The Importance of Comprehensive Personal Health and Safety and Sexual Health Education
Research demonstrates that instruction for students in all grades under the umbrella of personal health and safety and sexual health education – when done comprehensively – promotes self-confidence and a sense of belonging and can prevent health problems, unintended pregnancy in adolescents, and many forms of violence.
The Illinois Learning Standards for Comprehensive Personal Health and Safety and Sexual Health Education provide districts that choose to teach these topics a medically accurate, evidence-informed, culturally responsive, and trauma-informed guide for age-appropriate instruction in all grades.
Sex education in Illinois is optional for districts to provide. Parents can also opt their student out of instruction.
As required by state law, the
Illinois Learning Standards for Comprehensive Personal Health and Safety and Sexual Health Education
are the National Sex Education Standards. The Illinois standards are organized into seven topic strands:
- Consent and Healthy Relationships
- Anatomy and Physiology
- Puberty and Adolescent Sexual Development
- Gender Identity and Expression
- Sexual Orientation and Identity
- Sexual Health
- Interpersonal Violence
These standards are also available in
Spanish.
FAQ: See
Frequently Asked Questions about comprehensive personal health and safety education and comprehensive sexual health education (updated and revised on August 2022).
