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Connecticut law does not require sex education for students, even though 42 percent of high school students in Connecticut report already having had sex. Connecticut’s birth rate is lower than the national rate, but racial disparities persist: young African American women are four times as likely to give birth as young white women, and young Hispanic/Latina women are seven times as likely to give birth as whites.
Sex Education Policy
Connecticut state law does not require or establish guidelines for sex education in schools - it has not taken the necessary action to guarantee complete, comprehensive sex ed for its students. However, Connecticut does require instruction in HIV prevention.
Connecticut's legal statutes governing sex education: Connecticut Statutes Chapter 194 Sections 10-16b-f, and 10-19a-b.
Health Outcomes
Among the states, Connecticut has lower than average rates of pregnancy and STIs.
Sexual Health Stats at a Glance
|
Teen Pregnancy Rate* |
Teen Birth Rate* |
Annual rate of AIDS Diagnoses (per 100,000 people) |
STI Rate+ |
% of high school students who did not use a condom at last sex |
| Connecticut |
57 |
21 |
9.7 |
73 |
38 |
| National |
70 |
39.1 |
11.2 |
100.8 |
39 |
*Per 1000 young women ages 15-19
+Because of concern over recent changes in Chlamydia reporting and relative low incidence of syphilis, we used the state's gonorrhea rate as a stand-in for sexually transmitted infection rates.
Advocates' Partner Organizations
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