A scoping review of K–12 health education in Canada: understanding school stakeholders’ perceptions

Figures & data

Figure 1. Literature Search Results

Table 1. Perceptions of School Stakeholders on K–12 HE.

Author, Year (Province)	Journal	Study Design (D) & Participants (P)	Goal/ Purpose	Notable Results
Anderson & Thorsen, 1998 (ON)	Journal of Education for Teaching	D: quantitative (descriptive/ correlational) P: PSTs, elementary (n = 493)	To determine the nature and extent of preparation for HE, including structural characteristics (hours, classes) and students’ perception of their competence and comfort level teaching HE.	More than one third of respondents (35.3%) reported they received no pre-service instruction devoted specifically to HE. Half (50.5%) indicated their program included one to six hours devoted to HE. 71.2% indicated they did not teach any HE during practice teaching.
Begoray et al., 2009 (BC)	Global Health Promotion	D: general qualitative P: students, grade 10 (n = 33)	To examine the health component of the Planning 10 curriculum as it was experienced by students, and to examine how it contributes to students’ health literacy and how context influences HE.	Students reported experiencing repetitive course content, routinely delivered by teachers and passively received by students. The HE curriculum, and particularly its implementation, has had limited effect on health literacy (students’ abilities to access, understand, communicate, and evaluate health information).
Bialystok, 2018 (ON)	Educational Theory	D: conceptual/ theoretical P: NA	To provide an analysis of parental opposition to comprehensive SE that suggests their dissent should not be accommodated in the form of opt-outs.	Providing dissenting parents with opt-out options undermines a very urgent educational policy. This is due to the specific nature and aims of SE, especially its concern with mainstreaming sexual diversity and supporting the sexual autonomy of vulnerable students. It is suggested to find ways of honoring parents’ right to involvement in their children’s education while delivering a mandatory curriculum.
Bialystok, 2019 (ON)	Canadian Journal of Education	D: quantitative (descriptive/ correlational) P: ISTs, grades 1–12 (n = 117)	To establish teachers’ understanding of the revised SHE curriculum, their experience of the roll-out, and their values around the teaching of sexuality.	Teachers’ beliefs about the aims of the curriculum are closely aligned with the former Liberal government. Teachers expressed classically liberal orientations in their teaching, stressing the importance of promoting respect for diversity, equality, and healthy independent decision-making.
Byers et al., 2003a (NB)	Canadian Journal of Human Sexuality	D: quantitative (descriptive/ correlational) P: students, grades 6–8 (n = 745)	To examine student attitudes towards and experience with SHE at school and at home.	Students were in favour of SHE at school (93%), and the majority (69%) agreed that schools and parents should share this responsibility. Almost all students thought that SHE should start in middle school or sooner. They highlighted a need for more factual information and for practical skills associated with a variety of SH topics.
Byers et al., 2003b (NB)	Canadian Journal of Human Sexuality	D: quantitative (descriptive/ correlational) P: students, grades 9–12 (n = 1,663)	To assess high school students’ attitudes toward and experiences with SHE at school and at home.	92% of students were in favour of SHE at school. 77% agreed that schools and parents should share responsibility for SHE. Students highlighted a need for more factual information as well as practical skills related to a wide range of SH topics.
Byers et al., 2013 (NB)	Sex Education	D: quantitative (descriptive/ correlational) P: students, grades 6–8 (n = 478)	To examine factors associated with middle school students’ perceptions of the quality of SHE they received at school.	Boys and students in a lower grade and with less sexual experience rated the quality of their SHE more positively. Students who strongly agreed that their SHE matched their interests and covered sexual health topics adequately, reported higher quality SHE. Students who perceived their teacher as being more comfortable discussing SH topics also reported higher quality SHE.
Byers et al., 2017 (NB, ON, NS)	Canadian Journal of Human Sexuality	D: quantitative (descriptive/ correlational) P: undergraduate students (n = 296)	To gather information about SHE being provided in middle and high schools in three Canadian provinces.	Almost all participants reported receiving SHE in middle school. A quarter of participants reported not receiving SHE in high school. Participants rated the SHE they received in middle school as fair and in high school as good. The men tended to rate the SHE they received in middle school more positively than did the women. Participants reported that peers were a more important source of sexual health information than was SHE.
