ERIC Number: EJ1486998
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2025-Nov
Pages: 8
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0022-4391
EISSN: EISSN-1746-1561
Available Date: 2025-08-12
State of Menstrual Health Education in 2024: Content Analysis of US K-12 Public School Education Standards
Emily Richardson1; Page D. Dobbs2; Sarah Bemis3; Hope Ballentine4; Shristi Bhochhibhoya5; Victor Kwaku Akakpo6; Kylie Lovett7
Journal of School Health, v95 n11 p962-969 2025
Background: Exploratory study aiming to assess the prevalence and time of initiation of menstrual health curriculum in US public school education standards by state. Methods: US public school Kindergarten-12th grade education standards from each state's Department of Education website, including D.C. (n = 51), were searched for menstruation, menstrual, menses, menopause, period, menarche, reproduction, puberty, and growth and development. Results: 25.5% (n = 13) of US education standards include menstruation. Of these, constructs of comprehensive menstrual health were recorded including abnormal menstruation (n = 6), menstrual hygiene (n = 6), menopause (n = 1), and stigma (n = 7). Education is initiated in 3rd-5th grade (n = 6) and 6th-8th grade (n = 7). One state required boys and girls to be taught separately. Parents opt-out choice is allowed in (n = 6) and (n = 6) requires certified teachers. Policy Implications: Isolating menstrual education as an independent framework is needed to advocate for educational inclusion in US public schools. Conclusions: Menstrual health education is profoundly rare in US K-12 public education standards, despite 50 million students being impacted. Furthermore, comprehensive menstrual education does not currently exist in US education standards.
Descriptors: Content Analysis, Elementary Secondary Education, Public Schools, Health Education, Physiology, Females, Hygiene, State Standards, Sex Education
Wiley. Available from: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030. Tel: 800-835-6770; e-mail: cs-journals@wiley.com; Web site: https://www-wiley-com.bibliotheek.ehb.be/en-us
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Elementary Secondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A
Author Affiliations: 1Eleanor Mann School of Nursing, Department of Health, Human Performance and Recreation, Center for Public Health and Technology, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, Arkansas, USA; 2Associate Professor of Public Health, Department of Health, Human Performance and Recreation, Center for Public Health and Technology, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, Arkansas, USA; 3Heartland Whole Health Institute, Bentonville, Arkansas, USA; 4Eleanor Mann School of Nursing, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, Arkansas, USA; 5Department of Health, Human Performance and Recreation, Center for Public Health and Technology, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, Arkansas, USA; 6Public Policy Program, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, Arkansas, USA; 7Department of Health, Human Performance and Recreation, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, Arkansas, USA

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