Vermont law (16 V.S.A § 131) defines comprehensive health education as “systemic and extensive” educational program and requires this education for K-12 students. School health programs for K-12 students prove to be more effective in changing health behaviors than occasional programs on a single health topic. The State Board of Education adopted December 2024 the SHAPE America National Health Education Standards, which define what a student should know and be able to do as result of a highly effective health education program. Vermont Education Quality Standards (EQS) stipulate each Supervisory Union/Supervisory District (SU/SD) have a written and delivered curriculum aligned with standards approved by the State Board of Education. This web page includes information about Vermont’s Health Education standards, a portrait of a graduate considering Health and Physical Education, links to the Linking Health and Learning newsletter, and resources that support health education and sexual health education.
Section List
- A Vermont Portrait of a Graduate Through Health and Physical Education
- Health Education Proficiency-based Learning Hierarchy
- Health Education Assessment
- Health Education High Quality Instructional Materials and Programming
- Health Education Integrated Approaches
- Digital Wellness
- Spotlight on Equity Resources
- Linking Health & Learning – A Newsletter for Vermont’s Health and Physical Educators
- Sexual Health Education
- Required CPR Instruction
- Resources
A Vermont Portrait of a Graduate Through Health and Physical Education
A Vermont Portrait of a Graduate (PoG) was collaboratively developed to be used as a tool for reviewing and refining local proficiency-based graduation requirements, as well as a guide for making instructional decisions. The PoG specifies the cognitive, personal, and interpersonal skills and abilities that students should be able to demonstrate upon graduation considering six attributes: learner agency, global citizenship, academic proficiency, communication, critical thinking and problem solving, and well-being. Health and physical education programs should provide students with valuable learning experiences that support the development of PoG attributes. Information about how the six attributes of a Vermont PoG can be addressed through Health and Physical Education can be found below.
Health Education Proficiency-based Learning Hierarchy
The Proficiency-Based Graduation Learning Hierarchies support equity by providing a cohesive and coordinated vision of student-centered learning across Vermont schools. The hierarchies serve as a foundation for the implementation of standards adopted by the Vermont State Board of Education, Local Comprehensive Assessment Systems, flexible pathways, and personalized learning plans.
- Health Education Proficiency-based Graduation Requirement Hierarchy (forthcoming)
- Health Education K-8 Proficiency-based Learning Hierarchies (forthcoming)
The Agency of Education (AOE) recognizes the considerable time and effort that educators and other stakeholders across the state have already put forth developing proficiency-based learning systems and this work is intended to serve as a resource for SU/SDs to consider as they reflect on the key concepts and skills that students should develop within each content area.
Health Education Assessment
The following resources are intended to support the assessment of the National Health Education Standards (2024).
- Performance Assessment in Health Education (forthcoming)
- Essential Components for Ensuring Local Comprehensive Assessment Systems are Culturally Relevant and Equitable
- Health Performance Assessment Template
Health Education High Quality Instructional Materials and Programming
The following resources are intended to support SU/SDs in the development and improvement of health education curriculum in Vermont schools. These are not individual curricular programs, but models that can be used to improve on in place curriculum or to be used in the design or select instructional materials.
- Health Education Curriculum Analysis Tool (HECAT)
- Local Wellness Policy Guide: Supports for Comprehensive Health Education
Health Education Integrated Approaches
The Agency of Education (AOE) has developed resources to inform how health can be integrated into K-12 curriculum/instruction through an interdisciplinary approach. Integrating health instruction across the curriculum supports a school-wide culture of wellness and health promotion where student health is relevant and nurtured in ALL spaces in the school. An interdisciplinary approach enhances student learning and provides the meaning and real-world relevancy for both the health education topic/skill and the integrated subject area (e.g., math or social studies). Comprehensive Health Interdisciplinary Framework
Digital Wellness
The digital world plays a significant role in shaping young people's health perspectives, behaviors, and practices. Recognizing that students actively engage with digital contexts, student digital wellness refers to how students use technology to enhance their personal health. Digital wellness skills and dispositions include managing screen time, navigating online interactions mindfully, critically evaluating information, building positive digital relationships, and ensuring online safety to support overall well-being. Educators play an important role in supporting student digital wellness. There are many state-adopted standards that integrate critical analysis of sources of information, technology use, and analyzing health influences with overlaps into the digital/health space (National Health Standards, etc.). The following document provides resources for educators and leaders in supporting student digital wellness;
- Building Student Digital Wellness: Educators
- Building Student Digital Wellness: Families and Caregivers
Spotlight on Equity Resources
Educational equity means that every student has access to the resources, opportunities, and educational rigor they need at the right moment in their education, whatever their race, gender/identity, sexual orientation, ethnicity, religion, language, ability, family background, or family income may be. (Adapted from CCSSO, Leading for Equity.) The Spotlight on Equity Resource below provides a list of considerations and resources for the purpose of supporting equity and access while emphasizing high-quality and culturally sustaining learning opportunities for all students.
Linking Health & Learning – A Newsletter for Vermont’s Health and Physical Educators
Sexual Health Education
The Agency of Education (AOE) is responsible for helping to increase the awareness of sexual health related information and services that are available to promote student wellness and increase academic success.
- The National Sex Education Standards. support educators by defining the minimum, essential content and skills for K-12 sexuality education given student needs and assists schools in designing and delivering sexuality education that is planned, sequential and part of a comprehensive school health education approach.
- The Essential Topics in Sexual Health Education identifies high priority topics and best practices for teaching these topics.
- The Technical Assistance Resource Guide (TARG), created by the Sexual Violence Prevention Task Force pursuant to Act 1 of 2009 and updated in 2014, provides guidance for schools to build their capacity for and knowledge of sexual violence prevention.
- Best Practice for Implementing & Sustaining Comprehensive Sexual Violence Prevention in Schools
Required CPR Instruction
Act 151 of 2012 requires that information regarding and practice of compression-only cardiopulmonary resuscitation and the use of automated external defibrillators becomes a part of comprehensive health education.
Resources
Vermont Health Education Related Resources
- Substance Abuse Prevention: This web page includes School-based Alcohol and Drug Prevention recommendations and resources for school-based substance abuse prevention programs. Youth Risk Behavior Survey and Tobacco Grant information can also be found on this web page.
- Vermont Department of Health: The Vermont Department of Health website includes information, resources and curricula for educators who help students understand their own health and important public health issues.
- The Condom Availability Programs: Recommendations for Supervisory Unions/Districts and Schools support the implementation of Condom Availability Programs in secondary schools.
- Weight Inclusive Nutrition (WIN) Education Research Group: This webpage includes weight-inclusive nutrition education materials.
- Prevent Child Abuse Vermont
- Vermont Model School Protocol for Suicide Prevention
- Local Wellness Policy Guide: Supports for Comprehensive Health Education
National Health Education Related Resources
- Sample Curriculum” Rights, Respect, Responsibility (3R’s): A K-12 Sexuality Education Curriculum
- RMC Health Resources and Tools
- Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning
- Colorado High Impact Strategies for Health Education Modules
- Appropriate Practices in School-Based Health Education (SHAPE America)
Questions?
Email Ian Burfoot-Rochford.