Causarano et al., 2010 (ON)	Canadian Journal of Human Sexuality	D: quantitative (descriptive/ correlational) P: youth, ages 13–18+ (n = 1,216)	To examine the SH topics respondents had received information about and the topics they did or did not want to learn more about.	Topics that are most often learned about (STI, HIV, birth control) and those less learned about (sexual pleasure, healthy relationships, communicating about sex) were both reflected in youths’ identification of topics they wanted to learn more about.
Cohen et al., 2004 (NB)	Canadian Journal of Human Sexuality	D: quantitative (descriptive/ correlational) P: ISTs, grades K–8 (n = 336)	To assess ISTs attitudes towards SHE, the importance they assign to SH topics, their knowledge about and comfort teaching SHE, and the grade they think SHE should be introduced.	93% of teachers supported school-based SHE. 65% had received no training to teach SHE. These findings underscore the need for in-service training to increase teachers’ knowledge about sexuality and their comfort teaching specific SH topics.
DiCenso et al., 2001 (ON)	Canadian Journal of Public Health	D: general qualitative P: students, grades 9–11 (n = 83)	To learn youths’ opinions about SH services and strategies to improve SHE delivery.	Students reported SE was often taught by teachers who felt uncomfortable discussing sexual issues. Students had limited knowledge on the availability of SH information and reported receiving information regarding SH from their peers.
Foster et al., 2011 (CA)	Canadian Journal of Human Sexuality	D: quantitative (descriptive/ correlational) P: students, grades 6–8 (n = 599)	To examine predictors of middle school students’ perceptions of the quality of the SHE they had received from their parents.	Results indicated that the relationships between youth's perceptions of the quality of SHE by parents were similar for boys and girls and for students in grade 6 and 7. The students did not give their parents high marks for providing quality SHE or encouraging questions about sexuality.
Grace, 2018 (AB)	Canadian Journal of Education	D: conceptual/ theoretical P: NA	To examine the degree to which legislation and educational policy enable comprehensive SHE, with particular attention to sexual and gender minority students.	Comprehensive SHE should be compulsory and age-appropriate, accommodating all students across sexual and gender differences. There is no legislation mandating comprehensive SHE or sexual and gender minority-inclusive comprehensive SHE as required learning for all students.
Gray et al., 2018 (QC)	Curriculum Studies in Health and Physical Education	D: general qualitative P: PSTs, K–12 (n = 16)	To explore how PSTs conceptualised health and the body, as well as how their understandings of health and the body influenced their perceptions of teaching ‘health’ in their respective PE contexts.	Students defined health holistically during the early stages of interviews. These students were starting to counter healthism discourse by perceiving health holistically and talking about health in alternative ways to the dominant ‘health = fit = slim’ equation.
Henderson et al., 2021 (ON)	Canadian Journal of Education	D: quantitative (descriptive/ correlational) P: ISTs, grades K–8 (n = 157)	To understand ON elementary teachers’ perceptions, attitudes, and practices with respect to financial literacy education.	Teachers overwhelmingly favour teaching financial literacy in elementary school. Almost half of respondents currently incorporate financial literacy into their classroom practice. With respect to barriers, respondents cited the lack of an appropriate curriculum and lack of support from schools and school boards.
Larkin et al., 2017 (ON)	Canadian Journal of Education	D: quantitative (descriptive/ correlational) P: youth, ages 13–18+ (n = 1,216)	To ascertain what youth want and need in terms of SHE.	At age 13, 24% of the youth had never received SE, although 5% of the 13-year-olds had engaged in vaginal or anal sex. There is a significant discrepancy between what youth are learning in SHE and what they want to know.
Laverty et al., 2021 (BC, ON, QC, AB)	Canadian Journal of Human Sexuality	D: general qualitative P: students, ages 12–19 (n = 66)	To understand the SHE experiences of students in CA and help determine the extent to which students feel informed and supported to develop and maintain their SH and participate in healthy sexual and/ or romantic relationships.	There is a need for youth perspectives when developing, implementing, and evaluating SHE and to help inform recommendations for where educational improvements are warranted. This insight could serve as a roadmap for SHE programing and curricula development.
Lokanc-Diluzio et al., 2007 (AB)	Canadian Journal of Human Sexuality	D: quantitative (descriptive/ correlational) P: ISTs, grades K–8 (n = 127)	To strengthen the capacity and confidence of ISTs to deliver SHE.	Pre – and post-surveys showed self-reported increases in knowledge, comfort, and perceived ability to present accurate information with regards to SHE.
