectful relationships

17.7% of Arizona secondary schools taught students how to create and sustain healthy and respectful relationships in a required course in any of grades 6, 7, or 8.
44.5% of Arizona secondary schools taught students how to create and sustain healthy and respectful relationships in a required course in any of grades 9, 10, 11, or 12.

Reported teaching about preventive care that is necessary to maintain reproductive and sexual health

10.8% of Arizona secondary schools taught students about preventive care that is necessary to maintain reproductive and sexual health in a required course in any of grades 6, 7, or 8.
34.7% of Arizona secondary schools taught students about preventive care that is necessary to maintain reproductive and sexual health in a required course in any of grades 9, 10, 11, or 12.

Reported teaching how to correctly use a condom

6.1% of Arizona secondary schools taught students how to correctly use a condom in a required course in any of grades 6, 7, or 8.
22.5% of Arizona secondary schools taught students how to correctly use a condom in a required course in any of grades 9, 10, 11, or 12.

Reported teaching about methods of contraception other than condoms

7.2% of Arizona secondary schools taught students about methods of contraception other than condoms in a required course in any of grades 6, 7, or 8.
35.9% of Arizona secondary schools taught students about methods of contraception other than condoms in a required course in any of grades 9, 10, 11, or 12.

Reported teaching about sexual orientation

8.9% of Arizona secondary schools taught students about sexual orientation in a required course in any of grades 6, 7, or 8.
27.5% of Arizona secondary schools taught students about sexual orientation in a required course in any of grades 9, 10, 11, or 12.

Reported teaching about gender roles, gender identity, or gender expression

10.2% of Arizona secondary schools taught students about gender roles, gender identity, or gender expression in a required course in any of grades 6, 7, or 8.
28.5% of Arizona secondary schools taught students about gender roles, gender identity, or gender expression in a required course in any of grades 9, 10, 11, or 12.

Reported providing curricula or supplementary materials relevant to lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, or questioning (LGBTQ) youth

20.2% of Arizona secondary schools provided students with curricula or supplementary materials that included HIV, STD, or pregnancy prevention information relevant to LGBTQ youth.

Visit the CDC’s School Health Profiles report for additional information on school health policies and practices.

***The quality of sex education taught often reflects funding available for sex education programs. To learn more about federal funding streams, click here.

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