Healthy Schools Successful Students

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1 Healthy Schools Successful Students E

2 Healthy Schools Successful Students Evaluation Data Report Table of Contents Background 2 Demographics and Reach 4 Evaluation Plan 5 Data Collection 6 Reporting 7 Increasing Skills at the School-Level 8 Increasing Skills at the District-Level 11 District and School-Level Partnerships 13 District Infrastructure 15 Quality School Health and Wellness Programming 19 Wellness Policy Comprehensiveness and Strength 24 Wellness Policy Structures and Processes 27 Wellness Policy Practices 28 Health Education, Nutrition and PE Cadre 37 Success Outcome Rubric 44 Summary 48 Appendix A 52 Appendix B 58 Healthy Schools Successful Students Evaluation Data Report 1

3 Background Healthy Schools Successful Students is a collaborative program between RMC Health and the Colorado Department of Education. Healthy Schools Successful Students, funded by the Colorado Health Foundation since 2013 (previously funded from as Healthy Schools Colorado), is designed to create healthy school environments that encourage students to adopt healthy living choices. Healthy Schools Successful Students uses the Whole School, Whole Community, Whole Child model, developed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and ASCD, which combines and builds on elements of the traditional Coordinated School Health approach and Whole Child Initiative. Schools that use the Whole School, Whole Community, Whole Child model are ideally poised to encourage good nutrition, physical activity, and other healthy behaviors. The broader benefits align with the mission of schools to enable students to learn and to provide them with the knowledge, skills, and judgment to make healthy choices in life. Healthy Schools Successful Students addresses childhood obesity and supports the creation of a culture of health in schools and districts by implementing a coordinated approach to healthy schools. The program supports policy, systems, and environmental changes through funding and professional development to District Health and Wellness Coordinators and School Health Team Co-Leaders. RMC Health funded school districts for one, two, or three years. While 13 districts were funded in , eight districts were funded during the school year. Over this same threeyear grant period, 10 districts were funded by the Colorado Department of Education. The participating districts in include: RMC Health Funded Districts 1. Adams 12 Five Star Schools (three-year grant) 2. Adams County School District 50 (two-year grant) 3. Fremont Region (Districts RE-1, RE-2, and RE-3) (three-year grant) 4. Harrison School District 2 (two-year grant) 5. School District 27J (three-year grant) 6. Thompson School District (three-year grant) Colorado Department of Education Funded Districts (all three-year grants) 7. Center Consolidated School District 26JT 8. Cripple Creek-Victor School District RE-1 9. Englewood Schools 10. Grand Region (East Grand School District/West Grand School District 1-Jt) 11. Hayden/South Routt Region (Hayden School District RE1/South Routt School District RE-3) 12. Lake County School District 13. Manitou Springs School District 14. Woodland Park School District Healthy Schools Successful Students Evaluation Data Report 2

4 Healthy Schools Successful Students funds District Health and Wellness Coordinators to recruit and train school health teams. Teams use the Healthy School Champions Score Card or School Health Index to assess their school s health and safety policies and programs. Teams use the assessment data to prioritize needs and develop a School Health Improvement Plan that define goals for improving policies and programs in comprehensive physical activity or nutrition. Additional School Health Improvement Plans may target other components of the Whole School, Whole Community, Whole Child model. In addition to creating an infrastructure within schools that supports and sustains health and wellness, Healthy Schools Successful Students funds a cadre of Health Education, Nutrition and Physical Education trainers who develop and deliver professional development to health and physical education teachers and other school staff. These opportunities are designed to increase the capacity of school personnel to utilize best practices in health and physical education instruction, and school nutrition programming. Healthy Schools Successful Students Evaluation Data Report 3

5 Demographics and Reach In , Healthy Schools Successful Students funded 14 grantees representing 18 school districts. One grantee represents a large school district, four represent medium school districts, six represent small school districts, and three represent regions; two regions with two school districts each and one region with three school districts. Districts recruited a total number of school teams based on size of their district or region. The number of schools recruited in RMC Health funded districts, in year two, ranged from 10 to 26. The number of schools recruited in Colorado Department of Education funded districts ranged from two to seven. Table 1 details the number of schools funded by each organization and highlights the total student enrollment, which equaled 110,207 students. Table 1. Healthy Schools Successful Students Reach Total Number of Total Number of Active Districts Schools Total Number of Students in Districts RMC Health (funded by TCHF) Colorado Department of Education , ,471 Total ,207 Healthy Schools Successful Students Evaluation Data Report 4

6 Evaluation Plan The ecological perspective recognizes different levels of influence on individual behavior and, if all levels are addressed, there is an increased likelihood behavior will change. There are many iterations of the ecological theory, but the key concepts remain consistent. Multiple factors influence behaviors. Environments are multidimensional and complex. Ecological models are most successful when they target specific health behaviors. The interrelationships between people and their environment are dynamic. Multi-level interventions should be most effective in changing behavior. The evaluation of Healthy Schools Successful Students measures district and school level predictors linked to changes in school and student health behaviors. To examine the Healthy Schools Successful Students theory of change, measures of activities and outcomes are taken at multiple levels. Established standards for success related to the implementation of activities and outcomes included in the theory of change are defined in Appendix A (Healthy Schools Successful Students Success Outcome Rubric). The key evaluation questions for Healthy Schools Successful Students follow. 1. To what extent are District Health and Wellness Coordinators influencing school and district leadership to support and implement healthy schools? 2. How successful are the cadre trainings in building skills and knowledge of school staff to implement best practices? 3. How significant are the changes in district level infrastructure and support for health and wellness policies as a result of Healthy Schools Successful Students? 4. To what extent have schools implemented programs that represent quality implementation of a coordinated approach to support healthy behaviors? 5. To what degree are districts implementing effective policies and practices to support health and wellness? 6. To what extent are programs sustained at a quality level in districts and schools? Healthy Schools Successful Students Evaluation Data Report 5