Matheson et al., 2020 (ON)	Citizenship Social & Economics Education	D: qualitative (case study) P: ISTs, grades 9–12 (n = 12); students, grades 9–12 (n = 12)	To examine the experiences of high school students and teachers regarding personal financial curriculum and teaching at the secondary level; to identify the ways these experiences may have helped prepare students to become financially literate.	Current students and teachers perceived curriculum and teaching experiences as seriously lacking in effectively preparing them to be financially literate, and that a fundamental reorientation around transdisciplinary student-led learning was key to transforming such learning into a more meaningful and valuable educational experience.
McKay, 2004 (CA)	Canadian Journal of Human Sexuality	D: conceptual/ theoretical P: NA	To support the provision of high quality SHE in Canadian schools.	Canadian Guidelines for SHE provide a clear, easy to apply, evidence-based guide to the initiation, development, implementation, and evaluation of SHE in Canadian schools. Parents and students want schools to provide broadly-based SHE.
McKay & Barrett, 1999 (CA)	Canadian Journal of Human Sexuality	D: quantitative (descriptive/ correlational) P: BEd programs (n = 84)	To examine BEd elementary, secondary, and PHE programs to determine the extent to which PSTs receive SHE training.	Among all BEd programs surveyed, 53.7% reported that it was compulsory for all of their students to receive training in teaching skills to maintain/ enhance health. In contrast, 15.5% of BEd programs surveyed reported that all students received training in how to teach SHE as part of their compulsory course of study.
McKay & Bissell, 2009 (CA)	Canadian Journal of Human Sexuality	D: conceptual/ theoretical P: NA	To provide research-based answers to 16 common questions that parents, communities, educators, health and social administrators, and government may have about SHE in Canadian schools.	The Canadian guidelines for SHE provides a clear, easy-to-apply, evidence-based guide to the initiation, development, implementation, and evaluation of SHE in Canadian schools.
McKay et al., 1998 (ON)	Canadian Journal of Human Sexuality	D: quantitative (descriptive/ correlational) P: parents (n = 6,833)	To identify the percentage of parents in the community who wanted SHE to be taught in schools, what topics should be included, at what grade level(s).	95% of parents strongly agreed or agreed with the statement ‘SHE should be provided in schools.’ 82% were in favour of SHE that begins in primary grades and continues through senior grades.
McKay et al., 2014 (ON)	Canadian Journal of Human Sexuality	D: quantitative (descriptive/ correlational) P: parents (n = 1,002)	To examine the opinions and attitudes of ON parents regarding school-based SHE.	Parents (87%) strongly agreed or agreed that SHE should be provided in school and SHE should start by middle school (84%). Parents were in support of HE, with 94% of parents either agreeing (35%) or strongly agreeing (59%) that HE should be provided in school.
Meaney et al., 2009 (ON)	Canadian Journal of Human Sexuality	D: quantitative (descriptive/ correlational) P: undergraduate students (n = 161)	To investigate satisfaction with SHE in a sample of first-year university students recently graduated from ON high schools.	Participants gave very high importance ratings to more than half of 20 topics they considered ‘important to learn about in high school.’ Participants assessment of SHE did not differ based on type of school (i.e. public or catholic). Overall, participants were ‘generally satisfied’ with their SHE teachers and school-based SHE.
Ninomiya, 2010 (NL)	Canadian Journal of Human Sexuality	D: quantitative (descriptive/ correlational) P: ISTs, grades 7–9 (n = 31)	To identify the experiences, topic coverage, comfort levels, views, and training of teachers responsible for teaching SHE.	Researchers found a general absence of pre-service and in-service training, outdated curricular resources, under-coverage of topics associated with pleasure, satisfaction, and behaviour, and a lack of awareness of sexual diversity in the classroom (and responses to it) despite apparent acceptance of and comfort with the topic.
Noon & Arcus, 2002 (BC)	Canadian Home Economics Journal	D: general qualitative P: students, grade 10 (n = 14)	To explore the perceptions of students regarding their experiences in SHE.	Male and female students suggested the importance of including the emotional or personal aspects of sexuality in SHE. Female students suggested including information on male sexuality. Nearly all recalled multiple units being taught as repetitive.
Phillips & Martinez, 2010 (ON)	Canadian Journal of Public Health	D: general qualitative P: ISTs (n = 30); health partners (n = 14); young adults, ages 18–24 (n = 31)	To evaluate secondary schools’ ability to deliver relevant SRH and determine whether SRH education meets the standards of health promotion.	Methods used to educate SRH risk reduction was primarily through abstinence and use of condoms. ISTs motivated students to abstain from sexual activity and be sexually responsible by framing sex as an adult activity requiring a threshold maturity level, and by emphasizing the negative, risky consequences of sex. SRH education embodies many health promotion program ideals but schools need to improve the SRH promotion of students marginalized by sexual identities, race, and ethnicity.
