69´«Ã½

Federal Report Roundup

Comprehensive Sex Ed. Programs Effective, Panel Finds

By Ian Quillen — November 13, 2009 1 min read
  • Save to favorites
  • Print
Email Copy URL

A panel of independent medical experts that comprehensive sex education programs that teach contraception methods and safer sexual practices help reduce teenagers’ risky sexual behavior and limit the spread of sexually transmitted infections. But it found that evidence was more limited on the question of whether such programs are effective in reducing pregnancy and HIV.

At the same time, the , there is not enough evidence to determine the effectiveness of programs that solely promote abstinence as a means of birth control and protection against disease.

The new findings come in a pair of reports issued this month by the Task Force on Community and Preventive Services, a volunteer body of public-health and prevention experts, whose members are appointed by the director of the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, in Atlanta. It recommends interventions to the CDC to promote population health and identifies subject areas where more research is needed.

For the new reports, the task force reviewed 83 separate sex education studies—62 on comprehensive programs and 21 on abstinence-only programs—conducted between 1980 and 2007. A panel of experts assembled by the CDC produced the analysis on behalf of the task force.

The task forces recommendation for group-based comprehensive risk reduction delivered to adolescents comes as Congress considers President Barack Obama’s request to discontinue funding specifically targeted toward abstinence programs.

Related Tags:

A version of this article appeared in the November 18, 2009 edition of Education Week as Comprehensive Sex Education Backed by Evidence, Medical Panel Concludes

Events

School & District Management Webinar Crafting Outcomes-Based Contracts That Work for Everyone
Discover the power of outcomes-based contracts and how they can drive student achievement.
This content is provided by our sponsor. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of Education Week's editorial staff.
Sponsor
School & District Management Webinar
Harnessing AI to Address Chronic Absenteeism in 69´«Ã½
Learn how AI can help your district improve student attendance and boost academic outcomes.
Content provided by 
School & District Management Webinar EdMarketer Quick Hit: What’s Trending among K-12 Leaders?
What issues are keeping K-12 leaders up at night? Join us for EdMarketer Quick Hit: What’s Trending among K-12 Leaders?

EdWeek Top School Jobs

Teacher Jobs
Search over ten thousand teaching jobs nationwide — elementary, middle, high school and more.
Principal Jobs
Find hundreds of jobs for principals, assistant principals, and other school leadership roles.
Administrator Jobs
Over a thousand district-level jobs: superintendents, directors, more.
Support Staff Jobs
Search thousands of jobs, from paraprofessionals to counselors and more.

Read Next

Federal What a National School Choice Program Under President Trump Might Look Like
School choice advocates—and detractors—see a second Trump term as the biggest opportunity in decades for choice at the federal level.
8 min read
President Donald Trump listens during a "National Dialogue on Safely Reopening America's 69´«Ã½," event in the East Room of the White House, on July 7, 2020, in Washington.
President Donald Trump listens during a "National Dialogue on Safely Reopening America's 69´«Ã½," event in the East Room of the White House on July 7, 2020, in Washington. He returns to power with more momentum than ever behind policies that allow public dollars to pay for private school education.
Alex Brandon/AP
Federal Trump's Education Secretary Pick Is Linda McMahon, Former WWE CEO
McMahon led the Small Business Administration in Trump's first term and is co-chair of the president-elect's transition team.
6 min read
Small Business Administration Administrator Linda McMahon speaks during a news conference with President Donald Trump in Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach, Fla., Friday, March 29, 2019.
Then-SBA Administrator Linda McMahon speaks during a news conference with President Donald Trump at Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach, Fla., Friday, March 29, 2019. Trump has tapped McMahon to serve as education secretary in his second term.
Manuel Balce Ceneta/AP
Federal What Could RFK Jr. as HHS Secretary Mean for School Vaccine Requirements?
The vaccine skeptic in line to lead the mammoth federal agency could influence schools' vaccine rules, even though they're set by states.
6 min read
Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., speaks before Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump at a campaign event, Friday, Sept. 27, 2024 in Walker, Mich.
Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., speaks before President-elect Donald Trump at a campaign event on Sept. 27, 2024 in Walker, Mich. Trump has selected Kennedy to serve as secretary of health and human services in his second term.
Carlos Osorio/AP
Federal Can Trump Force 69´«Ã½ to Change Their Curricula?
Trump's bid to take money from schools that teach "critical race theory" or pass policies for transgender kids raises legal complexities.
9 min read
Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump speaks on crime and safety during a campaign event at the Livingston County Sheriff's Office, Tuesday, Aug. 20, 2024, in Howell, Mich.
Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump speaks on crime and safety during a campaign event at the Livingston County Sheriff's Office, Tuesday, Aug. 20, 2024, in Howell, Mich.
Evan Vucci/AP