National Health Education Standards

SHAPE America is a proud member of the coalition that developed the National Health Education Standards (NHES), which were released in 1995 and revised in Spring 2007. In 2020, SHAPE America obtained the copyright to the National Health Education Standards. SHAPE America's National Health Education Standards Task Force is currently revising and updating the standards.

Standard 1

Students will comprehend concepts related to health promotion and disease prevention to enhance health.

PreK - Grade 2

  • 1.2.1Identify that healthy behaviors affect personal health.
  • 1.2.2Recognize that there are multiple dimensions of health.
  • 1.2.3Describe ways to prevent communicable diseases.
  • 1.2.4List ways to prevent common childhood injuries.
  • 1.2.5Describe why it is important to seek health care.

Grades 3-5

  • 1.5.1Describe the relationship between healthy behaviors and personal health.
  • 1.5.2Identify examples of emotional, intellectual, physical, and social health.
  • 1.5.3Describe ways in which safe and healthy school and community environments can promote personal health.
  • 1.5.4Describe ways to prevent common childhood injuries and health problems.
  • 1.5.5Describe when it is important to seek health care.

Grades 6-8

  • 1.8.1Analyze the relationship between healthy behaviors and personal health.
  • 1.8.2Describe the interrelationships of emotional, intellectual, physical, and social health in adolescence.
  • 1.8.3Analyze how the environment affects personal health.
  • 1.8.4Describe how family history can affect personal health.
  • 1.8.5Describe ways to reduce or prevent injuries and other adolescent health problems.
  • 1.8.6Explain how appropriate health care can promote personal health.
  • 1.8.7Describe the benefits of and barriers to practicing healthy behaviors.
  • 1.8.8Examine the likelihood of injury or illness if engaging in unhealthy behaviors.
  • 1.8.9Examine the potential seriousness of injury or illness if engaging in unhealthy behaviors.

Grades 9-12

  • 1.12.1Predict how healthy behaviors can affect health status.
  • 1.12.2Describe the interrelationships of emotional, intellectual, physical, and social health.
  • 1.12.3Analyze how environment and personal health are interrelated.
  • 1.12.4Analyze how genetics and family history can affect personal health.
  • 1.12.5Propose ways to reduce or prevent injuries and health problems.
  • 1.12.6Analyze the relationship between access to health care and health status.
  • 1.12.7Compare and contrast the benefits of and barriers to practicing a variety of healthy behaviors.
  • 1.12.8Analyze personal susceptibility to injury, illness, or death if engaging in unhealthy behaviors.
  • 1.12.9Analyze the potential severity of injury or illness if engaging in unhealthy behaviors.

Standard 2

Students will analyze the influence of family, peers, culture, media, technology, and other factors on health behaviors.

PreK - Grade 2

  • 2.2.1Identify how the family influences personal health practices and behaviors.
  • 2.2.2Identify what the school can do to support personal health practices and behaviors.
  • 2.2.3Describe how the media can influence health behaviors.

Grades 3-5

  • 2.5.1Describe how the family influences personal health practices and behaviors.
  • 2.5.2Identify the influence of culture on health practices and behaviors.
  • 2.5.3Identify how peers can influence healthy and unhealthy behaviors.
  • 2.5.4Describe how the school and community can support personal health practices and behaviors.
  • 2.5.5Explain how media influences thoughts, feelings, and health behaviors.
  • 2.5.6Describe ways that technology can influence personal health.

Grades 6-8

  • 2.8.1Examine how the family influences the health of adolescents.
  • 2.8.2Describe the influence of culture on health beliefs, practices, and behaviors.
  • 2.8.3Describe how peers influence healthy and unhealthy behaviors.
  • 2.8.4Analyze how the school and community can affect personal health practices and behaviors.
  • 2.8.5Analyze how messages from media influence health behaviors.
  • 2.8.6Analyze the influence of technology on personal and family health.
  • 2.8.7Explain how the perceptions of norms influence healthy and unhealthy behaviors.
  • 2.8.8Explain the influence of personal values and beliefs on individual health practices and behaviors.
  • 2.8.9Describe how some health risk behaviors can influence the likelihood of engaging in unhealthy behaviors.
  • 2.8.10Explain how school and public health policies can influence health promotion and disease prevention.

Grades 9-12

  • 2.12.1Analyze how the family influences the health of individuals.
  • 2.12.2Analyze how the culture supports and challenges health beliefs, practices, and behaviors.
  • 2.12.3Analyze how peers influence healthy and unhealthy behaviors.
  • 2.12.4Evaluate how the school and community can affect personal health practices and behaviors.
  • 2.12.5Evaluate the effect of media on personal and family health.
  • 2.12.6Evaluate the impact of technology on personal, family, and community health.
  • 2.12.7Analyze how the perceptions of norms influence healthy and unhealthy behaviors.
  • 2.12.8Analyze the influence of personal values and beliefs on individual health practices and behaviors.
  • 2.12.9Analyze how some health risk behaviors can influence the likelihood of engaging in unhealthy behaviors.
  • 2.12.10Analyze how public health policies and government regulations can influence health promotion and disease prevention.

