How Schools Work and How to Work with Schools

1. How Schools Work andHow to Work with Schools James F. BogdenNational Association of State Boards of Education June 2003

2. Objectives • Learn who are the decision makers at various levels of the education system • Identify strategies for engaging with and influencing education decision makers • Identify strategies for improving school health-related policies and practices • Become aware of some of the valuable resources available to school health advocates

3. How Schools Work and How to Work with Schools • How education works at the school, district, state, and national levels • Practical tips for how to work with educators, administrators, and policymakers • Updated and expanded 2003 Order at www.nasbe.org

4. Agencies Government YOUTH

5. A Cast of Thousands Governor Legislature State board of education Chief state school officer State level State education agency staff Local government School board School district level Superintendent Central office staff School improvement council School level Principal School staff

6. Key Issues Confronted by Schools • Education reform pressures • Accountability • Students • School district • School • Individual teachers • High stakes testing • Federal versus state versus local control • School finance / funding

7. More Key Issues Confronted by Schools • Ready-to-learn issues • Students enter with extremely different levels of readiness • Non-academic barriers to learning • Changing demands, expectations, perceptions about public education • What is a “good school”? • Sustaining support for public education • Aging population • Economic choices

8. Who’s Who at the School Level • The principal is key • Entry points • School improvement team • School health council • Health and mental health services staff • Classroom teachers • Parent organizations • Student organizations School improvement council Principal School staff

9. School Health Advisory Council • Tool for identifying priorities and strategies • Broad-based representation • School personnel • Community professionals • Parents • Students • Others? • School-level to advise principal • District-wide to advise school board

10. Guides to School Health Councils Obtain through your local American Cancer Society chapter or call 1-800-ACS-2345 Iowa Department of Public Healthwww.idph.state.ia.us/fch/fam_serv/advisory.htm

11. Who’s Who at the School District Level In theory…. • The school board makes policy • The superintendent implements it Local government School board Superintendent Central office staff

12. How to Work with School District Leaders • Formal approaches • Service on board and administration advisory committees • Testimony at meetings and public hearings • Written communications • Informal approaches: • Direct contact with board members and administrators • Enlist influential “key communicators” • Make presentations at meetings and conferences attended by policymakers

13. Governor Legislature State board of education Chief state school officer State education agency staff Who’s Who at the State Level • Become knowledgeable about who has what authority and how they interact

14. Preparing a Policy Initiative • Monitor agendas, discussions, board processes, and board members’ interests • Identify policy gaps • Compose rationale for adopting policy • Develop key messages and simple strategies • Compile accurate data from credible sources • Anticipate and prepare for potential conflicts

15. Presenting Information • Make a brief oral presentation of only the most important points • Submit a succinct written rationale • Present disparate research findings from credible organizations in a neutral, balanced manner • Use clear language (i.e., a minimum of academic, public health, and social services jargon) • Unadorned charts and graphs illustrate key findings

16. Persuading Education Leaders • Note serious problems/needs, but emphasize solutions • Link to existing policies, programs, and goals • Use current terminology (‘education reform’, ‘ready to learn’, ‘academic achievement’) • Highlight school health as an emerging trend • Identify policy options • Be honest about costs and potential implementation problems

17. Moving the Issue Forward • Brief sympathetic policymakers on answers to difficult questions that might arise in public meetings • Enlist respected community members to express their support • Enlist the endorsement of the business community • Help students research issues, prepare presentations, and be included on public-hearing agendas • Suggest a pilot study if a policy or program does not gain support

18. Persistence Pays • Respect the hierarchy • Stay focused on the ultimate goal • Don’t expect quick or easy success • Sustain the effort • Be willing to compromise…but know your bottom line • Don’t burn your bridges

19. Useful Resources • Data sources • Information and guidance • Making the case New York Times

20. 44 42 41 39 39 33 27 22 20 10 9 3 2 1. Data Sources Health Education Requirements in U.S. Schools, by Grade 50 40 30 Percent of schools 20 10 0 K 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th 7th 8th 9th 10th 11th 12th Source: CDC, School Health Policies and Programs Study 2000

21. Periodic national survey • Assesses policies and programs at the state, district, school, and classroom levels • In elementary, middle/junior, and senior high schools • State report cards on the Internet www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/dash/shpps/index.htm

22. Percent of U.S. high school students who…  Did not attend physical education class daily 68%  Ate less than 5 servings of fruits and vegetables per day during the past 7 days 79%  Drank < 3 glasses of milk per day during the past 7 days84%  Did not participate in moderate physical activity 74% www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/dash/yrbs/2001/index.htm

23. Annie E. Casey Foundation • Annual KIDS COUNT Data Book • State-by-state and national indicators of child well-being are available through an interactive online database • View state profiles, graphs, maps, and rankings • Download raw data www.aecf.org/kidscount

24. 2. Information and Guidance

25. Physical Activity Healthy Eating CDC’s Guidelines for School Health Programs www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/dash/healthtopics/guidelines.htm

