SIECUS just released their 2025 State Profiles, and Alabama gets an overall grade of C- on sex education. Alabama doesn’t mandate sex education, and if it’s taught it must emphasize abstinence. Thanks to a 2021 update to the law, sex education must be medically accurate, but unfortunately there is no requirement to teach about consent, a topic on which teens repeatedly say they need more information.

Parents are always free to “opt-out” their child from sex education lessons in Alabama. Even though sex education isn’t required, HIV education is required in grades 5-12. Unfortunately, the Alabama State Department of Education does not monitor HIV education or sex education to see what topics are being taught, and to ensure their compliance with state laws.

You can read the full state profile on SIECUS’ website.

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