7 Data Collection To answer the evaluation questions, Healthy Schools Successful Students established a data collection process to document and assess the value of district and school outcomes. A variety of data collection methods and sources were utilized. All districts were required to participate in the Healthy Schools Successful Students database and submit mid and end-of-year progress reports. Districts and schools funded by RMC Health were required to participate in additional data collection activities described below. Note: In , a Principal Survey was administered to RMC Health funded schools. This survey was not conducted in due to a low and biased response rate (only highly supportive principals responded to the survey in ) Data Instruments and Tools All Districts and Schools 1. Progress Reports (mid and end-of-year): Document progress related to work plan objectives, collaborations and/or partnerships, plans for sustaining and/or expanding the district s program, District Health Advisory Committee progress, district alignment with school level work on health and wellness policies, and challenges. 2. Database: Annual data collected on district and school-level policies related to school nutrition, physical education, physical activity, and health services. 3. School Success Story (submitted via database): A success story is completed, after a School Health Improvement Plan is implemented, to describe school health activities implemented, school and student outcomes reached, plans to continue work, and challenges encountered. RMC Health Funded Districts ONLY District Health and Wellness Coordinator Survey: Assesses health integration with other education programs/departments and Unified Improvement Plan, partnerships, district collaboration and support, financial support, accountability, policy reach/impact, and challenges. School Health Team Co-leader Survey: Assesses school health team sustainability, team functioning, school level policy implementation, School Health Improvement Plan implementation and challenges, school support, and partnerships. District Health Advisory Committee Member Survey: Assesses committee structure and functioning, benefits and value added, member support of health, support of the committee, and successes and challenges. Health Education, Nutrition, and Physical Education Cadre Trainings Post-training Implementation Surveys: Assesses implementation of knowledge and skills learned during training, challenges to implementation, and future needs. Healthy Schools Successful Students Evaluation Data Report 6

8 Reporting For the purpose of this report, findings for Healthy Schools Successful Students (SY ) will be reported for districts and schools funded by RMC Health only. Healthy Schools Successful Students database results for districts and schools funded by the Colorado Department of Education will be summarized and shared separately with Colorado Department of Education funded districts and regions. Districts and schools funded by RMC Health received funding for different grant durations, and therefore, summary results will be reported for all districts and schools currently funded, with additional tables and figures comparing the progress of the remaining funded districts, comparing the data with data, when applicable. Healthy Schools Successful Students Evaluation Data Report 7

9 Increasing Skills and Knowledge To Support Healthy Schools: School-Level The District Health and Wellness Coordinator model has consistently been shown to be an integral approach to advance health and wellness work and sustain programs. At the school level, coordinators recruit schools to implement health and wellness programs using the Destination: Healthy Schools Successful Students: A Comprehensive Approach to Learning and Health at the School-Level (Destination). Coordinators work to build the capacity of School Health Team Co- Leaders to implement effective programs in schools by providing professional development and technical assistance to: Assist school health teams in using the Destination; Provide at least one professional development event for co-leaders and other appropriate staff; Provide technical assistance to school health teams; Support schools to complete assessments and develop School Health Improvement Plans; Support schools to implement School Health Improvement Plans; and Promote Health Education, Nutrition, and Physical Education cadre trainings to school and district staff. Professional Development Data collected through School Health Team Co-Leader surveys suggest encouraging outcomes related to the professional development provided to co-leaders. Professional development included trainings developed and offered by RMC Health (Destination: Healthy Schools Successful Students 101, Creating a High Performing Team, Making Meetings Matter, Getting Others to Notice and Support Your Efforts, and Data Makes a Difference); and professional development opportunities provided by District Health and Wellness Coordinators including co-leader retreats and in one district a course designed for interested staff titled Creating a Healthy Classroom to Support Student Learning. When asked about the professional development offered, School Health Team Co-Leaders indicated the trainings aligned with the priorities of their school. As a result of these trainings co-leaders were better able to: Define the co-leader role. Develop School Health Improvement Plans to include best practices. Increase knowledge about health and wellness and their importance in schools. Increase confidence in knowledge and skills to share with others and advocate for school health. Include a variety of stakeholders in planning. Increase awareness of the Whole School, Whole Community, Whole Child model and how it fits with successful healthy schools programs. Change school and classroom policies. Facilitate high functioning school wellness teams. Healthy Schools Successful Students Evaluation Data Report 8

