1996 Massachusetts School Health Education Profile Report
Principal Results
2. Is health education required for students in any of grades 6 through 12 in this school?
| Middle (%) | Jr./Sr. (%) | High (%) |
| a. Yes | 99 | 91 | 95 |
| b. No | 1 | 9 | 5 |
3. Is required health education taught in any of the following ways to students in grades 6 through 12 in this school?
| Middle (%) | Jr./Sr. (%) | High (%) |
| a. Separate health education courses | 92 | 100 | 94 |
| b. Courses divided between health education and one other subject (such as health education and physical education) | 41 | 54 | 50 |
| c. Units of lessons in health education integrated into other subjects (such as home economics, biology or other science, or physical education) | 77 | 91 | 77 |
| d. Nonclassroom programs or activities | 64 | 54 | 66 |
4. All together, approximately how much required health education do students receive in grades 6 through 12 in this school?
| Middle (%) | Jr./Sr. (%) | High (%) |
| a. Less than . year | 19 | 7 | 8 |
| b. . year | 17 | 18 | 36 |
| c. 1 year | 20 | 28 | 30 |
| d. 1 . years | 10 | 18 | 7 |
| e. 2 years | 7 | 4 | 10 |
| f. More than 2 years | 26 | 25 | 8 |
5. How many separate health education courses (not just health education units or lessons integrated into other subject) are students required to take in grades 6 through 12 in this school?
| Middle (%) | Jr./Sr. (%) | High (%) |
| a. No separate health education courses required in grades 6 through 12 | 13 | 2 | 9 |
| b. 1 course | 26 | 32 | 49 |
| c. 2 courses | 23 | 22 | 23 |
| d. 3 courses | 31 | 28 | 6 |
| e. 4 courses | 3 | 11 | 12 |
| f. More than 4 courses | 3 | 5 | 2 |
6. Are required health education courses usually taught in any of the following grades in this school?
| Middle (%) | Jr./Sr. (%) | High (%) |
| a. 6 | 85 | NA | NA |
| b. 7 | 93 | 74 | NA |
| c. 8 | 91 | 77 | NA |
| d. 9 | NA | 80 | 78 |
| e. 10 | NA | 47 | 56 |
| f. 11 | NA | 23 | 25 |
| g. 12 | NA | 19 | 19 |
7. Is a health education course required for graduation or promotion from this school?
| Middle (%) | Jr./Sr. (%) | High (%) |
| a. Yes | 35 | 56 | 85 |
| b. No | 65 | 44 | 15 |
8. If students fail a required health education course in this school, are they required to take the course again?
| Middle (%) | Jr./Sr. (%) | High (%) |
| a. Yes | 6 | 61 | 74 |
| b. No | 94 | 39 | 26 |
9. Can students in this school be exempted or excused by parental request from all or parts of a required health education course?
| Middle (%) | Jr./Sr. (%) | High (%) |
| a. Yes | 91 | 83 | 79 |
| b. No | 9 | 17 | 21 |
10. During this school year, approximately what percent of students in grades 6 through 12 were exempted or excused from any part of a required health education course by parental request?
| Middle (%) | Jr./Sr. (%) | High (%) |
| a. Less than 1% | 92 | 88 | 90 |
| b. 1% to 5% | 4 | 6 | 4 |
| c. 6% or more | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| d. Don't know | 3 | 6 | 5 |
11. Who coordinates health education in this school?
| Middle (%) | Jr./Sr. (%) | High (%) |
| a. No coordinator | 5 | 2 | 3 |
| b. District health education coordinator | 58 | 61 | 53 |
| c. District general curriculum coordinator | 3 | 0 | 1 |
| d. Superintendent or other district administrator | 1 | 2 | 3 |
| e. Health education teacher | 18 | 14 | 8 |
| f. Department chairperson | 8 | 18 | 23 |
| g. School-based general curriculum coordinator | 2 | 0 | 3 |
| h. Principal or other school administrator | 7 | 2 | 5 |
| I. Outside consultant | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| j. School nurse | 1 | 0 | 1 |
12. Does this school or district support health education-related inservice training or staff development in any of the following ways for health education teachers?
| Middle (%) | Jr./Sr. (%) | High (%) |
| a. Provides stipend for attending training | 49 | 58 | 46 |
| b. Provides reimbursement for training expenses | 80 | 91 | 85 |
| c. Provides substitute teachers during training | 93 | 100 | 97 |
| d. Offers inservice training at school or in district | 91 | 93 | 87 |
13. Does this school use trained peer educators in grades 6 through 12?
| Middle (%) | Jr./Sr. (%) | High (%) |
| a. Yes | 45 | 78 | 76 |
| b. No | 54 | 22 | 24 |
| c. Don't know | 1 | 0 | 0 |
14. Does this school use trained peer educators to help teach about health in grades 6 through 12 in any of the following settings?
