- Utah state law mandates the teaching of sexuality education. It is not required to be comprehensive, but it is required to be medically accurate.
- All sex ed curricula must stress abstinence.
- Sex ed curricula are not required to include instruction on sexual orientation or gender identity.
- Sex ed curricula are not required to include instruction on consent, though they are required to include lessons on “refusal skills.”
- HB 465 was enacted in 2023. It requires local education agencies to provide an online platform so parents can view what their child has borrowed from the school library.
- SB 100 was enacted in 2023. It prohibits school districts from changing the gender identity of a student without parental permission.
- Parents or guardians must give written permission for a student to participate in any form of sex ed. This is referred to as an “opt-in” policy.
- The Elementary Core Curriculum: Responsible Healthy Lifestyles 3–6 and Secondary Health Core Curriculum: The Road to Healthy Behaviors 7-12, which are suggested education standards produced by the Utah State Office of Education, provide greater detail regarding topics to be included based on grade levels. Beginning in the 2020-2021 school year, the updated Utah Core State Standards for Health Education will be fully implemented in all schools and outline standards related to sex ed.
Some Sex Ed Advocates Within the State
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 Utah profile.