10 Examples of quotes from School Health Team Co-Leaders validate the quality of the trainings they attended through Healthy Schools Successful Students. I have been able to use many of the ideas in the training as well as have district level support when questions arise. We have had better meetings with clear expectations because of the Destination 101 training. Destination 101 training defined and clarified the purpose of a school health team. It provided the step-by-step instruction to create purposeful SHIPs. The manual is an excellent reference asset. The training gave us a structure and model to create a solid objective for our SHIP, utilizing best practices and at the same time focusing on sustainability and feasibility, helping us to have an impact on our overall school culture. Going to these trainings always refreshes my attitude and brings light to the sometimes daunting tasks of everyday teaching. We know that wellness is so important but sometimes forget how impactful and necessary it is for these students to learn everyday. Technical Assistance School Health Team Co-Leaders reported high agreement with the quality and usefulness of the technical assistance provided to schools by their District Health and Wellness Coordinator. Seventyeight percent of co-leaders indicated they could not have done the work of the Healthy Schools Successful Schools grant without support from the coordinator (twenty percent said they could have done some, but not all the work). Co-leaders agreed their coordinator: Facilitated their school's needs assessment to prioritize health and wellness programming. Provided direct resources as requested to help deliver appropriate health and wellness information. Advocated for school health and wellness to school and district administration and leadership. Linked schools with community resources. School Health Team Co-Leaders expressed why the District Health and Wellness Coordinator position is essential to carrying out the goals and objectives of the Healthy Schools Successful Students grant. Our district coordinators always go above and beyond in my mind. They were always there to respond to any questions right away. They made it to almost all of our meetings as their schedules allowed. Whenever we needed anything they were always there to offer their help and support. I called on them often this year and they were always there for us and cheering us on in our efforts. [They] are priceless! Their constant support, encouragement and by providing resources throughout the process has been amazing. NO way could I have accomplished what I have without them. Healthy Schools Successful Students Evaluation Data Report 9

11 The structure allows us to be focused on our target, helped us to get admin on board and supportive, as well as staff, and has helped fund some of the incentives for our goals. I have learned how to assemble a strong wellness team by giving teachers specific jobs that let them know how important they are to this collaborative effort. I received so much help on how to write effective SHIP's and complete the needs assessments. The "Creating High Functioning Teams" training was huge for me. I really see the need to create a structure that stays in place even though people may come and go. When the structure is in place, there is no chance of having to recreate the wheel. [They] are absolutely amazing! They have insightful, timely information and help support the implementation of Healthy initiatives within our school and district. They are always a phone call/ away and respond promptly. We are extremely fortunate to have them in our district and wouldn't be where we are as a school without their support and guidance. Healthy Schools Successful Students Evaluation Data Report 10

12 Increasing Skills and Knowledge to Support Healthy Schools: District-Level At the district level, District Health and Wellness Coordinators worked with district and school leadership to gain buy-in and support. Common strategies were utilized across districts to advocate for school health and wellness within districts and schools. Information was shared using various channels of communication including newsletters, s, and website pages. In addition, coordinators employed more individual and personalized strategies to increase knowledge and support from district and school leadership. Examples of what coordinators completed include: Six presentations were conducted for school staff and administration on district wellness policy and district wellness efforts in schools. Several coordinators presented to their Board of Education. One-on-one meetings were conducted with Executive Directors (e.g., District Intervention Services Director, Nutrition Services Director, Elementary Director of Education, etc.) Coordinators attended community meetings to raise awareness and make connections. District and school leadership were invited and attended trainings including, The Destination, policy, and other school wellness topics. School and district leadership were invited to participate on wellness committees and actively participated in school and district wellness activities. Superintendents were invited to the Healthy Schools Leadership Retreat. Two attended. Over the past year District Health and Wellness Coordinators ramped up their advocacy efforts to secure positions and funding. As such, there have been many improvements. Data collected through district progress reports and coordinator surveys show some improvement in perceived support from the district for school health and wellness. Districts indicate their district administrators either fully (22%) or partially (67%) support their school health and wellness activities. Similarly, districts rated their school boards support of health and wellness activities as either fully (11%) or partially (78%) in place. One district s Chief Academic Officer and Superintendent are more engaged in the health and wellness work as a result of the coordinators outreach. Another district s Superintendent is supporting the district s participation in a national study, the Healthy Communities Study, which will further elevate health and wellness in the district. In , no districts reported health was equally prioritized as compared with other content areas such as math and reading. One year later in , one district reported their district prioritizes health to a considerable extent and three districts reported limited prioritization of health. Two districts confirmed more time and resources were allocated to develop district and school level wellness policies. The remaining districts reported minimal allocation of time and resources for policy work. Healthy Schools Successful Students Evaluation Data Report 11

13 Districts continue to be challenged in having access and direct lines of communication between the District Health and Wellness Coordinator and other district councils, departments, and committees. One coordinator had no access within the district; and only one-third of coordinators reported considerable to great access within the district to communicate and collaborate with others. As an example of the benefits derived from internal district collaboration, one coordinator started a dialogue with the PBIS Coordinators and the Intervention Services Director. As a result there is alignment between the Healthy Schools Successful Students efforts and district systems of support (e.g., social emotional learning programs.) Districts need more opportunities for coordinators to combine resources and expertise with other district initiatives and programs to create positive internal partnerships that will sustain health and wellness in schools. Healthy Schools Successful Students Evaluation Data Report 12

14 District and School-Level Partnerships Partnerships and collaborations at the local, district, and school level are important since schools belong to a larger community as reflected in the Whole School, Whole Community, Whole Child model. Effective partnerships are mutually beneficial and share expertise, support, and resources to meet shared goals. Districts and schools were asked to identify external partnerships that enhance their school health and wellness program. District and school partnership examples include local businesses, community organizations, organized programs, and local city departments: District-Level Partnership Examples: Boys and Girls Club Brighton Shares Harvest (fresh foods to community) Denver Museum of Nature and Science (family health nights) Denver Urban Gardens Fuel Up to Play 60 Healthy Hearts Club (professional development to teachers on including cardiovascular health in health education) Healthy Kids Club (challenges such as Schools On the Move and BstrongBfit) LiveWell Colorado Behavioral/Mental Health Organizations City Recreation District (after school and physical activity programs) Community Centers (before and after school programming) Local police and fire departments (safety, anti-bullying programs) University partnerships (nutrition education for students, wellness policy evaluation) School-Level Partnership Examples: American Heart Association Boys and Girls Club Farmer s Insurance Go Noodle Healthy Kids Club Kohl s Lowes Nurse Family Partnership Trampoline Springs YMCA Local churches Local hospitals Healthy Schools Successful Students districts have made progress in forming community partnerships fully (54%) or partially (63%). To assess the quality and effectiveness of partnerships, District Health and Wellness Coordinators were asked a series of questions about the purpose, functions, and goals of their most applicable partnership. Figure 1 shows coordinators rated their partnerships successful on some components and lower on others. More than half the districts Healthy Schools Successful Students Evaluation Data Report 13

