Toward an Effective School Health Education Policy: A Call for Legislative and Educational Reform

Abstract:
[ARCHIVED] In this article, three analysts call for legislative and educational reforms to overcome barriers to the delivery of effective school health education. Barriers identified by the authors include: a serious shortage, or complete lack, of funding for health education; a lack of rigorous implementation and evaluation strategies where programs exist; questions as to the role and status of health within the educational agenda; and, questions as to who should teach health. The authors recommend that health educators should: define the role of health education in the education agenda; assign responsibility for a single state agency to coordinate the wide range of activities associated with effective health education; allocate sufficient funds (soliciting the private sector in these efforts); clarify teaching responsibilities and provide for adequate training; apply rigorous criteria for curriculum selection, with a focus on skill-based curricula, and assessments of student health; and, include communities

Author(s): Resnicow,Kenneth A.;Orlandi, Mario A.;Wynder,Ernst

Publication: Preventive Medicine, Vol. 18, pp. 147-155


Date Published: 1/1/1989

Pages: 8

Location Code: 11027