Riecken et al., 2006 (BC)	Canadian Journal of Native Education	D: qualitative (action research) P: students, secondary (n = NA)	To move toward an in-depth, multifaceted understanding of the urgent and pressing health issues of contemporary Indigenous youth.	Participants rejected the Eurocentric deficit model of health and created a paradigm based in the holistic values of balance and respect as taught by their community and Elders. Participants felt empowered as emerging researchers and inspired to become messengers of health knowledge for their peers.
Russell-Mayhew et al., 2016 (AB)	Canadian School Counselling Review	D: general qualitative P: Administrators, ISTs, university educators, provincial organization (n = 6)	To understand educational professionals’ perceptions of health promotion, potential barriers to health promotion, and possible ways of overcoming barriers in school settings.	Participants expressed views that reflected dissonance between the importance of health and the perceived lack of ability to address it in schools. Participants shared concern that placing greater emphasis on health would detract from the chief goal of educating students. Teachers felt unprepared to promote health; they emphasized the need for greater training.
Rye et al., 2015 (ON)	Sex Education: Sexuality, Society and Learning	D: general qualitative P: undergraduate students (n = 11)	To investigate the relationship between high school SH curriculum satisfaction and the pursuit of further SHE.	Reasons for taking a university-level sexuality course stemmed mainly from not getting enough information in their high school SHE courses and/ or desiring a less skewed presentation of the material.
Vamos & Zhou, 2007 (BC)	American Journal of Health Education	D: quantitative (descriptive/ correlational) P: ISTs, grades K–12 (n = 166); PSTs, grades K–12 (n = 78)	To investigate the preparedness of health educators (e.g. related to knowledge, skills, preparedness, positive beliefs, satisfaction).	Positive relationships were found between PSTs’ knowledge, skill, preparedness, positive beliefs, and satisfaction in assisting them to teach HE. ISTs reported higher levels of knowledge, skill, and preparedness, and positive beliefs; they also had higher levels of satisfaction and more positive beliefs than PSTs.
Vamos & Zhou, 2009 (BC)	American Journal of Health Education	D: general qualitative P: ISTs, grades K–12 (n = 16); PSTs, grades K–12 (n = 14)	To explore HE teaching and assess needs among IST and PST teachers in a K–12 school system.	Seven themes were identified: effective and ineffective teaching strategies; barriers to teaching; comfortableness in teaching; self-perceived gaps in knowledge/ skills; adequacy of BC health curricula; knowledge of/ participation in school health initiatives; and role of school.
Walters & Laverty, 2022 (CA)	Canadian Journal of Human Sexuality	D: quantitative (descriptive/ correlational) P: youth, ages 16–25 (n = 1,507)	To explore SHE learning experiences for youth in CA and examine group differences based on self-reported gender and sexual identities.	The most commonly reported topics youth were exposed to were STIs (92%), physical anatomy and/ or puberty (89%), and pregnancy and birth control (79%). The results support the need for SH educators to integrate youth preferences into their teaching, particularly within school learning environments.
Weaver et al., 2002 (NB)	Canadian Journal of Human Sexuality	D: quantitative (descriptive/ correlational) P: parents (n≈4,200)	To examine parents’ attitudes and experiences related to SHE at school and at home.	Most parents (95%) felt SHE should be a shared responsibility (between school and home) and believed SHE should begin in elementary (65%) or middle school (32%). Most parents supported a broad range of SHE topics, including those often considered controversial.
Wood et al., 2021 (CA)	Canadian Journal of Human Sexuality	D: quantitative (descriptive/ correlational) P: parents (n≈2,000)	To examine parental support for the inclusion of SHE in schools, perceived quality of the SHE children received, assessed support for various SHE topics, and to determine if parental support varied across regions.	The majority of parents (85%) agreed that SHE should be taught in schools. Support was high across all regions in CA, ranging from 82% in ON to 91% in the Atlantic provinces.
Zain Al-Dien, 2010 (AB)	Journal of Muslim Minority Affairs	D: general qualitative P: students, ages/ grades not provided (n = 9)	To examine the perceptions of Muslim youth regarding SE in CA that is offered to them by Canadian schools, their parents, and the Islamic centres.	Findings from this research indicated that although SE programs offered by Canadian public schools were informative to Muslim youth, in participants’ perceptions they marginalized the experiences of those Muslim students that did not intend to engage in premarital sexual activity.

