Coordinated School Health - CalEdFacts

Coordinated School Health (CSH) is an approach to school health that is a powerful way to reinforce healthy behaviors and empower students with the knowledge, skills, and judgment to help them make smart choices in life. Children that are healthy are more likely to perform better in school than children that are not healthy. Schools with a CSH approach create a school/community environment that allows youth to reach their greatest potential by establishing strong partnerships among youth, families, schools, local government, faith-based organizations, businesses, local health agencies, and others.

Coordinated school health addresses eight different aspects of health: health education, physical education, health services, nutrition services, psychological and counseling services, healthy school environment, health promotion for staff, and parent and community involvement. The coordinated school health model promotes collaboration among school staff, families, youth, and communities working together to address these components.

While all schools in California implement the coordinated school health program to varying degrees, districts that successfully implement the coordinated school health model designate a staff member as the school health coordinator to provide leadership and institute a school health council with a broad base of school, community, and parental involvement. See Coordinated School Health for more information on coordinated school health, including the important connection between student health and academic achievement and links to additional resources.