Not All National Health Education Standards (NHES) are the Same

Abstract

Purpose: The purpose of this article is to explain how the National Health Education Standards (NHES) differ. Many educators recognize that the first standard, NHES 1, focuses on students’ comprehension of basic health information, commonly referred to as functional health knowledge, with the other seven standards, NHES 2 through 8, focusing on healthy life skills. The infusion of NHES 1 and a skill-based standard (NHES 2 through 8) is best taught in a 5-step framework to support students’ success. However, NHES 2 through 8 require further exploration and planning for teaching due to either being a macro skill, a set of micro skills, or a combination of both. Conclusion: This article identifies which NHES are macro skills or a set of micro skills while also providing recommendations for how to utilize the 5-step framework for both types of skills.