AB = Alberta; AIDS = acquired immune deficiency syndrome; BC = British Columbia; BEd = Bachelor of Education; CA = Canada; CSH = comprehensive school health; HE = HE; HIV = human immunodeficiency virus; HPE = health and physical education; ISTs = in-service teachers; NA = not available; NB = New Brunswick; NL = Newfoundland and Labrador; NS = Nova Scotia; ON = Ontario; PE = physical education; PSTs = pre-service teachers; QC = Quebec; SE = sexual education; SH = sexual health; SRH = sexual reproductive health; STI = sexually transmitted infection.

Table 2. Topic studied by school stakeholder group.

School Stakeholder	Students & YA^b (n)	IST (n)	Parents (n)	HP/EP (n)	PST (n)	UG (n)
Topic^a
SHE (n = 26)	14	7	8	3	0	3
Health/ Health Promotion/ Health Literacy (n = 5)	3	2	0	2	1	0
Teacher Preparation (n = 3)	0	1	0	1	2	0
Financial Literacy (n = 2)	1	2	0	0	0	0
Teacher Experiences (n = 1)	0	1	0	0	1	0
Totals	18	13	8	6	4	3

Notes. EP = educational professionals; HP = health partners; IST = in-service teachers; PST = pre-service teachers; UG = undergraduate students; YA = young adults.

^a Studies were categorized into one topic; however, a few studies investigated the perspectives of more than one stakeholder group.

^a Walters and Laverty (2022) described participants as ‘youth’ age 16–25.

