Health Education
School-based health education helps students acquire functional health knowledge, strengthen attitudes and beliefs and provide opportunity for practicing skills needed to adopt and maintain healthy behaviors throughout their lives.
Research shows a strong connection between healthy behaviors and academic achievement (e.g., grades, standardized tests, graduation rates, attendance). Student behaviors and experiences set the stage for adult health. In particular, health behaviors and experiences related to violence and substance use are consistently linked to poor grades and test scores and lower educational attainment. In turn, providing health education can help youth develop positive well-being, academic success, and healthy outcomes into adulthood.
Healthy students are better learners, and academic achievement bears a lifetime of benefits for health. However, youth risk behaviors, such as physical inactivity, unhealthy dietary behaviors, tobacco use, alcohol use, and other drug use are consistently linked to poor grades and test scores and lower educational attainment. To access the results of the most recent Youth Risk Behavior Survey that gives more insight related to these behaviors, click here.
Academic Standards
The State Board of Education (SBE) adopts the academic standards and graduation requirements for subjects in grades K-12. The current criteria state all students must successfully pass one high school credit of Lifetime Wellness in order to graduate with a traditional diploma.
Lifetime Wellness is a holistic approach to health and physical education in Tennessee high schools. The course addresses Nutrition, Substance Use and Abuse, Mental Health, Human Growth and Development, First Aid and Safety, and Personal Fitness and Related Skills. Each content area is addressed in a classroom setting while allowing opportunity to explore how one content area affects and is affected by other content areas. Instruction emphasizes prevention as well as intervention with regard to the health practices of students.
- K-5 Health Education Standards
- 6-8 Health Education Standards
- High School Lifetime Wellness Standards
Revised Standards: Effective July 1, 2026
The following revised standards were approved by State Board for implementation starting in the 2026-27 school year. This allows time for the Tennessee Textbook and Instructional Materials Quality Commission to conduct a review and adoption of textbooks 2024-25 so that districts may acquire new instructional materials in the 2025-26 school year.
- K-5 Health Education Standards (Revised)
- 6-8 Health Education Standards (Revised)
- High School Lifetime Wellness Standards (Revised)
Key Elements of a Comprehensive Health Education Program*
The following are key elements of comprehensive health education, which itself are part of an overall coordinated school health program:
1. A documented, planned, and sequential program of health instruction for students in grades kindergarten through twelve.
2. A curriculum that addresses and integrates education about a range of categorical health problems and issues at developmentally appropriate ages.
3. Activities that help young people develop the skills they need to avoid: tobacco use; dietary patterns that contribute to disease; sedentary lifestyle; sexual behaviors that result in HIV infection, other STDs and unintended pregnancy; alcohol and other drug use; and behaviors that result in unintentional and intentional injuries.
4. Instruction provided for a prescribed amount of time at each grade level.
5. Management and coordination by an education professional trained to implement the program.
6. Instruction from teachers who are trained to teach the subject.
7. Involvement of parents, health professionals, and other concerned community members.
8. Periodic evaluation, updating, and improvement.
*Source: CDC, Coordinated School Health Program, http://www.cdc.gov/HealthyYouth/about
Related Resources and Links:
This is a non-exhaustive list of resources and initiatives utilized by districts to support instruction in various health education topics. The following resources and links are for informational purposes only and do not represent official policies, procedures, or guidance of the Tennessee Department of Education. Any links to products or services are neither endorsed nor have been vetted by TDOE. Additionally, the Tennessee Department of Education bears no responsibility for the accuracy, legality, or content of the external sites. Please note that nothing herein constitutes legal advice and you should consult your district team and legal counsel with any questions.
Tennessee Health Curriculum Analysis Screener
· Tennessee Health Curriculum Analysis Screener
· Characteristics of an Effective Health Education Curriculum
General Health and/or Multiple Topics
· EVERFI
· Alliance for a Healthier Generation
· Botvin
· On Point
· Nemours Foundation – Health Education Lesson Plans and Teacher’s Guide
Vaping + Substance Use and Abuse
· CDC: E-Cigarettes and Vaping Use Among Youth
· American Lung Association - INDEPTH
· Stanford Medicine - Tobacco Prevention Toolkit
· TDOH Tobacco Use Prevention and Control Program
Relationships & Communication
· One Love
Safety
· Ollie the Otter - Child passenger safety
· NHTSA – Child Pedestrian Safety Curriculum