National Health Education Standards: Model Guidance for Curriculum and Instruction (Third Edition)

Since the 1990s, national standards have been developed in K-12 subject areas. National standards in health education were first released in 1995 with a second set released in 2007. A third edition, the  National Health Education Standards: Model Guidance for Curriculum and Instruction was developed in 2022 under the auspices of the National Consensus for School Health Education. The purpose of this article is to present an overview of the third edition including descriptions of the development process; the 8 standards and aligned performance expectations; considerations related to the translation, dissemination, and implementation of the standards; and projections for potential impact regarding teaching and student outcomes.

To develop new standards, the National Consensus formed 3 groups: the Management, Development, and Expert Review Groups. These groups employed an iterative process that included the development of 3 drafts of the standards before finalization. This process included a review of each draft by the 3 groups. The second draft included additional qualitative feedback from over 500 school health education leaders, practitioners, and stakeholders.

The third edition includes 8 standards with aligned performance expectations. A description and rationale are provided for each standard along with standard-specific teaching guidance.

The third edition of the National Standards for School Health Education provides guidance to state departments of education and local schools in the development and implementation of health instruction that promotes meaningful learning to guide students in the promotion of their own health and the health of others.