Advocating for School Wellness

Role of Nutrition, Health and Physical Education in Closing the Achievement Gap

SHAPE Workshops: Spring 2009

4-2-09

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Overview

• Goals for Education• Achievement Gap and Health Gap

Connection• School Wellness Saves Money • Advocate: What You Can Do!

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“We must understand this important truth: that improving children’s health likely improves school performance. It may even help a school’s bottom line.”

David Satcher

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Raise AcademicPerformance

Improve StudentWell-Being

AND

Goals for Education

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“Healthier students …typically do better in school…We know that strong bodies and strong minds work together to help…our students succeed.”

December 2008

Same Goals!

Jack O’ConnellState Superintendent of Public Instruction

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The Achievement Gap and Health Gap

What is the connection?

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Demographics: California K-12 Enrollment for 2006-07: 6,286,943

White 1,849,078,

29%

Hispanic3,026,956,

47%Black 477,776, 8%

Filipino165,480, 3%

Pacific Islander

38,733, 1%Asian510,499, 8%

American-Indian

48,383, 1%

Multiple 170,038, 3%

Source: CDE DataQuest

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• Disparity between:– White and other Ethnic groups– Socio-economically Disadvantaged and

Non- Disadvantaged– Students with Disabilities and students

without Disabilities

What is the Achievement Gap?

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English-Language ArtsPercentages of Economically Disadvantaged & Percentages of Not Economically

Disadvantaged Students Scoring at Proficient and Above, 2007

24%

40%

26%

42% 41%

67%

African Americanor Black

Hispanic or Latino White

Economically Disadvantaged Not Economically Disadvantaged

Source: CDE DataQuest

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Disparities in incidence of disease, disability and death among specific populations:

What is the Health Gap?

• Economically Disadvantaged

• Ethnic Populations - African American, Hispanic, Native American

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Health Gap for Children …Some Examples

↑Anemia: Higher among African-American children • 19% AA versus 10% for Whites

↑Dental Health: Higher rates of poor teeth conditions• 21% Hispanic children versus 11% African American vs 6% White

↑Asthma: Higher among African American and Hispanic children• African American and Hispanic children have a 60% higher rate of

asthma than White children• 12.7% incidence for both African American and Hispanic children

compared to 8% incidence for White ChildrenSource: Office of Minority Health

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Adolescent BoysPrevalence of Obesity* by Race/Ethnicity

(Aged 12–19 Years)National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys

                                                                                                                                                                                                                        

                                                                   

*Sex-and age-specific BMI > 95th percentile based on the CDC growth charts.

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Students Need School Wellness More than Ever

February 2009 Superintendent O’Connell’sState of Education Address

“In difficult times, our schools provide safe and stable environments.”

Efforts at fitness have raised student achievement in California but…in the last year:

• 19% more homeless students• 12% increase in numbers of subsidized

meals served to California students– 28 million more meals and growing

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Achievement and Health

Go hand in hand…

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• Poor nutrition decreases cognitive functioning and performance in the areas of language, concentration, and attention.

• Students with the highest fitness scores have the highest SAT-9 scores. Jim Sallis,

1999

Health Improves LearningHealth Improves Learning

Wehler, Scott, & Anderson, 1996

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Health and Physical Education Raises Scores

• Health Education: Third and fourth grade students who received comprehensive health education had significantly higher reading and math scores. Schoener, Guerrero, and Whitney, 1988

• Intensive Physical Education programs had higher reading, math and writing scores and reduced disruptive behaviors in the classroom. Sallis, 1999

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Garden Education Raises Science Scores

• Students in third, fourth and fifth grade participated in school gardening activities– Weekly garden reinforced by

hands-on classroom activities

• Higher science achievement scores compared to those who did not have garden activities– Klemmer, Waliczek, 2005

(Louisianna schools)

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School Wellness Saves Money

Even in tight budget times

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Health Affects AttendanceHealth Affects Attendance

• Students with poor nutrition & physical fitness more likely to be absent and tardy. Murphy, 1998

• Very overweight students miss 4-6 times more school than normal weight kids. Schwimmer 2003;AHK

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Health Impacts School BudgetHealth Impacts School Budget

Cost of Students being out one day a month:

A single-day absence by one student costs the district between $9 - $20.

Reference: Action for Healthy Kids: The Learning Connection 2005, www.actionforhealthykids.org

Los Angeles

Unified

$15 million a year

Average Size District

$100,000 or more

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Do The Math

If all students were in school one extra day per year?

Amount more $

Students

X $10

If even 25% more students were in school one extra day/year?

Amount more $

Amount $

Divided by 4

Figure out the impact to your district

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CutsStudent Absences

Improves StudentWell-BeingAND

Wellness Is Cost Effective

Increases academic achievement

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Wellness…. Investment in the Bottom Line

Academic Resources• Increased readiness to learn• Better achievement

Staffing• Fewer visits to school nurse• Fewer behavior problems

Funds• As school wellness increases the ADA goes up

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Closing the Gap Improves Our Future

In California, The achievement and health

gap represents a

majority of students

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Advocate!

What You Can Do

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What You Can Do!