Table

	Search Terms	Results
S14	S6 AND S9 AND S12 AND S13	494
S13	Canad* OR ‘British Columbia*’ OR bc OR Alberta* OR Saskatchewan OR Manitoba* OR Yukon OR ‘Northwest Territories’ OR ‘North West Territories’ OR NWT OR Nunavut OR Ontario OR Quebec* OR ‘Nova Scotia*’ OR ‘Prince Edward Island’ OR Newfoundland OR Labrador OR ‘New Brunswick’	75,024
S12	S10 OR S11	57,870
S11	((Health OR Wellness OR alcohol OR smoking OR vaping OR drug* OR tobacco OR marijauna OR cannabis OR puberty OR sex* OR lifestyle* OR fitness OR food OR nutrition OR emotional OR financial OR media) N3 (curricul* OR education))	57,870
S10	((((DE ‘Comprehensive School Health Education’) OR DE ‘Alcohol Education’ OR DE ‘Drug Education’ OR DE ‘Family Life Education OR DE ‘Health Education’ OR (DE ‘Sex Education’))	4,492
S9	S7 OR S8	913,476
S8	K-5 OR K-6 OR K-7 OR K-8 OR K-9 OR K-12 OR 1–5 OR 6–9 OR 7–9 OR 8–12 OR 9–12 OR 10–12 OR kindergarten* OR elementary OR secondary OR primary OR intermediate OR highschool* OR ‘high school*’ OR ‘junior high’ OR ‘senior high’ OR ‘middle school’ OR private OR public OR catholic OR Islam* OR french OR francophone OR bilingual OR ‘first nations’ OR indigenous	893,453
S7	(DE ‘Schools’) OR (DE ‘Instructional Program Divisions’ OR DE ‘Grade 1’ OR DE ‘Grade 10’ OR DE ‘Grade 11’ OR DE ‘Grade 12’ OR DE ‘Grade 2’ OR DE ‘Grade 3’ OR DE ‘Grade 4’ OR DE ‘Grade 5’ OR DE ‘Grade 6’ OR DE ‘Grade 7’ OR DE ‘Grade 8’ OR DE ‘Grade 9’ OR DE ‘Intermediate Grades’ OR DE ‘Kindergarten’) OR (DE ‘Elementary Secondary Education’ OR DE ‘Elementary Education’ OR DE ‘Secondary Education’ OR DE ‘Adult Basic Education’ OR DE ‘Primary Education’) OR (DE ‘Curriculum’ OR DE ‘Elementary School Curriculum’ OR DE ‘Secondary School Curriculum’)	593,604
S6	S3 OR S4 OR S5	462,863
S5	(DE ‘Administrator Attitudes’ OR DE ‘Adolescent Attitudes’ OR DE ‘African American Attitudes’ OR DE ‘Caregiver Attitudes’ OR DE ‘Childrens Attitudes’ OR DE ‘Community Attitudes’ OR DE ‘Counselor Attitudes’ OR DE ‘Dropout Attitudes’ OR DE ‘Educational Attitudes’ OR DE ‘Employee Attitudes’ OR DE ‘Employer Attitudes’ OR DE ‘Family Attitudes’ OR DE ‘Majority Attitudes’ OR DE ‘Parent Attitudes’ OR DE ‘School Attitudes’ OR DE ‘Student Attitudes’ OR DE ‘Student Teacher Attitudes’ OR DE ‘Teacher Attitudes’) OR (DE ‘Father Attitudes’ OR DE ‘Mother Attitudes’ OR DE ‘Student Satisfaction’)	231,530
S4	(Stakeholder* OR teacher* OR educator* OR instructor* OR tutor* OR principal* OR vice-principal* OR superintendent* OR trustee* OR administrator* OR ‘district leader*’ OR ‘senior leader*’ OR (school N3 (psychologist* OR nurse* OR counselor*)) OR ‘success coach*’ OR elder* OR ‘knowledge keeper*’ OR ‘indigenous senator*’ OR assistant* OR aide* OR parent* OR guardian* OR care giver* OR caregiver* OR student* OR pupil* OR child* OR teen* OR adolescen* OR youth) N8 (perception* OR perceive* OR perspective* OR attitude* OR belief* OR opinion* OR satisfaction OR preference* OR experience* OR voice* OR narrative* OR expectation* OR impression* OR views OR story* OR stories OR insight* OR understanding)	447,206
S3	S1 AND S2	2,983
S2	((DE ‘Personal Narratives’) OR (DE ‘Attitudes’ OR DE ‘Beliefs’ OR DE ‘Opinions’ OR DE ‘Preferences’ OR DE ‘Program Attitudes’))	44,840
S1	((((((DE ‘Stakeholders’) OR (DE ‘Paraprofessional Personnel’ OR DE ‘School Personnel’ OR DE ‘Paraprofessional School Personnel’ OR DE ‘School Aides’)) OR (DE ‘Teachers’ OR DE ‘Instructor Coordinators’ OR DE ‘Tutors’)) OR (DE ‘Principals’ OR DE ‘School Cadres’ OR DE ‘School Nurses’ OR DE ‘Pupil Personnel Workers’ OR DE ‘School Counselors’ OR DE ‘School Psychologists’ OR DE ‘School Social Workers’)) OR (DE ‘Parents’ OR DE ‘Fathers’ OR DE ‘Grandparents’ OR DE ‘Grandparents Raising Grandchildren’ OR DE ‘Mothers’ OR DE ‘Unwed Mothers’)) OR (DE ‘Caregivers’ OR DE ‘Child Caregivers’)) OR (DE ‘Students’)	99,023

Anderson, A., & Thorsen, E. (1998). Pre-service teacher education in health education: An Ontario survey. Journal of Education for Teaching, 24(1), 73–74. https://doi.org/10.1080/02607479819935

 Google Scholar

Begoray, D. L., Wharf-Higgins, J., & MacDonald, M. (2009). High school health curriculum and health literacy: Canadian student voices. Global Health Promotion, 16(4), 35–42. https://doi.org/10.1177/1757975909348101

 PubMedGoogle Scholar

Bialystok, L. (2018). My child, my choice?” Mandatory curriculum, sex, and the conscience of parents. Educational Theory, 68(1), 11–29. https://doi.org/10.1111/edth.12286

 Web of Science ®Google Scholar

Bialystok, L. (2019). Ontario teachers’ perceptions of the controversial update to sexual health and human development. Canadian Society for the Study of Education, 42(1), 1–41.

