New Act Puts $100M Annually Toward Comprehensive Sex Ed, Repeals Abstinence-Only Funding

The new Real Education and Access for Healthy Youth Act of 2025 is set to completely overhaul how sexual health education and services are funded federally. Starting in fiscal year 2026, the Act authorizes $100 million annually through 2031 for competitive grants aimed at providing comprehensive, evidence-based sex education and sexual health services to young people aged 10 through 29. Crucially, the bill mandates that this education must be medically accurate, inclusive of all gender identities and sexual orientations, and actively address historical inequities and trauma.

The End of Abstinence-Only Funding

For anyone keeping score on federal spending shifts, this bill makes a massive change by repealing Section 510 of the Social Security Act, which was the long-standing funding source for “abstinence only until marriage” programs. Not only does the program end, but any unspent money previously earmarked for it is immediately transferred and redirected to fund this new, comprehensive approach (Sec. 12). This is a clear signal that the federal government is moving away from models that research has shown to be ineffective and toward evidence-informed education that promotes consent and healthy decision-making.

Where the $100 Million Goes

This funding is broken up into several new grant programs run by the Secretary of Health and Human Services, often in collaboration with the Secretary of Education. The money is specifically targeted to reach young people who have historically been underserved, including Black, Indigenous, Latine, LGBTQ+ youth, those in foster care, and those from low-income families (Sec. 3).

• K-12 and Youth Groups (Up to 30%): Grants will fund sex education projects in elementary and secondary schools and youth-serving organizations (Sec. 4). This means that if you’re a parent, your local school district or Boys & Girls Club could receive federal funds to upgrade their curriculum to meet high national standards.
• Colleges and Universities (Up to 10%): Higher education institutions—especially those serving large populations of low-income or minority students—can get grants to integrate sex education into orientation, general education courses, or through peer-led awareness campaigns (Sec. 5). This recognizes that sexual health education shouldn't stop after high school.
• Educator Training (Up to 15%): A dedicated chunk of money goes toward training teachers, administrators, and staff on how to effectively teach this comprehensive curriculum, including how to incorporate anti-racist and gender-inclusive policies into their lessons (Sec. 6).
• Sexual Health Services (Up to 30%): Perhaps the most practical impact for many young adults is the funding for “youth-friendly” sexual health services (Sec. 7). This includes access to all FDA-approved contraception, preventative care like PrEP/PEP, mental health services, and support for survivors of interpersonal violence. Grantees must use this money to improve service delivery—think mobile clinics, better referral systems, or help with transportation to appointments.

What the Education Must Cover

This isn't just about covering the basics. The bill is very specific about the required content, which must align with the National Sex Education Standards (Sec. 2). For example, the education must cover consent (defined as active, conscious, and voluntary agreement), gender identity and expression, and how to prevent and treat STIs and unintended pregnancy. Crucially, the education cannot withhold life-saving information, promote stereotypes, or be medically inaccurate or incomplete (Sec. 10). If a program fails these standards, it cannot receive federal money under this Act.

Accountability is Built-In

For those who worry about federal funds being spent without results, the Act includes a strong accountability framework (Sec. 8). Grantees must report annually on how they spent the money and how it increased access to education or services. Even more importantly, the Secretary must hire an independent, non-profit organization within six months to conduct a multi-year, statistically rigorous impact evaluation. This study must use methods like quasi-experimental designs to determine if these funded programs are actually working to improve health outcomes. The final report must be made public six years after the law is enacted, ensuring taxpayers and policymakers can see the real-world results.