The 2013 Colorado Legislative Session featured a new Comprehensive Human Sexuality Education Bill, House Bill 1081. Under the leadership of Rep. Crisanta Duran and Sen. Nancy Todd, the Comprehensive Human Sexuality K-12 Education Act (HB 1081) establishs the comprehensive human sexuality education grant program. The bill passed out of both the House and the Senate, and is awaiting signature by the governor.

 In an update to last year's report "Raising Expectations in the Rockies" this report outlines the important gains that Colorado has made to improve the quality of sex education delivered to young people and ensure that comprehensive standards are used to shape the sexual health curriculum administered in public schools.

Read the Report Here

In the fall of 2013, over 25,000 students in public high schools and middle schools throughout Colorado completed the Healthy Kids Colorado Survey (HKCS). The survey includes similar questions used for the national Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance (YRBS) distributed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. One of the primary ways Colorado Youth Matter achieves its mission to actively engage Colorado communities to promote healthy sexual development of youth is by disseminating research, such as this sexual health data from the HKCS, to build data-driven leadership and inform programmatic decision-making.

Read our fact sheet on 2013 Colorado student-reported sexual behavior data.

In May 2007, Governor Ritter signed a set of standards for complete, comprehensive sexuality education into law (House Bill 07-1292, Concerning the Adoption of Science-Based Content Standards for Instruction Regarding Human Sexuality). The law says that a comprehensive approach to sex education is the most effective way to help students make responsible and healthy choices, reduce the risk of sexually transmitted infections, including HIV, and help prevent unintended pregnancy and abortion among young people.

Read the HB 1292 fact sheet here

In 2010 the first report on the state of sexual health education in Colorado was written by Colorado Youth Matter, through the Colorado HIV and AIDS Prevention Grant, to help address questions from schools about effective programs and state law (HB07-1292). Questions persisted, and an update was done in 2012.

Read the Sex Ed Snapshot Update. 

As a companion piece to our Sex Ed Snapshot Update 2012, we are pleased to release a Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) about the survey, including more details about what we learned about sex ed in Colorado schools. Since the Snapshot Update was the second survey of its kind in Colorado, we can now begin to identify trends and highlight concrete steps that schools, districts and communities can take together to implement Colorado’s sex ed law and standards. Check out the FAQ to learn more about sex ed in Colorado!

• CREATE Council Info Sheet
• CREATE Sex Education Statements
• House Bill 1081 Fact Sheet
• Support Comprehensive Sex Education
• Top 10 Tips for Youth-Adult Partnerships
• Youth Action Day Press Release
• Youth Testimony for HB 1081

Check out our little tool to support families talking early and often!

Please use this tablemat to spark and normalize reoccurring conversations within your family networks in a safe, fun way. Print double sided, in color or black and white. Directions included.

Click here to view and print the tablemat.

Colorado Youth Matter has released it's first report on Colorado families' support for youth sexual health. The Colorado Family Advocate Survey Summary 2013 reveals the expectations, motivators, barriers and needs of adults to provide sexual health information to the youth in their lives. The results will inform families, community partners, decision-makers, funders and schools in guiding programs, funding and policies to support adult and family engagement in youth sexual health.

Print and share the press release.

Read the report. 

Colorado Youth Matter is pleased to release a new fact sheet, Raising Expectations, Raising Hope: Academic Achievement and Sexual Health. The fact sheet is the first of its kind in Colorado, highlighting the link between academic success and sexual health. We want to reframe this discussion away from dropout and pregnancy prevention, and towards graduation and sexual health. Read the fact sheet for compelling data and recommendations for ways to support the link between these two issues.

Read the fact sheet.

• Click here for a letter requesting comprehensive sex ed in your school.
• Click here for a letter expressing support for the comprehensive sex ed already in place in your school.
• Click here for a letter discussing concerns about the quality of the sex education your child is receiving. 

The only statewide coalition of its kind, The Alliance is a coordinated network of advocates for youth sexual health who are working to ensure that all young people have access to evidence-based, youth-centered and complete sexual health education, resources and services. The Alliance is housed by statewide non-profit organization Colorado Youth Matter; members include other state organizations, community-based nonprofits, local public health departments, parents and allies who believe that informed youth make responsible, healthy decisions and deserve access to the best education, resources and service a school or community has to offer.

Read more.