Why Now

Educating the whole child requires an intentional integration of all components of health and learning. The best available data reveals there is a significant need and opportunity for progress towards healthy schools. Using the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) Whole School, Whole Community, Whole Child (WSCC) components, let’s explore exemplary research on the state of healthy schools:

Physical education and physical activity:

Less than one-quarter (24%) of children 6 to 17 years of age participate in 60 minutes of physical activity every day.
Nutrition environment and services:

Although diet quality improved modestly for American children and adolescents from 1999 to 2016, more than half of the child and adolescent population still have poor quality diets.
Health education:

Only 25 states have laws that address or incorporate the National Health Education Standards as part of the state health education curriculum.
Social, emotional, and psychological climate:

Black students and students with disabilities are suspended from school more than twice as often than white students and students without disabilities, respectively. Female students and students of color also report feeling less safe than their male and white counterparts.
Physical environment:

The average public school building is over 50 years old and over half of our public school districts (54%) need to update or replace multiple building systems or features in their schools, such as heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems, and plumbing.
Health services:

While nearly 40 percent of schools have a full-time school nurse, only 35 percent have a part-time nurse, and the remaining 25 percent of schools do not have a school nurse on staff at all.
Counseling, psychological and social services:

The National Association of School Psychologists recommends a ratio of one school psychologist per 500 students. Current data estimates a national ratio of 1:1211; however, great variability exists among states, with some states approaching a ratio of 1:5000. Ratios for school counselors and school social workers are similar.
Employee wellness (including health benefits):

Forty-six percent of teachers report high levels of daily stress, which affects their health, quality of life, and teaching performance.
Family engagement/community involvement:

Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, eight million students were chronically absent. This figure has more than doubled during the pandemic. Students living in poverty and from communities of color are disproportionately affected.

Why Now

Physical education and physical activity:

Nutrition environment and services:

Health education:

Social, emotional, and psychological climate:

Physical environment:

Health services:

Counseling, psychological and social services:

Employee wellness (including health benefits):

Family engagement/community involvement:

Evidence from across the country indicates the COVID-19 has increased the need for healthy schools.