15 indicated a shared vision and shared goals with the partner. Building on a shared vision, partners are able to learn from each other. In general, partners have a considerable commitment to sustaining school health activities in the districts. The practice least in place was the regular review of the partnership s direction and objectives. District Health and Wellness Coordinators explained the benefits of their partnerships. For example, one coordinator sits on their partner s advisory committee improving coordination and alignment of community/district health initiatives. A successful partnership in another district resulted in a grant submission for Kids Running America to provide 10 schools in the district a high quality after school running program. Feedback to a regional coordinator illustrates the value of the coordinator position from a partnership perspective. The partner believed because of the regional coordinator position, there is follow-through, thoughtful planning, and implementation of activities compared to working with partners with no equivalent coordinator position. Figure 1. Extent District-Level Partnership Characteristics are in Place (N=6) No extent to great extent (0-4) School Health Team Co-Leaders were asked similar questions about external partnerships that support school level work. While not all schools have developed external partnerships, for those that have co-leaders indicated moderately effective partnerships. Co-leaders regarded a common vision and goal with their partners as strong and a shared commitment to sustaining school health activities. A little over half of the respondents said partner representatives take ownership and responsibility to reach shared objectives. Figure 2 shows more details related to school-level partnerships and their effectiveness. Figure 2. Extent School-Level Partnership Characteristics are in Place (N=99) Share common vision/ goal Clearly defined objectives No extent to great extent (0-4) Partners take ownership 3.0 Learn from each other 1.8 Review objectives Share common vision/ goal Clearly defined objectives Partners take ownership Learn from each other Review objectives Align resources Committed to school health Align resources Committed to school health Healthy Schools Successful Students Evaluation Data Report 14

16 District Infrastructure District Health Advisory Committee A District Health Advisory Committee is required for each district under Healthy Schools Successful Students. The District Health Advisory Committee ideally consists of individuals representing segments of the community, district, and school levels and components of the Whole Student, Whole Community, Whole Child model. The purpose of the District Health Advisory Committee is to serve at the district-level, and provide guidance on district health and wellness programming and its impact on student learning. All six districts/region have a District Health Advisory Committee in place. Since District Health and Wellness Coordinators either lead or co-facilitate their District Health Advisory Committee, they were asked to assess their District Health Advisory Committee on several criteria. All Healthy Schools Successful Students districts report having District Health Advisory Committees that meet regularly, with an average of 7.75 meetings over the school year, compared with an average of 4.9 meetings in the previous school year. Half of the District Health and Wellness Coordinators perceived their District Health Advisory Committee fully understands the health and wellness needs of the district. The majority of coordinators feel District Health Advisory Committees are not widely recognized as valuable among district and school administration. Figure 3 shows more details of how coordinators rated their District Health Advisory Committee on key criteria. Figure 3. District Health Advisory Committee District Health and Wellness Coordinator Ratings (N=6) Meets regularly No extent to great extent (0-5) 2.5 Understands district needs During the school year, District Health and Wellness Coordinators focused their District Health Advisory Committee efforts on improving committee processes and functions to better implement health and wellness goals and objectives in the next year. The impact of this effort is evident in the responses from the District Health Advisory Committee Member survey. 2.3 Achieves yearly objectives 1.5 Administration recognizes value 2.5 Members are committed Healthy Schools Successful Students Evaluation Data Report 15

17 Across the six districts/regions, 76 District Health Advisory Committee members completed the survey. District Health Advisory Committee members represent a variety of roles at the school level such as parents, teachers, principals, school nurses, and school counselors; district level such as School Board member, Superintendent, Nutrition Services Director, and Medicaid Coordinator; and community organizations such as hospitals, media, mental health, health department, local business, and city government. District Health Advisory Committee members identified advocacy as their primary purpose. This includes the promotion of school health within the district and community, resource allocation, and to provide links to opportunities to support school health and engage partners. Another high priority for committee members is the district wellness policy including policy reviews, updates, recommendations, and monitoring and evaluation. Figure 4 shows the extent key structures are in place. Figure 4. District Health Advisory Committee Member Ratings (N=76) Yes, in place Partially/Maybe No District Health Advisory Committee members were asked to reflect on the internal and external value of the committee. Figure 5 shows there is less perceived support from the School Board, but members think the district recognizes the value of their work. Members have a solid understanding of the Whole School, Whole Community, Whole Child model. Many District Health Advisory Committee members commented they felt their committee was in a transition phase and focused the past year mainly on developing new mission/vision statements and moving into more action oriented work. District Health Advisory Committee accomplishments include: Gaining more comprehensive understanding of whole child and how the committee s work aligns with district initiatives Through collaboration with other departments, wellness has begun to expand beyond nutrition and physical activity to include the whole child concepts Clearly defined results and outcomes for action plan Better communication about what is happening in the district Schools had major impact on staff and students following committee recommendations Implementing a smart snack program Improved, more clear wellness policies Community wellness event/district wellness fair Increased availability for services such as mobile clinics and totes for help Healthy Schools Successful Students Evaluation Data Report 16

