Introduction

The Health Education Standards of Learning delineate the concepts, processes, and skills for health education in kindergarten through grade 10 for Virginia's public schools. This framework provides school divisions and teachers with a guide for creating curricula and learning experiences in health education. The intent of health education is to help students understand how to achieve and maintain good health for a lifetime. The three learning goals focus on key health concepts and skills needed to facilitate the formation of healthy behaviors and practices.

Standards of Learning in each strand are sequenced and progress in complexity from grade level to grade level. The goals and standards in this document are intended to provide the knowledge, processes, and skills needed to help students avoid health-risk behaviors (e.g., tobacco use, dietary patterns that contribute to disease, sedentary lifestyle, alcohol and other drug use, behaviors that result in intentional and unintentional injuries) identified by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Each school division's school board is responsible for incorporating the Virginia Standards of Learning into its curriculum. The Health Education Standards of Learning do not prescribe the grade level at which the standards must be taught. The Board of Education recognizes that school divisions will adopt an instructional sequence that best serves their own students.

Goals and Descriptions

The purpose of health education is to help students acquire an understanding of health concepts and skills and to apply them in making healthy decisions to improve, sustain, and promote personal, family, and community health. As a result of health education instruction, the student will be able to do the following:

1. Act with skill and reason to demonstrate an understanding of the concepts and behaviors that reduce health risks and enhance the health of self and others. (Knowledge and Skills)

   The intent of this goal is for students to skillfully apply health knowledge to improve their health. This includes the development of the capacity to acquire, interpret, and understand health concepts, and the development of a range of health skills. Through blending an understanding of health concepts with use of various health skills, students will recognize the relationship between personal behavior and personal health. By the end of their school health education experiences, students will have an understanding of health concepts related to health promotion and risk/disease prevention, and they will have the ability to use health knowledge and skills effectively to lead healthy lives.

2. Demonstrate the ability to access, evaluate, and use health information, products, and services that influence health and well-being in a positive manner. (Information Access and Use)

   The intent of this goal is for students to demonstrate their ability to identify valid and accurate health information, products, and services. Students will experience many opportunities across their school years to use information-analysis skills as they compare, contrast, analyze, synthesize, and evaluate materials, products, and services related to a variety of health issues. Upon the completion of the health education program, students will have the ability to influence their health and well-being in a positive manner by applying the skills of information access and evaluation.

3. Demonstrate the use of appropriate health practices and behaviors to promote a safe and healthy community when alone, with family, at school, and in other group settings. (Community Health and Wellness)

   The intent of this goal is for students to demonstrate an understanding of how to create or maintain an environment that serves to protect and promote the health and well-being of individuals, families, and communities. Upon completing their health education program, students will demonstrate a variety of healthy practices and behaviors that promote safe and healthy communities.