Chief State School Officers Rank Barriers to Implementing Comprehensive School Health Education

Abstract

Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO) members were surveyed to determine their perception of barriers to implementing comprehensive school health education. CCSSO members were asked to prioritize the barriers and offer recommendations to overcome the barriers. A structured response, paired-comparison survey instrument was developed and mailed to 56 of 57 CCSSO members. Eighty-two percent of the members responded. CCSSO members perceived lack of administrative commitment as the number one barrier. Lack of adequately prepared teachers and insufficient time in the school day ranked second and third, respectively. While CCSSO members offered no recommendations for overcoming the number one barrier, recommendations to overcome other barriers included high-quality and more available preservice and inservice programs for teachers.

Elementary School Personnel and Cultural Factors Affecting Health Education Implementation in the High‐Stakes Testing Era*

“…Due to strong teacher preferences, only on‐line focus groups proved feasible. These limitations notwithstanding, multiple critical findings emerged that were consistent with previous research regarding CHES 5,20,24,25 and/or high‐stakes testing 7‐9 …”

Experiences of Beginning Health Educators and Changes in Their High School Students' Health Behaviors and Attitudes

“…With the exception of Teacher A, participants demonstrated minimal participation in a CSHP because of lack of time and support. Butler's (1993) study also revealed that the most influential barriers for successful implementation of a CSHP included insufficient time, money, and support.…”

“…However, the conceptual promise of a CSHP at this point in time outshines its practice. The promise of a CSHP is being affected by shrinking budgets, lack of resources, and inadequate support from staff, parents, and community; all of which are needed for successful implementation (Butler, 1993). In conjunction with participation in a CSHP, health teachers are also expected to be informed in the following: standards-based health curriculum frameworks (Joint Committee on National Health Education Standards, 1998), major health risk behavior categories (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC], 2004), skills-based curriculum (CDC, 1998), roles and responsibilities of entry-level health educators (National Commission for Health Education Credentialing Inc.…”

The Future of School Health Education in the United States: An Ontology

“…One example of these recommendations is to create means to help coordinate efforts of government and nongovernment organizations to improve SHE. Other challenges might include the current crisis in our education system; 134,135 the complexity of education system reform; 136 the politicization of education, 137 public health, 138 and science; 139 the lack of administrative commitment for SHE; 140 We cannot do everything plausible to improve SHE. Without an analytic framework, rationale, and commitment, we may remain perpetually unfocused, indecisive, and inert.…”