K-12 Student Wellness

Supporting Student Wellness – the Connection to Florida’s Health Education Rule

In July, August, and September of 2019, the State Board of Education adopted three rules related to health education. Student Voices, while not a part of the public schools’ programs nor associated with the Department of Education, looks to make sure that the important areas focused on in public schools are a part of the dialogue that we are engaged in. This section provides DPS (Division of Public Schools) memos from Chancellor Jacob Oliva, a FAQ document for the mental and emotional health education rule, and optional implementation plan templates (updated 10/24/19) that each school district can use to submit to the department and post on their school district website.

You can visit the Health Education Rules Implementation Plans webpage to view each school district’s implementation plans. Annual Reports are linked at the Florida Required Instruction webpage. View the DPS Memo from May 29, 2020 regarding the FDOE Required Instruction Reporting portal.

• Mental and Emotional Health Education, DPS Memo, July 19, 2019 (PDF)
• Mental and Emotional Health Education, Updated FAQs, September 17, 2019 (PDF)
• Mental and Emotional Health Education Implementation Plan Template (Word)
• Substance Use and Abuse Health Education, DPS Memo, August 23, 2019 (PDF)
• Substance Use and Abuse Health Education Implementation Plan Template (Word)
• Child Trafficking Prevention Education, DPS Memo, September 20, 2019 (PDF)
• Child Trafficking Prevention Education Implementation Plan Template (Word)
• Required Instruction Reporting, DPS Memo, September 20, 2019 (PDF)
• Implementation Plans for Health Education State Board of Education Rules, Memo (PDF)

Florida Standards for Health Education

Student Voices looks to follow, as a conceptual framework, the Florida Standards for Health Education. These standards are based upon established health behavior theories, models, and evidence-based research, as well as "best practices." The revised NGSSS for Health Education yielded the reformatted eight standards in K-12 progression and adopted the following corresponding National Health Education Skills and corresponding standards:

1. Core Concepts- Comprehend concepts related to health promotion and disease prevention to enhance health.
2. Internal and External Influence- Analyze the influence of family, peers, culture, media, technology, and other factors on health behaviors.
3. Accessing Information- Demonstrate the ability to access valid health information, products, and services to enhance health.
4. Interpersonal Communication- Demonstrate the ability to use interpersonal-communication skills to enhance health and avoid or reduce health risks.
5. Decision Making- Demonstrate the ability to use decision-making skills to enhance health.
6. Goal Setting- Demonstrate the ability to use goal-setting skills to enhance health.
7. Self-Management- Demonstrate the ability to practice advocacy, health-enhancing behaviors, and avoidance or reduction of health risks for oneself.
8. Advocacy- Demonstrate the ability to advocate for individual, peer, school, family, and community health.

The standards are structured by Standards and Benchmarks. 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 at the end of each of the grade.

• Health Education Standards

Health Education Topics (Risk Behaviors of Youth)

• Alcohol and Other Drug Use
• Injury and Accident Prevention
• Nutrition
• Physical Activity
• Tobacco Use

Well-Being in Florida: Legislation Links

• Florida State Statute 1003.41 - Sunshine State Standards
• Florida State Statute 1003.42 (2)(n) - Required Instruction
• Florida State Statute 1003.4282 - General Requirements for High School Graduation; Revised
• Florida State Statute 1003.46 - Health Education; Instruction in Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome
• Florida State Statute 787.06 - Human trafficking

Helpful Links

• CDC Healthy Schools
• Child Abuse Preventionhttp://www.preventchildabusefl.org/
• CPALMS.org
• Green Schools
• Health & Academics
• Internet Safety
• Living Healthy in Florida
• School Connectedness
• Multiagency Network for Students with Emotional/Behavioral Disabilities (SEDNET)
• Student Support Services