Which states require LGBTQ topics in elementary school education?

1. What “require” means in practice — legal mandate vs. guidance

States that “require” LGBTQ topics vary widely in what they actually force school districts to do. Some states adopt statewide standards that explicitly include LGBTQ people and identities, obligating local curricula to align with those standards; Movement Advancement Project tracks statewide curricular laws and GLSEN maps list a few state education agencies that have adopted LGBTQ-inclusive curricular standards ^{[1] [3]}. Other states merely direct their state education agency to develop a model or to provide resources for local districts to use voluntarily, which is legally and practically different from forcing classroom instruction ^[3].

2. Which states have explicit statewide mandates (what the reporting shows)

Journalistic and policy trackers reported that a handful of states have laws or standards explicitly requiring LGBTQ representation in K–12 curricular standards. California’s FAIR Education Act, passed in 2011, requires history and social science instruction to accurately portray LGBTQ people ^[5]. Colorado’s 2019 law requires adopted textbooks and reviews of standards to include LGBTQ people among other groups ^[5]. Nevada’s more recent law requires inclusive history beginning in kindergarten ^[5]. Washington was reported as the seventh state to require LGBTQ representation in state curricular standards after Gov. Inslee signed a bill in March 2024 ^[2]. GLSEN and Movement Advancement Project cite Massachusetts, Vermont (effective July 1, 2025), and the District of Columbia as having adopted LGBTQ-inclusive standards or resolutions as well ^{[3] [1]}.

3. Where elementary-grade instruction is explicitly implicated

Not all state requirements single out “elementary school”; Nevada’s law is distinctive because it requires inclusive history beginning in kindergarten, making it directly relevant to elementary classrooms ^[5]. California’s FAIR Act covers K–12 history and social science and therefore includes elementary grades ^[5]. Available sources do not list every state-by-grade breakdown, and for many states the requirement is framed as part of K–12 standards rather than an explicit elementary-only mandate ^{[5] [3]}.

4. The other half of the picture: censorship and restrictions

Simultaneously, many states have enacted laws that restrict classroom instruction about sexual orientation or gender identity — often labeled “school censorship” or “Don’t Say LGBTQ” laws. Movement Advancement Project’s tracker reports 19 states with at least one LGBTQ-specific school censorship law, and reporting has documented waves of anti-LGBTQ curriculum laws enacted since 2022 ^{[1] [4]}. National reporting also noted that dozens of new education laws affecting LGBTQ topics took effect in 2023 and beyond, creating a patchwork of inclusion in some states and prohibition in others ^[6].

5. Legal fights and court decisions changing the field

Court rulings and settlements have already altered how these laws work in practice. For example, a federal judge temporarily blocked Iowa’s “Don’t Say LGBTQ” law in December 2023, according to Movement Advancement Project, and other legal actions and settlements (including a 2025 Supreme Court decision and post-2023 settlements) have complicated how restrictions or protections are applied in classrooms ^{[1] [7]}. Reporters warn that litigation, federal agency actions, and state policy changes continue to shift what teachers may lawfully teach ^{[2] [7]}.

6. Implementation, funding and teacher supports matter

Mandating inclusive standards does not automatically translate into classroom lessons unless states and districts develop curricula, adopt materials, train educators and allocate funding. Colorado’s law not only required inclusion but authorized funding and textbook-adoption changes, demonstrating the difference between a symbolic requirement and operational implementation ^[5]. GLSEN and state education departments emphasize educator training and model curricula as essential pieces of effective inclusion ^{[8] [9]}.

7. How to read competing sources and what’s not yet clear

Sources disagree on counts and precise status because trackers use different definitions (mandate vs. guidance vs. model curriculum) and because laws, court orders and effective dates change rapidly; Movement Advancement Project, GLSEN and New America each frame the landscape differently ^{[1] [3] [5]}. Available sources do not provide a single, definitive list that maps each state to the precise grade-level requirement for LGBTQ topics; they show instead clusters: a small group of states require inclusion in standards, several direct model curricula or provide resources, and many others have restrictions or mixed policies ^{[1] [3] [4]}.

8. What readers should watch next

Watch for implementation deadlines (e.g., Washington’s district and state deadlines in 2025), ongoing litigation and state education department guidance, which will determine whether standards become classroom reality or remain aspirational ^[2]. Advocacy groups and state agencies continue to publish model curricula and guidance — consult Movement Advancement Project, GLSEN and state education department pages for the latest, because policy counts and court outcomes continue to change the legal landscape ^{[1] [3] [9]}.

Limitations: This analysis uses only the provided sources and therefore cannot confirm every state’s grade-by-grade requirements or post-2025 changes not reported here; for specifics about a particular state’s elementary curriculum, consult that state’s education department or the cited trackers ^{[3] [1]}.