Comprehensive school-based sex education provides vital lessons for young people about their health and safety. It allows young people an inclusive, informative, and supportive space to learn how to communicate boundaries, establish and maintain positive relationships, and protect their health. When instruction begins early and goes beyond anatomy and development to also teach skills that support healthy relationships and decision making, young people benefit most.
Comprehensive sex education provides young people with information to protect their health
Michigan does not require public school districts to teach sex education. Districts are, however, required to teach at least one lesson per year for every building level (i.e., elementary, middle and high school) about communicable diseases such as HIV (human immunodeficiency virus). Michigan joins 38 states and the District of Columbia in mandating that students receive instruction about HIV.
In Michigan, state law requires HIV education. Sex education is optional.
Although not required, most of Michigan’s public school districts offer some form of sex education. When a district chooses to go beyond HIV and offer sex education, it must meet specific state criteria.
Michigan law specifies that sex education curriculum offered in public schools must be age-appropriate, not medically inaccurate, and meet the “A-K” content standards. Districts are not prevented from offering instruction about condoms and contraception, but condoms or other contraceptives are not allowed to be made available to students on public school grounds. Instruction cannot include discussions about pregnancy termination as a method of family planning. Parents may review curriculum materials in advance, observe instruction and opt out without penalty.
A school district offering sex education must establish a local sex education advisory board (SEAB). A SEAB must include: parents, teachers, students, clergy and health professionals. A sex education advisory board provides recommendations to the school board about the topics and quantity of lessons to be included in the curriculum offered. School boards and SEABs must hold at least two public meetings to ensure there is broad input on the content of the sex education to be provided.
While there are benefits to locally determined curriculum, the lack of uniformity across the state is unfortunate. Comprehensive sex education that is taught by trained and trusted educators, inclusive of the health needs of all students, and designed to empower young people to make informed decisions about sex and relationships should be available to all Michigan students.
The Michigan Model for Health is the state’s optional health education curriculum
The Michigan Model for Health (MMH) is a kindergarten through 12th grade (K-12) health education curriculum developed through the Michigan Department of Education and Michigan Department of Health and Human Services. MMH includes age-appropriate lessons on sexual health and responsible relationships. The majority of Michigan’s public school districts use the Michigan Model of Health for some or all of the sex ed lessons provided to middle and high school students. Regional school health coordinators work with schools across the state to provide training on how to implement and teach the Michigan Model of Health.
Rights, Respect, Responsibility (3Rs) is an inclusive and comprehensive K-12 sex education curriculum and is used by some Michigan districts as a supplement to Michigan Model of Health lessons.
Adequate funding for comprehensive school-based sex education is essential
Funding is administered by the Michigan Department of Education (MDE) and Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS). In fiscal year 2020, Michigan appropriated $320,000 of the state’s general fund to support public school districts with staffing and other needs related to the implementation of sex education. The state also appropriated $3.8 million in general funds for several family, maternal, and child health programs, including the Michigan Model of Health. The Healthy Michigan Fund, supported by the state’s tobacco tax revenue, has also provided some funding for various teen pregnancy prevention programs across the state.
For more information:
https://www.guttmacher.org/state-policy/explore/sex-and-hiv-education
https://www.cdc.gov/healthyyouth/whatworks/what-works-sexual-health-education.htm
https://www.legislature.mi.gov/
https://www.moash.org/resources-sex-education.html
https://www.michiganmodelforhealth.org/
https://mishca.org/how/mmh/
https://3rs.org/3rs-curriculum/3rs-curric-search/
https://www.house.mi.gov/hfa/PDF/LineItemSummaries/MDE_lineFY20.pdf
https://www.house.mi.gov/hfa/PDF/LineItemSummaries/DHHS_lineFY20.pdf
https://www.michigan.gov/documents/mdhhs/Section_227_686916_7.pdf
Jay Cutler joined the League in March 2026 as the Kids Count Senior Data Analyst, where he collects, analyzes, and prepares data for Kids Count in Michigan.
Danielle Taylor-Basemore joined the League as the Development Data and Stewardship Coordinator in June 2025. She brings with her five years of nonprofit experience with a special focus on community engagement, data visualization and strategic programming. Prior to joining the League, Danielle served as the Business District, Safety, and Digital Manager at Jefferson East, Inc.
Scott Preston is a Senior Policy Analyst with the Michigan League for Public Policy, where he leads the organization’s immigration and criminal justice reform portfolios. In the three years prior to joining the League, Scott facilitated the Southeast Michigan Refugee Collaborative and managed a small business economic development program at Global Detroit. His work included launching Michigan’s first Refugee Film Festival and building on a trusted connector model that linked marginalized communities with crucial resources. Scott’s work at the League is informed by his background in journalism and research. He spent four years covering the Syrian refugee crisis in the Middle East for publications such as The Economist, and later worked with unaccompanied refugee minors through Samaritas. Scott holds a master’s degree in international migration and public policy from the London School of Economics and Political Science.
