- Indiana state law does not require the teaching of sexuality education, though they do require instruction on AIDS.
- All sex ed curricula must emphasize abstinence as the expected social standard.
- Sex ed curricula are not required to be comprehensive, medically accurate, or evidence-based, nor are they required to include instruction on sexual orientation, gender identity, or consent.
- HB 1608 was enacted in 2023. This bill prohibits sex education before third grade.
- Schools are required to make two attempts to receive written permission from parents or guardians for students to participate in sex ed. If permission is neither confirmed nor denied, students will be automatically enrolled. Parents may subsequently withdraw students from instruction. This includes elements of both an “opt-in” and an “opt-out” policy.
- The state department of education provides the Indiana Academic Standards for Health and Wellness, which is consistent with Indiana Code 20-30-5-13, to use as a foundation for schools that provide sex education. The Indiana Department of Education also provides a Health and Wellness standards overview. These standards do not discuss sex education, although the Health and Wellness standards overview includes Indiana statutes related to sex education.
For more detailed information on how various districts in the state have been implementing these standards — and for recent legislation — you can read SIECUS’s Indiana profile.