Our curriculum meets the standards for effective health education for youth defined by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in its National Health Education Standards (NHES). The NHES serve as the framework for health education by providing key behavioral objectives that characterize effective health education programming.

Standard 1: Comprehending Concepts  Students predict how personal, societal, and environmental factors influence health status; and identify ways to prevent barriers to health.

Standard 2: Analyzing Influences  Students analyze how family, peers, culture, media, technology, and other factors influence health behaviors.

Standard 3: Assessing Resources  Students use critical thinking skills to analyze and apply valid and reliable health information, products, and services to their lives.

Standard 4: Exhibiting Communications  Students use effective communication skills to promote health among others and reduce interpersonal conflict.

Standard 5: Decision-making  Students are able to weigh risks and benefits, generate and predict the impact of alternatives on self and others, and make healthy choices.

Standard 6: Goal-setting  Students assess personal health, then develop and monitor effective long-term plans that account for strengths, needs, and risks.

Standard 7: Practicing Behaviors  Students demonstrate healthy practices that enable them to maintain and improve health, and avoid or reduce health risks to self and others.

Standard 8: Demonstrating Advocacy  Students are effective advocates for health by formulating health-enhancing messages, adapting messages to target audiences, and supporting others in healthy choices.

Our curriculum also reflects the CDC’s 15 Characteristics of an Effective Health Education Curriculum

The characteristics emphasize practical knowledge, skill development, and shaping values that support healthy lifestyles. The CDC adds that in contrast to effective curricula, less effective overemphasize teaching scientific facts and increasing student knowledge rather than promulgating values, beliefs, and behaviors that promote health and well-being.

The CDC’s fifteen characteristics focus on:

• Setting clear goals and behavioral outcomes

• Addressing values, attitudes, and beliefs

• Reinforcing positive personal and social factors

• Building personal and social competence and self-efficacy

• Using strategies that personalize and engage each student