Puberty Education for Tennessee Schools
Navigate Tennessee health education requirements with confidence. Puberty: The Wonder Years provides grade 4-6 educators with scripted lesson plans, family engagement tools, and online training, all aligned to national health education standards.
Tennessee Health Education Requirements for Grades 4-6
- Sex education is mandated by state law in Tennessee.
- HIV/AIDS education is required.
- Instruction must stress abstinence as the preferred behavior for unmarried persons of school age.
- Information about contraception must be provided when sex education is offered.
- Instruction must be medically accurate.
- Healthy relationships must be addressed in instruction.
- Instruction must be age-appropriate.
Key Tennessee Resources
Tennessee Academic Standards: Health Education
Official state health education standards and frameworks
SIECUS Tennessee State Profile
State-level sex education policy overview from SIECUS
Guttmacher Institute: Sex and HIV Education
National sex education policy data including Tennessee
Tennessee Department of Education
State education agency resources and guidance
How Puberty: The Wonder Years Supports Tennessee Health Education
PWY covers the core health education topics addressed in the Tennessee Academic Standards: Health Education, including human growth and development, healthy relationships, and personal safety. PWY is verified against the National Sex Education Standards (NSES, 2nd edition) and the National Health Education Standards (NHES), which Tennessee districts commonly use as evaluation frameworks.
Family Engagement Tools
PWY builds home-school partnerships with Family Activity Sheets, parent preview materials, and a dedicated parent resources website, all in English and Spanish.
Adaptable Lesson Structure
Tennessee districts select their own health education curriculum. PWY’s modular design lets schools choose which lessons and Add-On Lessons match their community’s needs and state requirements.
Teacher Scripts and Training
PWY provides word-for-word teacher scripts and online training so educators can teach with confidence, even on sensitive topics.
NSES + NHES Alignment
PWY is verified against national standards that Tennessee districts use to evaluate curriculum quality.
National Sex Education Standards Alignment | National Health Education Standards Alignment
Bring PWY to Your Tennessee District
Try a free 5th grade lesson with your class.
Request a 60-day curriculum preview for your review team.
Present PWY to your district’s curriculum review committee.
PWY provides administrator guides and curriculum outlines to support the adoption process. Tennessee districts may reference the state-approved materials list.
Get your school board’s approval and purchase.
Expertly Designed by a Certified Sexuality Educator
Crafted by Wendy Sellers, Certified Sexuality Educator (CES), Curriculum Designer, and Registered Nurse (RN), Puberty: The Wonder Years breaks the silence and stigma around puberty, providing trusted guidance for students, parents, and educators alike.
What Educators Are Saying
“Puberty: The Wonder Years doesn’t just stick to puberty, it also includes lessons on topics that I think are necessary such as bullying, and social-emotional components. There’s also a lot of scripting for really good conversation and prompts for the teachers.”
Tim Kordic, Project Manager, Sexual Health & HIV Prevention, Los Angeles Unified School District
Want to share your experience with PWY in Tennessee? Contact us.
Tennessee Puberty Education FAQ
Does Tennessee require puberty education?
Tennessee mandates sex education and HIV/AIDS education in public schools. The Tennessee Academic Standards: Health Education provides the framework for health education content, including puberty-related topics for grades 4-6.
Do I need parental consent to teach puberty education in Tennessee?
Tennessee provides parents the right to opt their children out of sex education or HIV/AIDS education instruction. Schools must inform parents of this right.
How do I get PWY approved for my Tennessee school?
In Tennessee, health education curriculum may be reviewed at the state level, but final adoption decisions are typically made by local school boards. Present PWY to your district’s curriculum review committee, gain principal and superintendent support, and seek school board approval at a public meeting.
Does PWY align with Tennessee standards?
PWY covers the health education topics addressed in the Tennessee Academic Standards: Health Education. A formal standards crosswalk for Tennessee is in development. PWY is verified against the National Sex Education Standards (NSES, 2nd edition) and the National Health Education Standards (NHES), which districts commonly reference when evaluating curriculum quality.
Is PWY available in Spanish?
PWY’s family engagement resources, including Family Activity Sheets, Family Partnership Flyers, parent letters, and the parent resources website, are available in both English and Spanish.