Kate Powers joined the League as the Chief Development Officer in February 2025. Prior to joining the League, Kate held leadership positions at many Michigan nonprofit organizations, most recently serving as the COO and Chief Development Officer of Ele’s Place. Kate has spent the bulk of her career in fundraising, with a short stint in the state Legislature as a legislative aide to members in both chambers. Kate is a graduate of Michigan State University’s James Madison College with a Bachelor of Arts in Social Relations and has a certificate in fundraising management from the Lilly Family School of Philanthropy at Indiana University. Additionally, Kate served on the East Lansing Public Schools Board of Education and is a past President of the Junior League of Lansing. In her free time, she enjoys traveling with her husband and her son and saving outfit of the day and home decor ideas on Pinterest. 
Nicholas Hess joined the League as the Fiscal Policy Analyst in September of 2024. In this role, Nicholas focuses on tax policy, government revenue, and their impact on working families and racial equity, including the effects of the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) and Child Tax Credit (CTC). Nicholas values the role that judicious fiscal policy can play in the improvement of people’s lives and the economy, alleviating inequities along the way.
Audrey Matusz joined the League as the Visual Communications Specialist in September 2024. She supports the team with implementing social media strategies and brainstorming creative ways to talk about public policy. She brings with her nearly a decade of experience in producing digital products for evidence-based social justice initiatives. 
Jacob Kaplan 
Donald Stuckey 
Alexandra Stamm 
Amari Fuller
Mikell Frey is a communications professional with a passion for using the art of storytelling to positively impact lives. She strongly believes that positive social change can be inspired by the sharing of data-driven information coupled with the unique perspectives of people from all walks of life across Michigan, especially those who have faced extraordinary barriers. 
Yona Isaacs (she/hers) is an Early Childhood Data Analyst for the Kids Count project. After earning her Bachelor of Science in Biopsychology, Cognition, and Neuroscience at the University of Michigan, she began her career as a research coordinator in pediatric psychiatry using data to understand the impacts of brain activity and genetics on children’s behavior and mental health symptoms. This work prompted an interest in exploring social determinants of health and the role of policy in promoting equitable opportunities for all children, families, and communities. She returned to the University of Michigan to complete her Masters in Social Work focused on Social Policy and Evaluation, during which she interned with the ACLU of Michigan’s policy and legislative team and assisted local nonprofit organizations in creating data and evaluation metrics. She currently serves as a coordinator for the Michigan Center for Youth Justice on a project aiming to increase placement options and enhance cultural competency within the juvenile justice system for LGBTQIA+ youth. Yona is eager to put her data skills to work at the League in support of data-driven policies that advocate for equitable access to healthcare, education, economic security, and opportunity for 0-5 year old children. In her free time, she enjoys tackling DIY house projects and trying new outdoor activities with her dog.
Rachel Richards rejoined the League in December 2020 as the Fiscal Policy Director working on state budget and tax policies. Prior to returning to the League, she served as the Director of Legislative Affairs for the Michigan Department of Treasury, the tax policy analyst and Legislative Director for the Michigan League for Public Policy, and a policy analyst and the Appropriations Coordinator for the Democratic Caucus of the Michigan House of Representatives. She brings with her over a decade of experience in policies focused on economic opportunity, including workforce issues, tax, and state budget.
Simon Marshall-Shah joined the Michigan League for Public Policy as a State Policy Fellow in August 2019. His work focuses on state policy as it relates to the budget, immigration, health care and other League policy priorities. Before joining the League, he worked in Washington, D.C. at the Association for Community Affiliated Plans (ACAP), providing federal policy and advocacy support to nonprofit, Medicaid health plans (Safety Net Health Plans) related to the ACA Marketplaces as well as Quality & Operations.
Renell Weathers, Michigan League for Public Policy (MLPP) Community Engagement Consultant. As community engagement consultant, Renell works with organizations throughout the state in connecting the impact of budget and tax policies to their communities. She is motivated by the belief that all children and adults deserve the opportunity to achieve their dreams regardless of race, ethnicity, religion or economic class.
Emily Jorgensen joined the Michigan League for Public Policy in July 2019. She deeply cares about the well-being of individuals and families and has a great love for Michigan. She is grateful that her position at the League enables her to combine these passions and work to help promote policies that will lead to better opportunities and security for all Michiganders.
Megan Farnsworth joined the League’s staff in December 2022 as Executive Assistant. Megan is driven by work that is personally fulfilling, and feels honored to help support the work of an organization that pushes for more robust programming and opportunities for the residents of our state. She’s excited and motivated to gain overarching knowledge of the policies and agendas that the League supports.