 Google Scholar

Byers, S. E., Sears, H. A., Voyer, S. D., Thurlow, J. L., Cohen, J. N., & Weaver, A. D. (2003a). An adolescent perspective on sexual health education at school and at home: II. Middle school students. The Canadian Journal of Human Sexuality, 12(1), 19–33.

 Google Scholar

Byers, S. E., Sears, H. A., Voyer, S. D., Thurlow, J. L., Cohen, J. N., & Weaver, A. D. (2003b). An adolescent perspective on sexual health education at school and at home: I. High school students. The Canadian Journal of Human Sexuality, 12(1), 1–17.

 Google Scholar

Byers, S. E., Sears, H. A., & Foster, L. R. (2013). Factors associated with middle school students’ perceptions of the quality of school-based sexual health education. Sex Education, 13(2), 214–227. https://doi.org/10.1080/14681811.2012.727083

 Web of Science ®Google Scholar

Byers, S. E., Hamilton, L. D., & Fisher, B. (2017). Emerging adults’ experiences of middle and high school sexual health education in New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and Ontario. The Canadian Journal of Human Sexuality, 26(3), 186–195. https://doi.org/10.3138/cjhs.2017-0006

 Web of Science ®Google Scholar

Causarano, N., Pole, J. D., Flicker, S., & Toronto Teen Survey Team (2010). Exposure to and desire for sexual health education among urban youth: Associations with religion and other factors. The Canadian Journal of Human Sexuality, 19(4), 169–184.

 Google Scholar

Cohen, J. N., Byers, S. E., Sears, H. A., & Weaver, A. D. (2004). Sexual health education: Attitudes, knowledge, and comfort of teachers in New Brunswick schools. The Canadian Journal of Human Sexuality, 13(1), 1–16.

 Google Scholar

DiCenso, A., Borthwick, V. W., Busca, C. A., Creatura, C., Holmes, J. A., Kalagian, W. F., & Partington, B. M. (2001). Completing the picture: Adolescents talk about what’s missing in sexual health services. Canadian Journal of Public Health, 92(1), 35–38. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03404840

 PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar

Foster, L. R., Byers, S. E., & Sears, H. A. (2011). Middle school students’ perceptions of the quality of the sexual health education received from their parents. The Canadian Journal of Human Sexuality, 20(3), 55–65.

 Google Scholar

Grace, A. P. (2018). Alberta bounded: Comprehensive sexual health education, parentism, and gaps in the provincial legislation and educational policy. Canadian Journal of Education, 41(2), 472–497.

 Google Scholar

Gray, S., MacIsaac, S., & Harvey, W. J. (2018). A comparative study of Canadian and Scottish students’ perspectives on health, the body and the physical education curriculum: The challenge of ‘doing’ critical. Curriculum Studies in Health and Physical Education, 9(1), 22–42. https://doi.org/10.1080/18377122.2017.1418179

 Google Scholar

Henderson, G. E., Beach, P., & Coombs, A. (2021). Financial literacy education in Ontario: An exploratory study of elementary teachers’ perceptions, attitudes, and practices. Canadian Journal of Education, 44(2), 308–336. https://doi.org/10.53967/cje-rce.v44i2.4249

 Google Scholar

Larkin, J., Flicker, S., Flynn, S., Layne, C., Schwartz, A., Travers, R., Pole, J., & Guta, A. (2017). The Ontario sexual health education update: Perspectives from the Toronto Teen Survey (TTS) youth. Canadian Journal of Education, 40(2), 1–24.

 Google Scholar

Laverty, E. K., Noble, S. M., Pucci, A., & MacLean, R. E. (2021). Let’s talk about sexual health education: Youth perspectives on their learning experiences in Canada. The Canadian Journal of Human Sexuality, 30(1), 26–38. https://doi.org/10.3138/cjhs.2020-0051

 Web of Science ®Google Scholar

Lokanc-Diluzio, W., Cobb, H., Harrison, R., & Nelson, A. (2007). Building capacity to talk, teach, and tackle sexual health. The Canadian Journal of Human Sexuality, 42(1/2), 135–143.

 Google Scholar

Matheson, M. N., DeLuca, C., & Matheson, I. A. (2020). An assessment of personal financial literacy teaching and learning in Ontario high schools. Citizenship, Social, and Economics Education, 19(2), 118–132. https://doi.org/10.1177/2047173420927665

 Google Scholar

McKay, A. (2004). Sexual health education in the schools: Questions and answers. The Canadian Journal of Human Sexuality, 13(3/4), 129–141.