18 Figure 5. District Health Advisory Committee Value (N=76) No extent to great extent (0-4) DHAC (District Health Advisory Committee) WSCC (Whole School, Whole Community, Whole Child model) In Figure 6, District Health Advisory Committee members rated personal understanding of their role on the committee, knowledge to do their job, and knowledge of their district s wellness policy reasonably high. Members perception of the committee s influence on decision-making in the district and their impact on the health of students are rated lower. Figure 6. District Health Advisory Committee Member Personal Role (N=76) No extent to great extent (0-4) Healthy Schools Successful Students Evaluation Data Report 17

19 Other Accountability Structures Colorado schools and districts engage in a continuous improvement process and are required to create an annual Unified Improvement Plan. Healthy Schools Successful Students supports the inclusion of health and wellness goals in this plan to support schools and districts in health and wellness efforts. However, the majority of Healthy Schools Successful Students districts have not yet included health and wellness in their plans. One district includes a social emotional goal in the plan and their School Board prioritized the inclusion of the whole child in planning programs. The integration of health and wellness into the Unified Improvement Plan continues to be a priority for District Health and Wellness Coordinators as they advocate to administrators to include health and wellness in some context. This is a challenge cited by all coordinators since district administration and School Boards prioritize academic achievement and sometimes dismiss the significant role health and wellness has on academic performance. At the school level, a few District Health and Wellness Coordinators reported health and wellness integration into school improvement planning. In addition, districts are encouraging all schools to begin these discussions as they develop their school s improvement plans. In one district the School Parent-Teacher Organizations and accountability teams are increasingly supportive of health and wellness and its integration into improvement planning, accountability structures and processes as members realize the benefits. Districts may lack specific health and wellness goals in their Unified Improvement Plans, but many other accountability structures are in place to support health and wellness programs at the district level. One half of the districts have a system in place to track and assure schools share their School Health Improvement Plans with the school s accountability committee. One district requires school health teams. Two districts require schools to have annual health and wellness goals/plans. All districts publicize school wellness successes at the district and community levels. Three districts use data to a considerable to great extent for decision-making and improvement planning. Though districts do not mandate health data collection, all districts collect selected data. o All schools collect climate surveys, breakfast participation rates, student attendance, and safety and discipline data. o Five of the districts participate in the Healthy Kids Colorado Survey. o Five of the districts collect student perception data. o Two districts collect evaluation/implementation data related to their wellness policy. Healthy Schools Successful Students Evaluation Data Report 18

20 Quality School Health and Wellness Programming School Health Teams Healthy Schools Successful Students schools establish a school health team to implement quality programs at the school level. Team members are responsible for: Conducting a needs assessment of school health needs, Developing and implementing a School Health Improvement Plan, Attending regular team meetings, and Advocating for health and wellness in their school. On average, school health team members commit to this role for two years, some as long as seven years. School health teams are functioning effectively along several aspects. School health teams were most effective in connecting school health activities with the school s wellness policy, using best practices, and reaching agreed upon objectives. Figure 7 shows the strengths of school health teams and areas for improvement. Figure 7. School Health Teams (N=99) Health team is standard team Maintains membership Achieves objectives Use best practices Connect to wellness policy Recognized as valuable No extent to great extent (0-4) School health teams continue to strive for recognition of their importance and relative influence. School Health Team Co-Leaders described their team s value and cited important shifts in the environment and culture of their schools. Examples include: Daily movement breaks and brain breaks are being implemented. Healthy rewards and celebrations are being used. Student behavior has improved. Staff and students are engaged in activities offered at school. Students are making healthier choices around meal and snack choices. Students and staff are more aware of the benefits of physical activity. Healthy Schools Successful Students Evaluation Data Report 19

21 The following quotes illustrate how schools are integrating health and wellness to change their school environment: Teachers who have implemented movement breaks have noticed marked improvement in their students. Students are more engaged in movement and learning. Students have increased their critical thinking skills around food choices. We have implemented programs to increase physical activity and have a full participant load in each activity (e.g., intramural spots, Fitbit challenges). Over 75% of teachers do Go-Noodle. Club participation has doubled. Teachers are thinking about ways to mix health, wellness, and physical activity into their classes. We have had great growth in the amount of staff that are now taking care of their own health and wellness. Students have become more aware of activity and how it affects them. More staff is on board for pushing healthy party options and activity throughout the day. There is an expectation that we will host Family Fitness Nights, tie physical activity to music programs, present regularly at staff meetings, etc. School Health Improvement Plans School health teams are expected to conduct a health assessment of their school as needed. With these results the school health team prioritizes policies and practices to focus and develop a School Health Improvement Plan. Over the course of the past year schools completed an assessment of their overall school health policies and practices and then prioritized the areas where they would focus their attention. Each school then developed a School Health Improvement Plan with at least one and often two objectives. As shown in Table 2, most schools focused their efforts on activities related to PE/PA. Other priority areas included nutrition improvements and staff wellness. TABLE 2: School Health Improvement Plans (Targets by Funder) N=511 Total Number of SHIPs Nutrition PE/PA Staff Wellness Other School Year All Schools % 41% 25% 11% CDE Schools 54 28% 33% 19% 20% RMC Health Schools % 39% 31% 12% RMC Health Year 1 Schools % 44% 23% 9% School Year All Schools % 43% 24% 11% CDE Schools 38 47% 32% 0 21% RMC Health Schools % 45% 29% 9% Healthy Schools Successful Students Evaluation Data Report 20

