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Thursday, October 29, 2009

Each Student Successful Summit

Report Ties Health Risks to Grades

The advisory committee and participants of the Each Student Successful Summit generated the idea for, and endorsed creating this research review.

Two cans of pop. Three hours of TV. No breakfast. Cigarettes. Alcohol. While all are health risks for children, a new report links those risks to lower grades.

“Research Review: School-based Health Interventions and Academic Achievement” analyzes data from Washington’s 2006 Healthy Youth Survey. The report looks at 13 health risk factors and cross-references them with self-reported grades. It confirms what educators and parents have suspected for a long time: healthier kids get better grades.  The more health risks students have, the more likely they will do poorly in school. Each health risk has an independent effect, so eliminating even one can improve a student’s success in school. The report also shows a similar pattern between health and achievement gaps based on race and poverty.

The report lists evidence-based health interventions that can improve academic performance. It also makes a strong case for delivering health programs in a comprehensive way that addresses the school environment, instruction, and supportive services.

This report was issued by the State Board of Health, the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction, and the Department of Health. Press Release (October 2009)

Each Student Successful Summit:
Exploring Policies to Address
Health Disparities and the
Academic Achievement Gap

New York Times

 

• Culturally appropriate school programs that address risk behaviors among youth, especially when coordinated with community efforts, could improve the health of populations at risk for health disparities, and the health of the nation as a whole.»

Centers for Disease Control & Prevention

 

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A select group of educators, public health professionals, parents, students, policy makers, academic experts, and advocates were invited to attend this day-long summit.  There were a mix of presentations from state and national experts. There were also sessions designed to hear the multiple perspectives of summit participants to guide next steps.
Healthy students are more successful learners. The same students are disproportionately affected by the academic achievement gap and health disparities. Clear messages and communication will help us reach a common understanding of the issues and solutions. School-based practices and community partners are needed to work on closing these gaps in health and learning.
	Therefore, there is a need for a whole-child policy approach to address the health and academic needs of students impacted by health disparities and the academic achievement gap.

SPEAKERS AND NATIONAL EXPERTS:

• Biographies

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PRESENTATIONS:

• Speaker Presentations (Includes speaker visual and audio presentations)

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HANDOUTS:

• Summit Agenda

• Addressing Health Disparities, Department of Health and Human Services, Division of Adolescent and School Health

• Letter from Terry Bergeson, Superintendent of Public Instruction

• Race, Poverty, and Academic Achievement, Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction, October 2006

• School Achievement & Adolescent Health Monograph

• A Surprising Secret to a Long Life: Stay in School, New York Times, January 3, 2007

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FINAL REPORT: The final report, released in September 2007, includes information collected in the two group discussions: Conversations about the Link Between Health and Learning Conversations about Policy Directions The final report also includes a section highlighting some key recommendations for moving forward to address health disparities and the academic achievement gap. This section was developed by Summit Advisory Committee as they explored the many ideas that came out of the summit. Final Report (PDF) Final Report Presentation (PDF) Final Report Presentation (ppt)

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• Ellen Abellera, Washington State Commission on Asian Pacific American Affairs

• Sofia Aragon, Washington State Department of Health

• Kathy Burgoyne, Comprehensive Health Education Foundation

• Uriel Iniguez, Washington State Commission on Hispanic Affairs

• Rosalund Jenkins, Washington State Commission on African American Affairs

• Frankie T. Manning, Puget Sound Health Care System

• Martin Mueller, Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction

• Isabel Munoz-Colon, Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction

• Suzanne Petersen, Children» s Hospital

• Marilee Scarbrough, Washington State School Directors' Association

• Don Sloma, Washington Health Foundation

• Steve Smothers, DSHS-Division of Alcohol and Substance Abuse

• Lori Stern, Washington State Department of Health

• Pam Tollefsen, Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction

• Dr. Felecia Waddleton-Willis, Washington State Department of Early Learning

• Tara Wolff, Washington State Board of Health

• Vickie Ybarra, Governor's Interagency Council on Health Disparities

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