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schools
School administrators and staff must decide who will teach sexual health education in the classrooms (teachers, coaches, school nurses, external partners, etc.) and figure out the training needs of the
chosen educators.
Texas is Ready supports these efforts by linking schools with partners that deliver sex ed, as well as partners that deliver training for best practices for delivering sexual health education.
This specialized training teaches the information and skills necessary to facilitate sexual health education in a way that creates a safe space for learners, while also being inclusive and trauma-informed, with a values-neutral approach.
parents/ community
Informed parents and caretakers of young people are not only better able to help their children stay healthy and reach their full potential but are also better positioned to partner with and support schools as they implement sexual health education.
Texas is Ready supports parents, caretakers, and communities by linking them to parent-facing educational programming such as Askable Adults, Key Conversations, and Families Talking Together.
SHACs
Texas school districts are required to form SHACs to ensure that local community values are reflected in each district's health education instruction.
Texas is Ready supports SHACs by linking them to curriculum publishers and by providing education on the updates to the TEKS, statutory compliance, SHAC roles and responsibilities, and selection of evidence-based curriculum that covers the TEKS and meets the needs of their student populations and communities.
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students
Some student populations are typically left out when traditional sexual health education classes are being delivered (i.e. students with physical disabilities and youth who live in systems of care).
Texas is Ready supports educators to assist with the selection and implementation of appropriate sexual health education that is sensitive to each population’s circumstances.
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School-based sex education is a key resource in large-scale support of adolescent sexual health. Parents are the first and most important teachers of their children and have a fundamental right to be in charge of their children’s education. As in all critical education topics, students are best served when schools and parents partner to build their knowledge and skills. Additionally, for some young people, school-based sex education is their only opportunity to receive this vital information.
High-quality implementation of the newly adopted health curriculum standards could result in virtually every Texas student receiving access to medically accurate information on topics such as contraception, prevention of sexually transmitted infections, and healthy relationships.
However, many districts, especially smaller and less-resourced rural districts, tell us they face significant barriers in implementing new standards. Some common barriers include confusion with complex Texas laws around sex education, lack of time resources to identify high-quality curriculum, under-resourced school health advisory councils, and real or perceived low levels of community support for sex education. Even after curriculum adoption, implementation challenges such as teacher training and compliance with state laws around topics such as parent notification and consent may take significant district resources.
Texas is Ready is here to support school districts in lessening the barriers to implementing
high-quality, evidence-based sex education and ensuring that marginalized groups of youth have equal access to it.
Learn more about how Texas is Ready can support your schools and communities, and request services below.
request services
Texas Is Ready supports schools, families, students, and communities as they implement high-quality sexual health education. How can we support you?