22 In both school years, nearly half of the School Health Improvement Plans related to PE/PA (44% in and 45% in ). In , schools preferentially selected to place more emphasis on developing school improvements related to staff wellness. In , 23 percent of schools had staff wellness goals while in , this percentage increased to 29 percent. While a quarter of schools (24%) focused on nutrition in , only 17 percent selected this area for their School Health Improvement Plan targets in (See Figure 8.) Figure 8: School Health Improvement Plan (Targets by School Year) Nutrition PE/PA Staff Wellness Percent indicating each category as a priority in School Health Improvement Plans. All schools were asked to indicate the number of participants their School Health Improvement Plan strategies would impact with separate counts for families, staff and students. During the school year, schools estimated their School Health Improvement Plans would reach 19,519 participants, most of who were students. Participation totals for the school year are also shown in Table 3. The numbers of families, staff and students impacted by Healthy Schools Successful Students programming in this year can be seen to be larger because there were a larger number of schools involved in the Healthy Schools Successful Students Initiative at this time. When the participation totals for both school years are added, the overall reach of Healthy Schools Successful Students entails over 80,000 participants, of whom 76,000 have been students. Healthy Schools Successful Students Evaluation Data Report 21

23 TABLE 3: Total Number of Participants by School Year N=511 Total Schools Number of Participants Number of Families Number of Staff Number of Students School Year All Schools ,696 5,836 5,029 55,836 CDE Schools 20 4, ,259 RMC Health Schools RMC Health Year 1 Schools 46 8, ,110 7, ,471 3,393 45,160 School Year All Schools 99 * 22,306 1,861 1,885 20,294 CDE Schools 20 2, ,430 RMC Health 79 19,519 1,563 1,716 17,864 Schools *Total represents the number of schools that completed this indicator Schools who implemented a School Health Improvement Plan during the school year were asked questions on the quality and effectiveness of their plan. Figure 9 shows the majority of School Health Improvement Plans were of high quality and based on best practices according to School Health Team Co-Leaders. Figure 9. School Health Improvement Plans (N=75) Based on data, needs, and input 3.1 Reflects best practices 3.2 Includes plans for sustainability Maximizes reach Measurable impacts No extent to great extent (0-4) Healthy Schools Successful Students Evaluation Data Report 22

24 School Health Team Co-Leaders documented a variety of changes as a result of their School Health Improvement Plan, as detailed below: Increased student assessment scores after implementing healthy snacks policy Increased number of students and staff participating in health and wellness activities More consumption of water and less consumption of sugary drinks by students Increased physical activity during recess Increased physical activity before school Students exercising more throughout the day School-wide brain breaks Increased awareness of community resources by staff and school health team Bridging what students are learning at school and how to be healthy at home Improved decision making among students about healthy food choices Reduced referrals during recess Increased breakfast participation Healthy Schools Successful Students Evaluation Data Report 23

25 Wellness Policy Comprehensiveness and Strength Wellness Policy at the District-Level A good wellness policy starts with a written policy, includes strong language and is comprehensive in scope and content. Comprehensiveness reflects the proportion of topics mentioned in the policy. Strength refers to the language of the policy including the following criteria: 1) does the policy describe the topic using specific language (e.g., a concept followed by concrete plans or strategies for implementation) and 2) does the policy use strong language to indicate action or regulation is required. The assessed components of the district wellness policy include: Nutrition Education Goals (e.g., nutrition curriculum based on health education standards, nutrition integrated in other subjects, school gardens, nutrition training for teachers and staff) Nutrition Standards for USDA Child Nutrition Programs and School Meals (e.g., meets federal requirements and dietary guidelines, nutrition information posted, school breakfast program) Nutrition Standards for Competitive and Other Foods and Beverages (e.g., vending, school stores, a la carte, classroom parties, food as rewards, fundraisers) Physical Activity Goals (e.g., opportunities for physical activity before, during, and after the school day, prohibit withholding physical activity as punishment, recess requirements) Physical Education Goals (e.g., PE curriculum based on PE standards, minute requirements, time devoted to moderate to vigorous activity, PE endorsement) Policy Communication and Promotion Goals (e.g., plans to communicate policy, plans to train on policy, plans to distribute policy) Policy Evaluation Goals (e.g., plans for evaluation of policy, plans for reporting compliance/implementation, plan for review/revisions to policy) Figure 10 shows, similar to last year s data, District Health and Wellness Coordinators regarded the nutrition standards for school meals and USDA Child Nutrition Programs as the most comprehensive component of the wellness policy, followed by nutrition standards for competitive foods and then physical activity goals. Overall perceived strength of the wellness policy components was slightly less across components comparing with This can most likely be attributed to the fact that schools that received only one year funding had more mature school health programs. Healthy Schools Successful Students Evaluation Data Report 24

26 Figure 10. District Wellness Policy (N=6) Comprehensiveness Strength 5-point scale for strength, 5-point scale for comprehensiveness Wellness Policy at the School-Level The district establishes wellness policies, but policies need to be implemented at the school level for them to be impactful. Certain components of the wellness policy are better implemented at the school level than other components. Nutrition standards for USDA Child Nutrition Programs, school meals and physical education goals are implemented to a considerable to great extent across the majority of schools. Nutrition education goals are implemented the least followed by wellness policy communication and evaluation. Most schools do not have a specific nutrition curriculum in place or someone qualified to teach nutrition lessons; still some schools incorporate nutrition lessons in the classroom or in physical education classes. School Health Team Co-Leaders cited a lack of policy communication with staff as a barrier to implementation. Teachers and school staff need to be trained on the district s wellness policy. For example, expectations need to be clear relative to the school staff responsibility for implementing components of the wellness policy. In some cases, they also need to be trained on specific strategies for implementation. Many schools do not know how or why they should evaluate their wellness policy. Figure 11 shows the implementation of wellness policy at the school level. Healthy Schools Successful Students Evaluation Data Report 25