 Google Scholar

McKay, A., & Barrett, M. (1999). Pre-service sexual health education training of elementary, secondary, and physical health education teachers in Canadian faculties of education. The Canadian Journal of Human Sexuality, 8(2), 91–101.

 Google Scholar

McKay, A., & Bissell, M. (2009). Sexual health education in the schools: Questions & answers. The Canadian Journal of Human Sexuality, 18(1/2), 47–60.

 Google Scholar

McKay, A., Pietrusiak, M.-A., & Holowaty, P. (1998). Parents’ opinions and attitude towards sexuality education in the schools. The Canadian Journal of Human Sexuality, 7(2), 139–145.

 Google Scholar

McKay, A., Byers, S. E., Voyer, S. D., Humphreys, T. P., & Markham, C. (2014). Ontario parents’ opinions and attitudes towards sexual health education in the schools. The Canadian Journal of Human Sexuality, 23(3), 159–166. https://doi.org/10.3138/cjhs.23.3-A1

 Google Scholar

Meaney, G. J., Rye, B. J., Wood, E., & Solovieva, E. (2009). Satisfaction with school-based sexual health education in a sample of university students recently graduated from Ontario high schools. The Canadian Journal of Human Sexuality, 18(3), 107–125.

 Google Scholar

Ninomiya, M. (2010). Sexual health education in Newfoundland and Labrador schools: Junior high teachers’ experiences, coverage of topics, comfort levels, and views about professional practice. The Canadian Journal of Human Sexuality, 19(1/2), 15–26.

 Google Scholar

Noon, S., & Arcus, M. (2002). Student perceptions of their experience in sexuality education. Canadian Home Economics Journal, 51(2), 15–20.

 Google Scholar

Phillips, K. P., & Martinez, A. (2010). Sexual and reproductive health education: Contrasting teachers’, health partners’ and former students’ perspectives. Canadian Journal of Public Health, 101(5), 374–379. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03404856

 PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar

Riecken, T., Tanaka, M. T., & Scott, T. (2006). First nations youth reframing the focus: Cultural knowledge as a site for health education. Canadian Journal of Native Education, 29(1), 29–42.

 Google Scholar

Russell-Mayhew, S., Ireland, A., & Klingle, K. (2016). Barriers and facilitators to promoting health in schools: Lessons learned from educational professionals. Canadian School Counselling Review, 1(1), 49–55.

 Google Scholar

Rye, B. J., Mashinter, C., Meanet, G. J., Wood, E., & Gentile, S. (2015). Satisfaction with previous sexual health education as a predictor of intentions to pursue further sexual health education. Sex Education, 15(1), 93–107. https://doi.org/10.1080/14681811.2014.967389

 Web of Science ®Google Scholar

Vamos, S., & Zhou, M. (2007). Educator preparedness to teach health education in British Columbia. American Journal of Health Education, 38(5), 284–292. https://doi.org/10.1080/19325037.2007.10598983

 Google Scholar

Vamos, S., & Zhou, M. (2009). Using focus group research to assess health education needs of pre-service and in-service teachers. American Journal of Health Education, 40(4), 196–206. https://doi.org/10.1080/19325037.2009.10599094

 Google Scholar

Walters, L., & Laverty, E. (2022). Sexual health education and different learning experiences reported by youth across Canada. The Canadian Journal of Human Sexuality, 31(1), 18–31. https://doi.org/10.3138/cjhs.2021-0060

 Web of Science ®Google Scholar

Weaver, A. D., Byers, S. E., Sears, H. A., Cohen, J. N., & Randall, H. E. S. (2002). Sexual health education at school and at home: Attitudes and experiences of New Brunswick parents. The Canadian Journal of Human Sexuality, 11(1), 19–31.

 Google Scholar

Wood, J., McKay, A., Wentland, J., & Byers, S. E. (2021). Attitudes towards sexual health education in schools: A national survey of parents in Canada. The Canadian Journal of Human Sexuality, 30(1), 39–55. https://doi.org/10.3138/cjhs.2020-0049

 Web of Science ®Google Scholar

Zain Al-Dien, M. M. (2010). Perceptions of sex education among Muslim adolescents in Canada. Journal of Muslim Minority Affairs, 30(3), 391–407. https://doi.org/10.1080/13602004.2010.515823

 Google Scholar