Share District Data with VisionMake the connection between health and

academics with district-specific data Get others involved

Integrate Wellness Into Your District’s Achievement Strategic Plans– Discuss District Wellness Policy– Include wellness in Program Improvement– Emphasize turn-key approaches

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Fitness Gram 2008California Statistics

  Grade 5 Grade 7 Grade 9

Physical Fitness Area

% Not in HFZ

% Not in HFZ

% Not in HFZ

AerobicCapacity

35.8 36.2 39.5

BodyComposition

31.6 31.6 30.3

http://www.eddataonline.com/fitness/data/default.aspx orhttp://data1.cde.ca.gov/dataquest/

Use Your District Data

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Local Example: Fitnessgram 2006-07% in Healthy Fitness Zone

ABC Elementary

0102030405060708090

100

AerobicCapacity

Body Comp AbdominalStrength

TrunkExtension

UpperBody

Flexibility

2004-052006-07

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California Healthy Kids Survey results can be tailored for your district

• 44% of teens ate breakfast

• 50% of teens exercised in a week

• 77% drank milk at least once per day

• 47% dieted to lose weight

• 12% took diet pills to lose weight

• 76% drank soda

http://www.wested.org/cs/chks/print/docs/chks_bsearch.htm

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

Example: Percentage Of District Students Who Report Eating Breakfast On The Day Of The Survey

Grade

5

7

9

11

83%

59%

62%

68%

Percent of Students

XXX School Data/Year

XXX County81%

60%

52%

51%

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Another Gap:Implementation versus Reality*

Wellness Area: Parent Expectations

Reality

Nutrition Education

•2 days per week•All students•Part of core curriculum

•5 hours per year•Not all grades•sporadic

Physical Education

•48 minutes a day•All ages•Students active most of the time

•6-8% of schools have daily PE(2%HS)•Few elementary specialists•Less than 50% of minutes active

* Parent’s Views on School Wellness Policy from a National Action for Healthy Kids Survey 2005

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Compare Your District:

*Parent Expectations

Your District

Nutrition Education

•2 days per week•All students•Part of core curriculum

•# hours per year?•What grades?• Curricula?

Physical Education

•48 minutes a day•All ages•Students active most of the time

•Minutes PE daily for what ages?•Credentials?•Curricula?•Level of participation

Wellness Area:

* Parent’s Views on School Wellness Policy from a National Action for Healthy Kids

Survey 2005

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CDE’s Closing the Achievement Gap PlanBased on Four Themes:

Access– How do all students gain access to what they

need?

Culture/Climate– How can schools offer the best learning

environment for all students?

Expectations– Are high expectations for teachers and students

truly held?

Strategies– What practices have been proven effective for

closing the achievement gap?

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Some Ways to Integrate

Access- Fresh, Wholesome Foods; Quality Health and Physical Education for All

Culture- Healthful, Vibrant Campuses

Expectations- Walk the Talk (Policies and Practices)

Strategies- Share Wellness Models

Source of ACES: CDE’s Report on Closing the Achievement Gap http://www.cde.ca.gov/eo/in/pc/

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Involve The Whole SchoolGet on the Principal’s Meeting Agenda-

invite them to see activities

Involve Teachers- Hands on Nutrition and Taste tests at meetings; health posters in teacher’s rooms; staff wellness; ideas to integrate into curricula

Be the Coach’s Buddy- promote healthy snacks and education for competitive edge

Nurse as Partner in reducing health visits

Guidance Counselor as ally to prevent behavior problems through positive student activities

Parents as Messengers- talk to PTA leaders about why fitness matters-promote fitness events

Publish health articles in school newsletters

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“Today many educators are narrowing their focus on academics in order to meet testing and accountability standards... You can’t sacrifice one part of a child for another. Focusing on a part of the child is a zero-sum game that forces false choices.”

Gene R. Carter, EdD. Executive Director and CEO of the Association for Supervision and Curriculum

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Some Resources Used to Develop This Presentation

• Massachusetts Department of Education: Health and Academics Making the Link http://www.doe.mass.edu/cnp/health00/slides.PDF

• Office of Minority Health and Health Disparities (OMHD)-Overview: Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) http://www.reportingonhealth.com/resources/topics/links/office-minority-health-health-disparities-omhd-3

• Reducing Health Disparities by Reducing Education Disparities: What’s health got to do with it? Division of Partnerships and Strategic Alliances, Centers for Disease Control

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Resources (continued)

• Mission Becomes Mandate: Campaign for School Wellness, Action for Healthy Kids www.actionforhealthykids.org/pdf/CSW%20Report%20FINAL%208-18-06.pdf

• Making the Connection: Health and Student Achievement; Society of State Directors of Health, Physical Education and Recreation (SSDHPER) http://www.thesociety.org/pdf/makingtheconnection.ppt

• 2009 California State of the Education Address: Closing the Achievement Gap in California; http://www.closingtheachievementgap.org/cs/ctag/print/htdocs/home.htm

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Another Resource

Show the following video clip:Call to Leadership: Elevating School

Wellness to a Higher Level  Part 6- Dr. Jose Salgado, Principal, Mario Umana Middle School Academy, Boston, MAwebcast archive www.ActionForHealthyKids.org

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Slide show to be posted at California Healthy Kids Resource Center website

www.californiahealthykids.org

Questions? Heather Reed, MA, RD Nutrition Education Consultant, California Department of Education hreed@cde.ca.gov