Standard 3

Students will demonstrate the ability to access valid information and products and services to enhance health.

PreK - Grade 2

  • 3.2.1Identify trusted adults and professionals who can help promote health.
  • 3.2.2Identify ways to locate school and community health helpers.

Grades 3-5

  • 3.5.1Identify characteristics of valid health information, products, and services.
  • 3.5.2Locate resources from home, school, and community that provide valid health information.

Grades 6-8

  • 3.8.1Analyze the validity of health information, products, and services.
  • 3.8.2Access valid health information from home, school, and community.
  • 3.8.3Determine the accessibility of products that enhance health.
  • 3.8.4Describe situations that may require professional health services.
  • 3.8.5Locate valid and reliable health products and services.

Grades 9-12

  • 3.12.1Evaluate the validity of health information, products, and services.
  • 3.12.2Use resources from home, school, and community that provide valid health information.
  • 3.12.3Determine the accessibility of products and services that enhance health.
  • 3.12.4Determine when professional health services may be required.
  • 3.12.5Access valid and reliable health products and services.

Standard 4

Students will demonstrate the ability to use interpersonal communication skills to enhance health and avoid or reduce health risks.

PreK - Grade 2

  • 4.2.1Demonstrate healthy ways to express needs, wants, and feelings.
  • 4.2.2Demonstrate listening skills to enhance health.
  • 4.2.3Demonstrate ways to respond when in an unwanted, threatening, or dangerous situation.
  • 4.2.4Demonstrate ways to tell a trusted adult if threatened or harmed.

Grades 3-5

  • 4.5.1Demonstrate effective verbal and nonverbal communication skills to enhance health.
  • 4.5.2Demonstrate refusal skills that avoid or reduce health risks.
  • 4.5.3Demonstrate nonviolent strategies to manage or resolve conflict.
  • 4.5.4Demonstrate how to ask for assistance to enhance personal health.

Grades 6-8

  • 4.8.1Apply effective verbal and nonverbal communication skills to enhance health.
  • 4.8.2Demonstrate refusal and negotiation skills that avoid or reduce health risks.
  • 4.8.3Demonstrate effective conflict management or resolution strategies.
  • 4.8.4Demonstrate how to ask for assistance to enhance the health of self and others.

Grades 9-12

  • 4.12.1Use skills for communicating effectively with family, peers, and others to enhance health.
  • 4.12.2Demonstrate refusal, negotiation, and collaboration skills to enhance health and avoid or reduce health risks.
  • 4.12.3Demonstrate strategies to prevent, manage, or resolve interpersonal conflicts without harming self or others.
  • 4.12.4Demonstrate how to ask for and offer assistance to enhance the health of self and others.

Standard 5

Students will demonstrate the ability to use decision-making skills to enhance health.

PreK - Grade 2

  • 5.2.1Identify situations when a health-related decision is needed.
  • 5.2.2Differentiate between situations when a health-related decision can be made individually or when assistance is needed.

Grades 3-5

  • 5.5.1Identify health-related situations that might require a thoughtful decision.
  • 5.5.2Analyze when assistance is needed in making a health-related decision.
  • 5.5.3List healthy options to health-related issues or problems.
  • 5.5.4Predict the potential outcomes of each option when making a health-related decision.
  • 5.5.5Choose a healthy option when making a decision.
  • 5.5.6Describe the outcomes of a health-related decision.

Grades 6-8

  • 5.8.1Identify circumstances that can help or hinder healthy decision making.
  • 5.8.2Determine when health-related situations require the application of a thoughtful decision-making process.
  • 5.8.3Distinguish when individual or collaborative decision making is appropriate.
  • 5.8.4Distinguish between healthy and unhealthy alternatives to health-related issues or problems.
  • 5.8.5Predict the potential short-term impact of each alternative on self and others.
  • 5.8.6Choose healthy alternatives over unhealthy alternatives when making a decision.
  • 5.8.7Analyze the outcomes of a health-related decision.

Grades 9-12

  • 5.12.1Examine barriers that can hinder healthy decision making.
  • 5.12.2Determine the value of applying a thoughtful decision-making process in health-related situations.
  • 5.12.3Justify when individual or collaborative decision making is appropriate.
  • 5.12.4Generate alternatives to health-related issues or problems.
  • 5.12.5Predict the potential short-term and long-term impact of each alternative on self and others.
  • 5.12.6Defend the healthy choice when making decisions.
  • 5.12.7Evaluate the effectiveness of health-related decisions.

