Quality Health Education

At a glance

  • CDC's What Works in Schools program improves the health and well-being of middle and high school students.
  • Health education is part of schools' primary mission.
  • Health education provides the knowledge and skills young people need to be successful learners and healthy adults.
A male teacher in front of a class of students who are raising their hands.

Overview

Health education is part of the primary mission of schools. It offers young people the health knowledge and skills they need to become successful learners and healthy adults. Such education helps youth:

  • Learn basic health knowledge.
  • Strengthen healthy attitudes and beliefs.
  • Build skills for lifelong healthy behaviors.

Addressing adolescent behaviors and experiences

Youth behaviors and experiences set the stage for healthy adulthood. Behaviors and experiences related to early sexual initiation, violence, mental health problems, and substance use are consistently linked to:

  • Poor grades and test scores.
  • Lower educational attainment.
  • Other negative health outcomes.

Research

Research suggests that quality school health programs can influence multiple health outcomes, including:

  • Reducing risk behaviors related to sexually transmitted infections (STIs), HIV, and unintended pregnancy.
  • Decreasing substance and tobacco use.
  • Increasing help-seeking behaviors for mental health problems.
  • Improving academic performance.

Receiving health education as early as possible can help youth develop positive well-being, academic success, and healthy outcomes into adulthood.

Quality health education has these characteristics:

  • Uses qualified and supported teachers.

    • Connects students to key health services.
      • Engages parents, caregivers, and community partners.
        • Fosters positive relationships between adolescents and adults who are important to them.

        Health education curriculum and standards

        Quality health education starts with quality curricula and student learning standards. CDC offers guidance and tools to help schools use curricula that best meets their needs.

        District and school staff can use CDC's Health Education Curriculum Analysis Tool (HECAT) to select or develop curriculum. With HECAT, schools can meet students' health needs and community priorities.

        Health education curriculum should include:

        • Learning outcomes or objectives related to students' knowledge, attitudes, and skills.
        • Lessons or learning experiences that are developmentally appropriate, build on one other, and reinforce healthy behaviors.
        • Content in proper order to meet the learning objectives.
        • Assessments to measure whether students have gained health-related knowledge, attitudes, and skills.

        See Also

        A high school teacher smiling with a group of students in the background.
        Health Education Curriculum Analysis Tool (HECAT)
        Learn how to access and use the HECAT to examine health education curricula.

        Health Education Standards‎‎

        The aim of health education standards is to establish, promote, and support health-enhancing behaviors for students at all grade levels. These learning standards are routinely updated by professional organizations. Versions of these standards are available on this site as well as this site.

        Sexual health education

        Sexual health education provides the skills and knowledge youth need to:

        • Promote healthy sexuality.
        • Prevent or reduce STIs, HIV, and pregnancy.
        • Understand other health issues or concerns.

        See Also

        High school students taking parting talking in the group discussion about sexual health education.
        Sexual Health Education
        Good health education helps youth know how to stay healthy and prevent STIs and unwanted pregnancy.

        National Sex Education Standards‎‎

        The National Sex Education Standards outline basic knowledge and skills students need to navigate sexual development and become sexually healthy adults. The standards help schools focus on the most essential topics for students to learn. The standards can also help create lessons and curricula with aligned learning objectives.

        Mental health education

        Mental health education in schools can reduce stigma and improve students' knowledge and attitudes about mental health.

        See Also

        A study group with teacher and students address the mental health education.
        Mental Health Education
        School mental health education can help build students’ mental health literacy.

        Increase students' mental health literacy

        CDC's Mental Health Action Guide identifies school-based strategies to help prevent mental health problems and promote positive behavioral and mental health.

        See Also

        An adult helping a teenager with schoolwork, as they look at each other and smile.
        Promoting Mental Health and Well-Being in Schools
        Promote youth mental health and well-being with the action guide's six proven in-school strategies.

        Educator and staff development and training

        Professional development programs and technical assistance supports are key to successful health education. These programs can improve both the amount of time teachers spend on certain topics and their confidence in providing health education.

        Resources

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        Content Source:
        Adolescent and School Health; National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion (NCCDPHP)