The HECAT provides valuable information to assist in developing a scope and sequence or framework; however, a process should be developed that reflects the students' needs as well as the interests and priorities of the community. Read Appendix 4 of the HECAT for more information about using the HECAT to design a scope and sequence for health education.

No, the HECAT should not be used to determine the most appropriate grade to address specific concepts. The HECAT provides knowledge and skill expectations deemed appropriate for grade groups (i.e., prekindergarten through Grade 2; Grades 3–5; Grades 6–8; and Grades 9–12). It does not identify the individual grade at which these might be most appropriate. State boards of education, local school boards, school district administrators, or curriculum coordinators determine curriculum priorities and requirements for all relevant health education topics, including the grades at which specific concepts and skills should be addressed. The HECAT can inform priorities and decisions about grade-level requirements.

Standards 2–8 of the National Health Education Standards broadly articulate the skills students should have in order to adopt and maintain health-enhancing behaviors. More specific indicators are needed to determine the extent to which a curriculum could most appropriately address these skill standards in various topics and grades. CDC developed a list of priority skill expectations to further delineate the essential skill focus for each standard across topics and grade levels. These are listed in Appendix 3 of the HECAT.