Comprehensive Health Education

Comprehensive Health Education

Health Education provides students with the knowledge and skills needed to be healthy throughout a lifetime. The intent of a comprehensive health education program is to motivate students to maintain and improve health outcomes, prevent disease, and avoid or reduce health related risk behaviors.

Pursuant to Section (s.) 1003.42(2)(o), Florida Statutes (F.S.), Required instruction, comprehensive health education addresses concepts of community health, consumer health, environmental health and family life. Components of required health education instruction include:

Grades K-12

• Injury prevention and safety
• Internet safety
• Nutrition
• Personal health
• Prevention and control of disease
• Substance use and abuse
• Prevention of child sexual abuse, exploitation, and human trafficking
• Life skills that build confidence, support mental and emotional health, and enable students to overcome challenges.

Grades 6-12

• Awareness of the benefits of sexual abstinence as the expected standard and the consequences of teenage pregnancy
• The effects of social media. This component must include, but need not be limited to, the negative effects of social media on mental health, including addiction; the distribution of misinformation on social media; how social media manipulates behavior; the permanency of sharing materials online; how to maintain personal security and identify cyberbullying, predatory behavior, and human trafficking on the Internet; and how to report suspicious behavior encountered on the Internet.

Grades 7-12

• Teen dating violence and abuse. This component must include, but not be limited to, the definition of dating violence and abuse, the warning signs of dating violence and abusive behavior, the characteristics of healthy relationships, measures to prevent and stop dating violence and abuse and community resources available to victims of dating violence and abuse.

Grades 9-12

• Leadership skills, interpersonal skills, organization and research skills; creating a résumé, including a digital résumé; exploring career pathways; using state career planning resources; developing and practicing the skills necessary for employment interviews; workplace ethics and workplace law; managing stress and expectations; and self-motivation.

State Academic Standards for Health Education

Pursuant to s. 1003.41, F.S., the state academic standards establish the core content of the curricula to be taught in the state and specify the core content knowledge and skills that K-12 public school students are expected to acquire. Furthermore, the state academic standards for health education are based upon established health behavior theories, models, evidence-based research and best practices. State academic standards for health education can be found on the CPALMS webpage.

The following health education strands are relevant throughout all grade levels. Benchmarks are further categorized by standards which include Core Concepts, Internal and External Influence, Prevention and Decision Making and Advocacy.

• Personal Health Concepts (PHC)
• Community and Environmental Health (CEH)
• Consumer Health (CH)

Additional health education strands and standards include:

Resiliency Education (R)

Standards:

1. Character
2. Personal Responsibility
3. Mentorship and Citizenship
4. Critical Thinking and Problem Solving

Substance Use and Abuse (SUA)

Standards:

1. Health promotion and disease prevention concepts
2. Internal and external influence
3. Access to valid information, products and services
4. Communication skills and resilient behaviors to reduce health risks
5. Advocacy for personal, family and community health

Benchmark Clarifications and Examples

The state academic standards include benchmarks, clarifications and examples. The standard is a general statement that identifies what the student is expected to achieve. The benchmark identifies what the student will know and be able to do by the end of each grade. Benchmark clarifications and examples support instruction by providing the extent to which benchmarks should be taught. Strands are reflective of required health education instruction according to s. 1003.42(2)(o), F.S. Health Education Standards (PDF)

Building Resiliency

• Florida is leading a first-in-the-nation approach that empowers students to persevere and overcome life's inevitable challenges.
• State Board of Education Rule 6A-1.094124, F.A.C., Required Instruction Planning and Reporting, requires school districts to annually provide a minimum of five (5) hours of data-driven instruction to students in Grades 6 through 12 related to civic and character education and life skills education through resiliency education using the health education standards adopted in Rule 6A-1.09401, F.A.C., Student Performance Standards. Such instruction includes strategies to develop healthy characteristics that reinforce positive core values and foster resiliency.
• For more information and resiliency education resources, please visit the Resiliency Florida webpage.

The Facts. Your Future.

• The Facts. Your Future. initiative provides free resources, including a school curriculum that increases students’ knowledge on the life-altering effects of substance misuse.
• Substance use and abuse health education is required by Rule 6A-1.94124, F.A.C., Required Instruction Planning and Reporting. Such instruction should advance each year through developmentally appropriate instruction and skill building.
• To explore additional resources that can encourage students to remain drug free and support others, please visit The Facts. Your Future. webpage.

Contact Information

Healthy Schools
Bureau of Standards and Instructional Support
325 W. Gaines Street, Suite 444
Tallahassee, FL 32399-0400
850-245-0423