Health EducationLearning Support : Minnesota Department of Education

Health Education

Health Education

School staff - teachers, nurses, administrators, psychologists, or counselors can work together to develop a coordinated approach to helping students build health-related knowledge, attitudes and skills starting in kindergarten and continuing through 12th grade.  Topics include personal health, family health, community health, consumer health, environmental health, family life education, injury prevention and safety, nutrition, prevention and control of disease and substance use and abuse.

Health education has a positive impact on student achievement by:

  • Increasing health knowledge
  • Improving health skills adn behaviors
  • Decreasing risky behaviors
  • Improving reading and mathematics scores
Health Education Benchmarks  9Kb (4/18/08)
     The Health Education Quality Teaching Network (HPE-QTN) has developed a resource to assist school districts in their efforts to develop local health education standards. These standards and benchmarks, based on the National Health Education Standards,are not an official state model, since legislation requires districts to develop their won standards. PLease contact Mary Thissen-Milder, Health and Physical Education Consultant, at mary.thissen-milder@state.mn.us for an electronic copy.
HIV-STD and Sexuality Education Curriculum Evaluation Tool  181Kb (1/8/07)
     This guide is to evaluate HIV/STD and Sexuality Education curricula helps school districts select effective programs by addressing the needs of students, community standards, state law, research and best practices.
HIV-STD Sexuality Education Resources 2006  150Kb (1/8/07)
     This list of HIV/STD and Sexuality Education Resources includes programs and materials that are evidenced-based and/or recommended by Minnesota Sexuality Education Resource Review Panel.
HIV Prevention & Sex Education in Minnesota: What's Being Taught in The Classroom  1Mb (5/2/07)
     This report contains the results of the 2006 Health Education Implementation of health teachers in Minnesota middle and high schools.