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Florida and National Legislation

Announcement: New One Credit Graduation Requirement in Physical Education to include Integration of Health! Click on the Physical Education page to view related documents.

Florida Legislation

Florida State Statute 1003.41 Sunshine State Standards:
Public K-12 educational instruction in Florida is based on the "Sunshine State Standards." These standards have been adopted by the State Board of Education and delineate the academic achievement of students, for which the state will hold schools accountable, in grades K-2, 3-5, 6-8, and 9-12 in the subjects of language arts, mathematics, science, social studies, the arts, health and physical education, and foreign languages. They include standards in reading, writing, history, government, geography, economics, and computer literacy.

Florida State Statute 1003.42 (2)(n) Required Instruction:
(n) Comprehensive health education that addresses concepts of community health; consumer health; environmental health; family life, including an awareness of the benefits of sexual abstinence as the expected standard and the consequences of teenage pregnancy; mental and emotional health; injury prevention and safety; nutrition; personal health; prevention and control of disease; and substance use and abuse.

The following statute refers to graduation requirements for students who enrolled in high school during the 2006-07 school year:

Florida State Statute 1003.43  (1)(i) General Requirements for High School Graduation:
(i) One-half credit in life management skills to include consumer education, positive emotional development, marriage and relationship skill-based education, nutrition, parenting skills, prevention of human immunodeficiency virus infection and acquired immune deficiency syndrome and other sexually transmissible diseases, benefits of sexual abstinence and consequences of teenage pregnancy, information and instruction on breast cancer detection and breast self-examination, cardiopulmonary resuscitation, drug education, and the hazards of smoking.

The following statute refers to graduation requirements for students who enrolled in high school during the 2007-08 year:

Florida State Statute 1003.428 2(a)(6) General requirements for high school graduation; revised. One credit in physical education to include integration of health. (Please note: The Life Management half credit required for graduation becomes an elective and is replaced by this new one-credit course.)

Florida State Statute 1003.46  Health Education; Instruction in Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome:
(1) Each district school board may provide instruction in acquired immune deficiency syndrome education as a specific area of health education. Such instruction may include, but is not limited to, the known modes of transmission, signs and symptoms, risk factors associated with acquired immune deficiency syndrome, and means used to control the spread of acquired immune deficiency syndrome. The instruction shall be appropriate for the grade and age of the student and shall reflect current theory, knowledge, and practice regarding acquired immune deficiency syndrome and its prevention.
(2) Throughout instruction in acquired immune deficiency syndrome, sexually transmitted diseases, or health education, when such instruction and course material contains instruction in human sexuality, a school shall:
(a) Teach abstinence from sexual activity outside of marriage as the expected standard for all school-age students while teaching the benefits of monogamous heterosexual marriage.
(b) Emphasize that abstinence from sexual activity is a certain way to avoid out-of-wedlock pregnancy, sexually transmitted diseases, including acquired immune deficiency syndrome, and other associated health problems.
(c) Teach that each student has the power to control personal behavior and encourage students to base actions on reasoning, self-esteem, and respect for others.
(d) Provide instruction and material that is appropriate for the grade and age of the student.

Next Generation Sunshine State Standards for Health Education

Understanding the Sunshine State Standards for Health and Physical Education

The Sunshine State Standards are structured by Strands, Standards and Benchmarks.  The Strand identifies the category of knowledge: (A) Health Literacy; (B) Responsible Behavior; and (C) Advocate and Promote Healthy Living.  The Standard is a general statement that identifies what the student is expected to achieve.  For example, Standard 1 reads: The student comprehends concepts related to health promotion and disease prevention (HE.A.1.1.).  The Benchmark identifies what the student will know and be able to do at the end of each of the grade clusters, i.e., PreK-2, 3-5, 6-8, and 9-12.  Using PreK-2 as the example, at the benchmark level H.E.A. 1.1. would read: the student knows the names of body parts (HE.A.1.1.1.).

NOTE:  H.E. stands for Health Education.  The following letter (A, B, or C) identifies the Strand while the first number identifies the Standard.  In addition, the second number identifies the grade level (1=PreK-2, 2=3-5, 3=6-8, and 4=9-12), and lastly, the third number identifies the Benchmark. 

National Legislation

National Health Education Standards

Florida’s Sunshine State Standards for Health Education are based on these national standards:

  1. Students will comprehend concepts related to health promotion and disease prevention.
  2. Students will demonstrate the ability to access valid health information and health promoting products and services.
  3. Students will demonstrate the ability to practice health enhancing behaviors and reduce health risks.
  4. Students will analyze the influence of culture, media, technology, and other factors on health.
  5. Students will demonstrate the ability to use interpersonal communication skills to enhance health.
  6. Students will demonstrate the ability to use goal setting and decision making skills to enhance health.
  7. Students will demonstrate the ability to advocate for personal, family, and community health.

Below are the revised national health education standards (2006). Please note that the decision-making and goal-setting skills have been separated into two standards.

  1. Students will comprehend concepts related to health promotion and disease prevention to enhance health.
  2. Students will analyze the influence of family, peers, culture, media, technology, and other factors on health behaviors.
  3. Students will demonstrate the ability to access valid information and products and services to enhance health.
  4. Students will demonstrate the ability to use interpersonal communication skills to enhance health and avoid or reduce health risks.
  5. Students will demonstrate the ability to use decision-making skills to enhance health.
  6. Students will demonstrate the ability to use goal-setting skills to enhance health.
  7. Students will demonstrate the ability to practice health-enhancing behaviors and avoid or reduce risks.
  8. Students will demonstrate the ability to advocate for personal, family, and community health.

Corresponding Performance Indicators (PDF)