Policies and Standards

According to the Colorado Department of Education, statute CRS 22-1-110.5, human sexuality education must maintain standards that are based on scientific research and:

• Encourage family involvement and communication;
• Emphasize abstinence and teach that sexual abstinence is the only certain way and most effective way to avoid pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases and infections;
• Help students develop skills for making responsible and healthy choices;
• Include discussion of how alcohol and drug use impairs responsible and healthy decision making;
• Be age appropriate, culturally sensitive, and medically accurate;
• Include the health benefits and potential side effects of using contraceptives and barrier methods to prevent pregnancy;
• Promote character education.