Standard 6

Students will demonstrate the ability to use goal-setting skills to enhance health.

PreK - Grade 2

  • 6.2.1Identify a short-term personal health goal and take action toward achieving the goal.
  • 6.2.2Identify who can help when assistance is needed to achieve a personal health goal.

Grades 3-5

  • 6.5.1Set a personal health goal and track progress toward its achievement.
  • 6.5.2Identify resources to assist in achieving a personal health goal.

Grades 6-8

  • 6.8.1Assess personal health practices.
  • 6.8.2Develop a goal to adopt, maintain, or improve a personal health practice.
  • 6.8.3Apply strategies and skills needed to attain a personal health goal.
  • 6.8.4Describe how personal health goals can vary with changing abilities, priorities, and responsibilities.

Grades 9-12

  • 6.12.1Assess personal health practices and overall health status.
  • 6.12.2Develop a plan to attain a personal health goal that addresses strengths, needs, and risks.
  • 6.12.3Implement strategies and monitor progress in achieving a personal health goal.
  • 6.12.4Formulate an effective long-term personal health plan.

Standard 7

Students will demonstrate the ability to practice health-enhancing behaviors and avoid or reduce health risks.

PreK - Grade 2

  • 7.2.1Demonstrate healthy practices and behaviors to maintain or improve personal health.
  • 7.2.2Demonstrate behaviors that avoid or reduce health risks.

Grades 3-5

  • 7.5.1Identify responsible personal health behaviors.
  • 7.5.2Demonstrate a variety of healthy practices and behaviors to maintain or improve personal health.
  • 7.5.3Demonstrate a variety of behaviors that avoid or reduce health risks.

Grades 6-8

  • 7.8.1Explain the importance of assuming responsibility for personal health behaviors.
  • 7.8.2Demonstrate healthy practices and behaviors that will maintain or improve the health of self and others.
  • 7.8.3Demonstrate behaviors that avoid or reduce health risks to self and others.

Grades 9-12

  • 7.12.1Analyze the role of individual responsibility in enhancing health.
  • 7.12.2Demonstrate a variety of healthy practices and behaviors that will maintain or improve the health of self and others.
  • 7.12.3Demonstrate a variety of behaviors that avoid or reduce health risks to self and others.

Standard 8

Students will demonstrate the ability to advocate for personal, family, and community health.

PreK - Grade 2

  • 8.2.1Make requests to promote personal health.
  • 8.2.2Encourage peers to make positive health choices.

Grades 3-5

  • 8.5.1Express opinions and give accurate information about health issues.
  • 8.5.2Encourage others to make positive health choices.

Grades 6-8

  • 8.8.1State a health-enhancing position on a topic and support it with accurate information.
  • 8.8.2Demonstrate how to influence and support others to make positive health choices.
  • 8.8.3Work cooperatively to advocate for healthy individuals, families, and schools.
  • 8.8.4Identify ways in which health messages and communication techniques can be altered for different audiences.

Grades 9-12

  • 8.12.1Use accurate peer and societal norms to formulate a health-enhancing message.
  • 8.12.2Demonstrate how to influence and support others to make positive health choices.
  • 8.12.3Work cooperatively as an advocate for improving personal, family, and community health.
  • 8.12.4Adapt health messages and communication techniques to a specific target audience.

Citation:

Joint Committee on National Health Education Standards. (2007). National Health Education Standards, Second Edition: Achieving Excellence. Washington, D.C.: The American Cancer Society.

* SHAPE America holds all rights to the National Health Education Standards, including all revisions and/or derivatives. Written permission from SHAPE America is required to use these standards in other works.

Health Education/SEL Crosswalk

The Crosswalk for the National Health Education Standards and the CASEL Social and Emotional Learning Competencies (Health Education/SEL Crosswalk) document aligns CASEL’s SEL competencies and related skills to the National Health Education Standards and Performance Indicators. Learn More >>

Additional Health Education Resources

Are your students learning the skills necessary to make health-enhancing choices? Use these SHAPE America resources to help your students take charge of their own health. View Now >>

Updates on NHES Revision Process

▶ SHAPE America Response Regarding Health Education Standards
▶ SHAPE America Launches Task Force to Revise NHES
▶ SHAPE America Begins Working With Partners in the Health Education Field to Revise NHES

NHES Town Hall Meeting

In May 2021, SHAPE America hosted a National Health Education Standards Town Hall meeting to garner initial thoughts from the field about the revision process. Health educators and other school health education stakeholders were invited to provide direct feedback about potential changes to the NHES. Share your thoughts by completing this form.

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