The DoDEA Health Standards are aligned to the National Health Education Standards which provide a guide for enhancing health information, preparation and continuing education of students and teachers. Health education is included in the curriculum at all grade levels in DoDEA.
The new Health Standards have six Health content strands:
| HE1 |
Personal and Community Health |
| HE2 |
Safety and Injury Prevention |
| HE3 |
Nutrition and Physical Activity |
| HE4 |
Mental Health |
| HE5 |
Alcohol |
| HE6 |
Family Life and Human Sexuality |
In addition to the content standards, Health Education teachers must instill health literacy skills (HESK) into classroom activities. The standards reveal six health literacy skills (HESK):
| HESK1 |
Access valid health information |
| HESK2 |
Practice health-enhancing behavior |
| HESK3 |
Analyze influences on health |
| HESK4 |
Use interpersonal communications skills to enhance health |
| HESK5 |
Use goal setting and decision making skills to enhance health |
| HESK6 |
Advocate for health |
Health is offered to students grades K–12. In elementary schools, the health curriculum is delivered by the classroom teacher. Within the elementary curriculum, there is a module for grades 4, 5, and 6 on Human Growth and Development.
In middle school, at the 7th grade level, students have the opportunity to learn about health issues of adolescents who have risk factors that may emerge during adolescence. The 8th grade Health course is designed to help students develop appropriate concepts of personal and community health and safety.
At the high school level, Health Education 1 (HLH301) is a semester course required for high school graduation. The course focuses on preparing students in today’s society for adult living based on a health and wellness ethic. Developmentally appropriate concepts of personal and community health, safety, mental health, alcohol, tobacco and other drugs, and family life and human sexuality are taught in this course.
The goal of the Health Education program is to increase the capacity of students to obtain, interpret, and understand basic health information and services and to develop the competence to use such information and services in ways that enhance and advocate for good health for a lifetime.