27 Figure 11. Wellness Policy Implementation at Schools (N=99) No implementation to great implementation (0-5) NOTE: Implementation of specific nutrition, physical education and physical activity policies and practices are described in the section: Wellness Policy Practices. Healthy Schools Successful Students Evaluation Data Report 26

28 Wellness Policy Structures and Processes A strong written wellness policy is imperative, but if it is not actively supported and implemented it becomes ineffective in impacting health and wellness at the school and district level. District Health and Wellness Coordinators and School Health Team Co-Leaders were asked to what extent processes and structures were in place at the school and district level to support the wellness policy. They were then asked to rate the importance of these structures and processes to implementing the wellness policy. These included: Wellness policy committee Wellness policy updated, improved, and/or expanded regularly Administrative procedures developed to put policy into effect Trained school staff for implementation of the policy Dedicated person(s) to assure all schools implement policy District Health and Wellness Coordinators considered a wellness policy committee and updating policies as the most important structure and process to complete policy work. At the district level, all but two districts had a wellness policy committee in place. Most districts update, improve, or expand their policy regularly (one district does this to a limited extent). However, all districts lack strong administrative procedures outlining how to put the wellness policy into effect and minimal training is made available to staff on how to successfully implement the policy. A strong policy will lack meaning and impact without these structures and processes to ensure implementation. Similarly, School Health Team Co-Leaders rated a wellness policy committee and updating policies as very important to implementing district wellness policy, as well as having a designated person to assure implementation. However the extent these processes and structures are in place vary. Sixtyfive percent of schools have a strong wellness committee in place but only about half the schools update their policy on a regular basis. Slightly more than half of schools have a designated person in place to oversee policy implementation. Administrative procedures and training for staff are the least common practices in place across schools. Healthy Schools Successful Students Evaluation Data Report 27

29 Wellness Policy Practices Overview of the Healthy Schools Successful Students Database For the school year Healthy Schools Successful Students districts and schools uploaded information regarding their health and wellness policies and practices into an online database divided into two sections tracking both district and school level progress. Most of the database indicators were derived from the Healthy School Champions Score Card, an online reporting tool that has enabled schools across Colorado to define the parameters of a healthy school environment. At the district level, information is presented on wellness policies and nutrition policies/practices, as well as on any additional sources of funding that support health and wellness activities. At the school level, results are provided on the infrastructure, as well as policies and practices related to nutrition and physical education and physical activity. Details are also offered on the schools health improvement plans and the number of participants impacted by their health and wellness programs. District Progress on Wellness Policies All districts across the United States participating in the Federal School Lunch Program are required to establish school wellness policies to promote student wellness. In 2010, the Healthy Hunger-Free Kids Act expanded the stakeholders who should be involved in the development, implementation and review of these policies to include parents and community members. The Healthy Schools Successful Students database indicators build on these requirements while also addressing the level of administration and school board support for wellness policies and related health and wellness activities. To assess district progress over time, a score was created to represent the total value that would be achieved if all districts responded that their policies and practices were fully in place across all indicators. The proportion of district responses for fully or partially in place was then compared against this full progress score. It should be noted that whereas 13 Healthy Schools Successful Students districts participated in the Healthy Schools Successful Students Initiative in , only eight were funded in the current school year ( ). For comparison purposes, the data presented in this report include information only for these eight districts. When viewed over time, Healthy Schools Successful Students districts report progress across all areas with the exception of including health goals in the Unified Improvement Plan. The strongest areas of progress relate to the development of community partnerships (25% gain) and in gaining school board support (18% gain). Administrative support, being relatively strong in , also improved by nine percent. As noted earlier, districts show the least progress relative to including health and wellness goals in their Unified Improvement Plans, which dropped by 11 percent. (See Appendix B for all data related to these charts and figures.) Healthy Schools Successful Students Evaluation Data Report 28

30 Figure 12. District Progress in Wellness Policies and Practices by School Year. (N=8) 80% 70% 60% 50% 40% 30% 20% 10% 0% 63% 54% 56% Administration Support School Board Support 63% 38% 38% Community Partnerships % 6% Health Goals in the UIP Progress of Districts towards All Indicators being Fully in Place UIP (Unified Improvement Plan) District Progress on Nutrition Policies and Practices Among all nutrition policies and practices, Healthy Schools Successful Students districts have made the most progress in aligning their purchasing, preparation and meal serving practices with state and national standards, with 67 percent indicating these practices fully in place and 22 percent reporting partial implementation. Districts are also making progress related to their competitive food practices (fully in place: 56%, partially in place: 33%). Among the nutrition practices, districts show more progress can be made in the use of locally grown food, scratch cooking, and parent education. Figure 13. District Progress in Nutrition Policies and Practices (N=8) 100% 90% 80% 70% 60% 50% 40% 30% 20% 10% 0% 67% 22% Alignment with Nutrition Standards 56% 33% Competitive Food Services Use of Locally Grown Foods 78% 78% 78% 11% Scratch Cooking Parent Education Fully in Place Partially in Place Healthy Schools Successful Students Evaluation Data Report 29

