Abstinence Education: Efforts to Assess the Accuracy and Effectiveness of Federally Funded Programs

October 2006 Abstinence Education: Efforts to Assess the Accuracy and Effectiveness of Federally Funded Programs The Government Accountability Office (GAO) sought to review State Abstinence Education Grant Program (SAEP) results. In 2006, the GAO reviewed ten state abstinence-education programs for efficacy in preventing sexually transmitted diseases (STD) and youth pregnancy. GAO concluded that the SAEP program evaluations failed to meet scientific criteria random assignments and sufficient follow-up periods such that it was not possible to determine if the programs led to specific results. GAO also noted that some of the information presented by grant recipients about other forms . . .