26. Health Is Academic Health Is Academic : A Guide to Coordinated School Health Programs Eva Marx, Susan Wooley, Daphne Northrup, eds., 1998, Teachers College Press www2.edc.org/HealthIsAcademic

27. School Health Index: A Self-Assessment and Planning Guide • Identify your own school’s strengths and weaknesses • Prioritize issues • Develop an action plan • Involve teachers, students, parents, and community • Download free at www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/dash/SHI/index.htm

28. National Health Education Standards Summary at www.aahperd.org/AAHE

29. USDA’s School Meals Initiative • Helping school meals become more consistent with the Dietary Guidelines for Americans • Adding flexibility in procedures used to plan and monitor school menus

30. Valuable Resource from USDA • Complete action kit • action guide • resource materials • brochures • transparencies • video • CD-ROM Order free at www.fns.usda.gov/tn

31. Food Research and Action Council “Working to improve public policies to eradicate hunger and under-nutrition in the United States” Sample statistic: Percent of Missouri schools participating in the school breakfast program that also participate in the school lunch program: 78% www.frac.org/

32. Major North Carolina Initiative • Blueprint for Changing Policies and Environments in Support of Healthy Eating • Blueprint for Changing Policies and Environments in Support of Increased Physical Activity Download free at: www.eatsmartmovemorenc.com

33. Nutrition Education Programs http://navigator.tufts.edu/index.html

34. National Physical Education Standards Moving Into the Future: National Physical Education Standards: A Guide to Content and Assessment National Association of Sport and Physical Education (NASPE) www.aahperd.org/naspe

35. Fall 2000 Report to the President Promoting Better Health for Young People Through Physical Activity and Sports A Report to the President From the Secretary of Health and Human Services and the Secretary of Education www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/dash/ presphysactrpt/index.htm

36. Connecticut PE Guide Physical Education: A Guide to K-12 Program Development www.state.ct.us/sde/dtl/curriculum/pe_publ_guide1.htm

37. Physical Activity Ideas for Schools Active Youth: Ideas for Implementing CDC Physical Activity Promotion Guidelines www.humankinetics.com

38. KidsWalk-to-School • Comes with • A step-by-step checklist • Sample letters, surveys, evaluations, and press releases • Safety tips on walking, biking, school bus safety, and stranger danger tips • Ideas to make walking to school an active and exciting part of the day. www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/dnpa/ kidswalk/kidswalk_guide.htm

39. Wellness Programs For School Staff PEP—A Personal Energy Plan www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/dnpa/pep.htm

40. Fit, Healthy, and Ready to Learn: A School Health Policy Guide • Guide to policymaking • Sample policies - download at www.nasbe.org/healthyschools/fithealthy.mgi • Full explanations • Research findings • Notable quotes • Excerpts of actual policies • Resource lists

41. Fit, Healthy, and Ready to Learn: A School Health Policy Guide A. Overview B. The Art of Policymaking C. General School Health Policies D. Policies to Promote Physical Activity E. Policies to Promote Healthy Eating F. Policies to Help Prevent Tobacco Use G. Policies to Promote Sun Safety and Prevent Skin Cancer H. Policies to Help Prevent HIV, Other STDs, and Pregnancy Among Young People I. Policies on the Treatment and Prevention of Asthma at School

42. Healthy Youth Funding Database http://www2.cdc.gov/nccdphp/shpfp/index.asp

43. 3. Making the Case

44. Prevalence of Obesity Among US Adults

45. 1999 1988-94 1976-80 1963-65 1971-74 All Boys Girls Boys Girls Boys Girls Boys Girls “Super-Sized” Children Ages 6-11 14 12 10 8 Percent 6 4 2 0 Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Health Statistics

46. Televisions in the Home 1970 1999 Children who live in homes with 3 or more TVs 60% 6% Sixth graders with a TV in their bedroom 6% 77% Source: Kaiser Family Foundation. Kids and Media at the New Millenium, 1999 www.kff.org

47. Ages 8-18 3:16 :45 :27 :31 4:59 Average Daily Time Children Spent Using Media Ages 2-7 Television 1:59 Videotapes :29 Video games :08 Computer :07 Total 2:43 Source: Kaiser Family Foundation. Kids and Media at the New Millenium, 1999

48. At-Risk Overweight Missouri White Hispanic Black Girls Boys Girls Boys Girls Boys Girls Boys “Generation XXL” High School Students 35 30 25 20 Percent 15 10 5 0 Girls Boys Source: CDC, National Youth Risk Behavior Survey, 2001

49. School Health Starter Kit From: The Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO) and The Association of State and Territorial Health Officials (ASTHO) www.ccsso.org/ starterkit.html

50. Building Business Support for School Health Programs • Step-by-step action guide • Field-tested at the state and local levels in New Mexico www.nasbe.org/ NASBE_Bookstore/Safe_Healthy.html