Health Education

This page provides you with information on curriculum, rules, and news. We welcome any suggestions you have that will improve this site for people who provide high-quality Health Education programs for students. Join our mailing list and receive updates. 

The Division of Curriculum provides direction and leadership to Health Education programs that serve students from Kindergarten through Grade 12. Curriculum staff members assist districts statewide with implementation of the TEKS. They assist the instructional materials division with the materials adoption process for Kindergarten through Grade 12 Health Education. 

Curriculum Standards

Health education standards may be found at Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills for Health Education 19 TAC Chapter 115. 

Announcements

Frequently Asked Questions

Child Abuse, Dating Violence, Family Violence and Human Trafficking FAQ 

School Health Advisory Council (SHAC) FAQ

Local assessment/testing and human sexuality instruction under Texas Education Code, Section 28.004

Texas Education Code, Section 28.004, prohibits the imposition of any academic penalty on a student whose parent withholds the student from human sexuality instruction. The attached guidance provides insights into how those provisions interact with the use of local assessments or testing for a course or subject that includes instruction in human sexuality. 

Behavior Health, Mental Health, and Suicide Prevention Training for Educators  

Health and Safety Code §161.325 (outside source) states that the Department of State Health Services (DSHS), in coordination with TEA and regional education service centers (ESCs), shall provide and annually update a list of recommended best practice-based programs for implementation in public elementary, junior high, middle, and high schools within the general education setting. DSHS, TEA, and each ESC is required to make the list easily accessible on their websites. For more information about the list of recommended programs and other resources, please visit the Mental Health and Behavioral Health web page

Health Education Related Links

The following links are about health education:

Alcohol and Drugs

Evidence-based Prescription Drug Awareness Programs

Evidence-based Programs for Alcohol Awareness  

Office of National Drug Control Policy (outside source)

Nutrition

Choose My Plate.gov  (outside source)  

Dietary Guidelines (outside source)

Square Meals (outside source)

Additional School Health Related Links 

Adolescent and School Health Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) (outside sources)

Local School Health Advisory Council (SHAC) and Health Education Instruction (TEC) (outside source)

National Health Education Standards PreK-12 (outside source)

Parenting and Paternity Awareness (outside source)

Texas School Health Advisory Council (TSHAC) (outside source)

Texas Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System (YRBSS) (outside source)

Agencies and Organizations

Society of Health and Physical Educators (SHAPE) (outside source)

Texas Association for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance (TAHPERD) (outside source)

Texas Department of Agriculture (outside source)  

Texas Department of State Health Services (outside source)

 

Resources about HIV and AIDS

This document provides you with information on Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) and Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) Prevention Resources  (PDF, 88KB).

This page provides Instructional Materials (PDF, 626KB) about HIV and AIDS.

Relating to the Care of Elementary and Secondary School Students with Diabetes

House Bill (HB) 984 (79th Legislature) amends the Health and Safety Code by adding Chapter 168, Care of Students with Diabetes. This chapter requires school personnel to be trained on diabetes and its management to include hyperglycemia and hypoglycemia.

Students with Diabetes Related Links 

The following links provide information on diabetes:

American Diabetes Association (outside source)

Center for Disease Control (CDC) and Prevention-Diabetes Public Health Resources (outside source)

Guidelines for Training School Employees Who Are Not Licensed Healthcare Professionals (outside source)

Health and Safety Code, Subtitle H, Chapter 168, Care of Students with Diabetes (outside source)

Texas Diabetes Council (outside source)

Texas Risk Assessment for Type 2 Diabetes in Children (outside source)

Implementation Guide

Contact Information

Barney Fudge, Statewide Coordinator, Health and Safety
william.fudge@tea.texas.gov
Texas Education Agency 
1701 North Congress Avenue 
Austin, Texas 78701-1401 
(512) 463-9581

Curriculum Standards and Student Support Division 
curriculum@tea.texas.gov
(512) 463-9581