| Middle (%) | Jr./Sr. (%) | High (%) |
| a. Health education courses | 37 | 38 | 34 |
| b. Courses other than health education | 36 | 32 | 32 |
| c. Assembly programs | 49 | 55 | 66 |
| d. Health fairs | 33 | 47 | 40 |
| e. Discussion or support groups | 67 | 78 | 84 |
| f. Conflict resolution or mediation sessions | 72 | 77 | 83 |
15. Does this school have a school health advisory council or other similar committee that meets on a regular basis to address policies or programs related to school health?
| Middle (%) | Jr./Sr. (%) | High (%) |
| a. Yes | 44 | 73 | 73 |
| b. No | 55 | 27 | 25 |
| c. Don't know | 1 | 0 | 2 |
16. Are any of the following groups of people represented on the school health advisory council?
| Middle (%) | Jr./Sr. (%) | High (%) |
| a. Students | 55 | 85 | 82 |
| b. Parents | 86 | 94 | 93 |
| c. Teachers | 100 | 100 | 99 |
| d. District or school administrators | 92 | 97 | 96 |
| e. Food service staff | 18 | 18 | 18 |
| f. School nurses | 85 | 91 | 94 |
| g. Counselors | 76 | 94 | 78 |
| h. School board members | 42 | 46 | 38 |
| I. Public health department staff | 51 | 50 | 61 |
| j. Business community | 48 | 49 | 55 |
| k. Medical community (e.g. doctors, nurses) | 62 | 57 | 65 |
| l. Mental health community | 40 | 41 | 60 |
| m. Churches or other religious organizations | 30 | 54 | 46 |
| n. Community-based organizations | 58 | 75 | 74 |
| o. Law enforcement organizations | 61 | 76 | 71 |
| p. Other | 28 | 32 | 35 |
17. During this school year, how would you describe parental feedback about health education in this school?
| Middle (%) | Jr./Sr. (%) | High (%) |
| a. No feedback received | 28 | 39 | 38 |
| b. Mainly positive feedback | 65 | 47 | 57 |
| c. Mainly negative feedback | 1 | 2 | 0 |
| d. Equally balanced between positive and negative feedback | 6 | 11 | 5 |
18. Is HIV infection/AIDS education required for students in any of grades 6 through 12 in this school?
| Middle (%) | Jr./Sr. (%) | High (%) |
| a. Yes | 85 | 81 | 93 |
| b. No | 15 | 19 | 7 |
19. Are required HIV infection/AIDS education un its or lessons taught in any of the following courses in this school?
| Middle (%) | Jr./Sr. (%) | High (%) |
| a. Health education | 93 | 100 | 98 |
| b. Biology or other science | 40 | 69 | 51 |
| c. Mathematics | 2 | 4 | 0 |
| d. Home economics | 16 | 35 | 20 |
| e. Physical education | 16 | 22 | 27 |
| f. Social studies or social sciences | 10 | 19 | 23 |
| g. English or communication arts | 1 | 12 | 10 |
| h. Family life education or life skills | 24 | 56 | 34 |
| I. Special education | 10 | 20 | 23 |
20. Is required HIV infection/AIDS education usually taught in any of the following grades in this school?
| Middle (%) | Jr./Sr. (%) | High (%) |
| a. 6 | 66 | NA | NA |
| b. 7 | 85 | 78 | NA |
| c. 8 | 88 | 87 | NA |
| d. 9 | NA | 68 | 83 |
| e. 10 | NA | 70 | 61 |
| f. 11 | NA | 43 | 39 |
| g. 12 | NA | 37 | 34 |
21. During this school year, has this school provided HIV infection/AIDS education for parents in any of the following ways?
| Middle (%) | Jr./Sr. (%) | High (%) |
| a. Sent educational materials to parents | 19 | 14 | 12 |
| b. Sent letters or newsletters on HIV infection/AIDS to parents | 14 | 9 | 10 |
| c. Provided school programs on HIV infection/AIDS for parents | 11 | 20 | 15 |
| d. Invited parents to attend class on HIV infection/AIDS | 13 | 14 | 8 |
22. Does this school or district have a written policy on students and/or staff with HIV infection/AIDS?
| Middle (%) | Jr./Sr. (%) | High (%) |
| a. Yes | 70 | 74 | 74 |
| b. No | 30 | 26 | 26 |
23. Are any of the following issues addressed in the written school or district policy on students and/or staff with HIV infection/AIDS?
| Middle (%) | Jr./Sr. (%) | High (%) |
| a. Support for HIV infection/AIDS prevention education for students | 85 | 72 | 82 |
| b. Support for HIV infection/AIDS prevention education for staff | 86 | 72 | 76 |
| c. Procedures for evaluating the health status of HIV infected students and school staff | 66 | 78 | 64 |
| d. Procedures for maintaining confidentiality | 99 | 100 | 98 |
| e. Procedures to protect HIV-infected students and school staff from discrimination | 95 | 90 | 93 |
| f. A statement about the inappropriateness of routine testing of students and school staff for HIV infection | 45 | 25 | 34 |
| g. Procedures for communicating the policy to students, school staff, and parents/guardians | 77 | 82 | 86 |
| h. Procedures for implementing the policy | 83 | 89 | 89 |
| I. Procedures on worksite safety (i.e., universal precautions) for all school staff | 95 | 87 | 98 |
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