Primary Goal
Coordinated school health (CSH) is a blueprint for integrating health-promoting practices in the school setting. CSH is an evidenced-based model developed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) that connects physical, emotional, and social health with education through eight inter-related components. CSH addresses the components health education, physical education/physical activity, health services, mental health/social services, nutrition services, healthy and safe environment, staff wellness, and family/community partnerships. This coordinated approach improves students' health and their capacity to learn through the support of families, communities, and schools working together.
In 2006, Tennessee became the only state in the nation with a legislative mandate and $15,000,000 in state funding per year to implement CSH in all school districts. All districts must employ a coordinator to oversee CSH for their district. CSH funding may also be used to hire an assistant and other support staff, to purchase materials, and to provide professional development for CSH staff and other school employees that support school health programs.
CSH Highlights since Statewide Implementation:
Body mass index (BMI) rates for Tennessee students are declining. BMI rates have declined since the implementation of CSH statewide from 41.2 percent in 2007-08 to 39.2 percent in 2016-17.
The percent of school districts with active School Health Advisory Committees (SHAC's) increased from 87 percent of all school districts during the 2011-12 school year to 96 percent of all school districts during the 2016-17 school year.
Parent and student partnerships are emphasized in all aspects of CSH. CSH coordinators have expanded the average number of partners from 21 community partnerships per school district in 2008-09 to 61 community partners in 2016-17. CSH district coordinators worked with 8,255 different community partners and coalitions during the 2016-17 school year. Also, CSH partnered with 84,636 students and 25,883 parents statewide to address school health priorities during the 2016-17 school year.
From 2007-08 to 2016-17, CSH coordinators secured an additional $203 million in health grants and in-kind resources/gifts for Tennessee schools.
According to CDC's Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS) for high school students, the percentage of Tennessee students who were physically active for a total of at least 60 minutes per day on five of the past seven days substantially increased from 25 percent in 2005 to 42.7 percent in 2015.
During the 2016-17 school year, districts approved 228 new policies and guidelines to address school health concerns and strengthened 283 policies and guidelines.
Seventy-six percent of all school districts reported they incorporated health-related goals into their school improvement plans (SIPs).
Approximately 1.4 million health screenings occurred in Tennessee public schools. Those screenings resulted in 145,048referrals being made to a health care provider for additional medical attention through parental notification.
During the 2016-17 school year, there were 4,031,420 student visits to a school nurse. Eighty-six percent of those visits resulted in a student's ability to return to class instead of being sent home.
CSH coordinators worked with community partners to establish school-based health clinics. The number of school districts with school-based clinics increased from 12 in 2008-09 to 37 school districts in 2016-17. The number of schools with school-based clinics increased from 54 in 2008-09 to 276 in 2016-17. During the 2016-17 school year there were 57,955 student visits to school-based health clinics.
The number of schools providing bullying prevention programs to students increased from 744 schools during 2011-12 to 1,406schools during the 2016-17 school year. Also, 1,436 schools provided bullying prevention training for teachers and staff.
Ninety-six percent of all school districts had staff participating in some type of school-sponsored wellness program.
Since the implementation of CSH statewide, coordinators have secured funds for walking tracks or trails at 484 schools, 300 in-school fitness rooms for students, and 371 new and/or updated playgrounds.