New Jersey was one of the first states in the country to mandate comprehensive sex education for all students, and it rejected Title V abstinence-only funding because the requirements contradicted its state law.

Sex Education Policy

New Jersey has among the most comprehensive sex education policies of any state. Its students must receive age-appropriate information on a variety of topics, including gender stereotypes, sexual orientation, the benefits of abstinence, and condoms and contraception. See the New Jersey statutes governing sexuality education:  18A:35-4.7, 18A:35-4.20 and 18A:35-4.21

Health Outcomes

Compared to the national average, New Jersey has an average teen pregnancy rate, higher than average AIDS rate, and lower  than average STI rates.

*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.