Big Decisions: Your Questions Answered

If you’ve heard about Big Decisions curriculum and want to know more before bringing it to your school or district, this is the place to start. Below are answers to the questions administrators, educators, and parents ask most.

What is Big Decisions, and what problem does it solve for schools?

Big Decisions is a high-quality, common-ground approach to sexual health education designed to help schools meet Texas’s mandatory minimum requirements in a way that works for all parents and families. It covers the topics schools are required to address while staying grounded in an approach that the whole community can get behind.

What grades is it designed for?

Big Decisions can be used with students from 7th-12th grade, but it’s especially effective with 7th to 9th graders. It’s an evidence-informed sequence of lessons that scaffold understanding over time, helping students build both comfort and confidence with the topics as the curriculum progresses.

Is it abstinence-only?

No. Big Decisions is abstinence-plus, meaning it follows Texas law by centering abstinence as the primary topic, but it also covers additional methods of contraception so that teens are equipped to make informed, healthy decisions. The curriculum also addresses STIs, healthy relationships, and boundaries.

How does Big Decisions align with Texas TEKS health standards?

Big Decisions covers a broad range of TEKS related to sexual health education, with particularly strong alignment to 7th and 8th grade standards. [Refer to alignment from UT Health Houston.]

What does implementation actually look like?

Implementation is flexible and can be adapted to fit a school’s schedule and needs. A trained facilitator delivers each of the ten lessons in sequence. Most districts cover one lesson per day over ten consecutive days, but the curriculum can also be completed over two full days or spread out over ten weeks with one lesson per week.

What training is available for teachers and facilitators?

Training is available in multiple formats to support access across different school contexts. Options include in-person training, virtual training, and a fully asynchronous experience through HFTX Classroom, the organization’s online learning management system.

Does it work? What does the data show?

Big Decisions has been shown to increase youth communication with parents about complex topics, one of the harder outcomes to move in adolescent health education. It is also correlated with reductions in teen pregnancy and STI infection rates in communities where it has been implemented.

What concerns do administrators usually raise — and how are they addressed?

Administrators are commonly curious about pricing and training. 

Big Decisions is competitively priced, especially when compared to other programs and textbooks. Reach out for more information on that for your district.

Training is flexible and can be offered on site or virtually, synchronously or asynchronously. It’s also worth noting that teachers love our training: we receive top marks in our evaluations, and district curriculum coordinators love to bring us back from year to year.

How do we get started?

Schools can explore Big Decisions with a free 30-day preview. To get started, reach out to us at sales@healthyfutures-tx.org.