For Immediate Release: June 9, 2016

Contact: Renee Lang, renee.lang@nasbe.org 703-740-4841

State Opportunities to Support Student Health under ESSA

Alexandria, Va. – A growing body of research links student health and academic achievement. The Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) recognizes this and calls on states to support student health and wellness and ensure safe, supportive learning environments. A new NASBE Policy Update explains how states can take advantage of ESSA’s provisions to more fully integrate health into education policy and practice.

“New Opportunities to Support Student Health under ESSA” outlines eight provisions in ESSA that support student health and wellness:

  • State accountability systems. ESSA stipulates that accountability systems include one measure of school quality and student success, such as school climate. States may include chronic absenteeism, student engagement, bullying and harassment, or supportive school discipline measures.
  • Report cards. ESSA requires states to report on rates of chronic absenteeism and incidences of violence and bullying annually. Such measures directly affect a school’s health and safety.
  • School improvement. Adverse health conditions disproportionately affect students in the lowest performing schools and hamper their ability to learn. Ensuring that health and wellness are a part of school improvement strategies can be a key strategy for supporting student success in these schools.
  • Title I programs. LEAs can consolidate Title I funding for use in their poorest schools. These funds could develop schoolwide health programs, or implement nutrition programs, schoolwide social-emotional support strategies, bullying prevention programs, or a strong physical education program. These are programs that can benefit all students, in addition to providing targeted support to those who are struggling.
  • Professional development. ESSA encourages states to use Title II funds for professional development that trains school staff to recognize and address student behavioral and mental health needs and chronic absenteeism.
  • Student Support and Enrichment Grants. This new Title IV grant program consolidates 49 separate grant programs and requires states to use a portion of the funds on safe and healthy school activities, such as evidence-based drug and violence prevention, and mentoring and school counseling for at-risk students.
  • Community support. States can use Title IV funding for Community Schools and Promise Neighborhoods to deliver a continuum of coordinated supports and services to students from birth through college entry or career attainment.
  • Well-rounded education. In ESSA, the term “well-rounded” education replaces the concept of “core subjects.” States should consider including both health and physical education in this new definition.

State policymakers are well positioned to support healthy schools and student health and wellness under ESSA. State boards of education in particular can convene state partners from health organizations to help develop needs assessments and Title I plans, or consider health-related measures that measure school quality as part of their accountability systems.

Read “New Opportunities to Support Student Health under ESSA.”