31 As with the wellness policy indicators, district progress over time was tracked in terms of the overall district progress in achieving full implementation for each of the indicators. 1 When district progress is viewed by school year, Healthy Schools Successful Students districts show progress across all of the nutrition indicators, with the greatest progress relative to their alignment with state and national nutrition standards (25% gain) particularly related to competitive food standards (31% gain). Improvements are also seen relative to the use of locally grown food (23% gain) as well as in the use of scratch cooking (15% gain) and parent education (18% gain). Figure 14. District Progress in Nutrition Policies and Practices by School Year (N=8) 100% 90% 80% 70% 60% 50% 40% 30% 20% 10% 0% 88% 63% Alignment with Nutrition Standards 81% 50% Competitive Food Standards 21% Use of Locally Grown Food 44% 44% 29% 56% 38% Scratch Cooking Parent Education Progress of districts towards All Indicators being Fully in Place District Progress in Obtaining Additional Funding Districts recognize that to sustain healthy school programming they need to diversify funding sources and secure the support of an array of stakeholders. As shown in Table 4, Healthy Schools Successful Students districts have been successful in obtaining a substantial number of additional grant funding awards totaling over $1 million, with an average award of $55,215. While the average funding award in was lower than in the previous school year, the number of awards was 56 percent greater. Table 4: Profile of Levels of Funding Secured by Healthy Schools Successful Students Districts District Name Funding (All Awards) # of Awards Average Award $1,371, $85, $1,214, $55,215 Funding information for Adams 12 Five Star Schools is missing for Full progress represents the total score that would be achieved if all districts responded that their policies and practices were fully in place across all indicators. Healthy Schools Successful Students Evaluation Data Report 30

32 School Progress on Whole School, Whole Community, Whole Child Activities As displayed in Figure 15, Healthy Schools Successful Students schools have made strong progress in securing principal support (76% fully in place) and garnering staff input regarding their health and wellness activities (49% fully in place). Partial progress is also being made in forming broadly representative teams, partnering with families, and engaging students. Areas where additional progress could be made include: communicating the impacts of their health and wellness policies at least annually to students, families and school staff, garnering community partnerships, and including health goals in the schools Unified Improvement Plans. Figure 15. School Progress in Implementing Whole School, Whole Community, Whole Child Activities (N=101) 80% 70% 60% 50% 40% 30% 20% 10% 0% 24% 63% 76% 21% 45% 19% 18% 52% 49% 37% 39% 25% 42% 37% 28% 26% Fully in Place Partially in Place Similar to the Healthy Schools Successful Students districts, the progress of participating Healthy Schools Successful Students schools was tracked in terms of their overall progress in achieving full implementation for each of the indicators. 2 When progress is viewed by school year, Healthy Schools Successful Students schools show progress across all of the wellness policy indicators, with the exception of the inclusion of health goals in the schools Unified Improvement Plans. The areas of greatest progress include communicating health and wellness policy impacts (14% gain), incorporating student input (13% gain) and securing community partnerships (12% gain.) Improvements are also seen for the categories of principal support (10% gain) and family input (9% gain.) 2 Full progress represents the total score that would be achieved if all districts responded that their policies and practices were fully in place across all indicators. Healthy Schools Successful Students Evaluation Data Report 31

33 Figure 16. School Progress in Implementing Whole School, Whole, Community, Whole Child Activities 100% 80% 60% 40% 20% 0% 62% 57% 88% 79% 42% 45% 44% 36% 30% 32% 69% 61% 47% 47% 42% Progress of districts towards All Indicators being Fully in Place School Progress on Nutrition Policies and Practices Schools report partial progress related to nutrition policies and practices. With the exception of promoting participation in the school breakfast program, at least half (between 42%-61%) report at least partial progress in implementing the nutrition policy areas shown in Figure 17 while a third (between 23%-50%) have fully implemented these nutrition recommendations. Figure 17. School Progress in Nutrition Policies and Practices (N=101) 70% 60% 50% 40% 30% 20% 10% 0% 31% 42% Implementing Nutrition Standards 23% 60% Celebrations with Non-food Options 31% 53% Non-food Fundraisers 35% 61% Classrooms Nonfood Rewards 50% 19% School Breakfast Participation Fully in Place Partially in Place Healthy Schools Successful Students Evaluation Data Report 32

34 Between and , Healthy Schools Successful Students schools made progress with respect to Nutrition Policies and Practices, with the exception of a modest change relative to the promotion of the school breakfast programs. Areas where the greatest progress has been made include the institution of policies related to nonfood fundraisers (17% gain), nonfood celebrations (11% gain) and the promotion of nonfood rewards in classrooms (10% gain). Schools have also made gains in instituting nutrition standards (5% gain). Figure 18. School Progress in Nutrition Policies and Practices by School Year 80% 70% 60% 50% 40% 53% 48% 56% 60% 44% 43% 69% 59% 62% 60% 30% 20% 10% 0% Implementing Nutrition Standards Celebrations with Non-food Options Non-food Fundraisers Classrooms Nonfood Rewards School Breakfast Participation Progress of Districts towards All Indicators being Fully in Place School Level Progress on Physical Education/Physical Activity Policies and Practices Healthy Schools Successful Students schools have made substantial progress in implementing recommended policies and practices related to physical education and physical activity (PE/PA). Almost all (between 83%-94%) report fully implementing the Colorado Department of Education physical education standards, having physical educators who have a PE endorsement, offering professional development for the PE teachers and assuring that students are moderately to vigorously active (MVA) at least 50 percent of the time during physical education classes. In addition, three quarters (between 68%-71%) of schools offer PE/PA programming tailored to disabled students and maintain daily physical activity programming outside of physical education classes. Nearly three out of every four schools (70%) offer physical activity opportunities before and after school. More than half (or 57%) fully incorporate brain-based learning strategies in their classrooms. Healthy Schools Successful Students Evaluation Data Report 33

35 Figure 19: School Progress in PE/PA Policies and Practices (N=101) 100% 80% 60% 40% 20% 0% 85% 94% 85% 83% 71% 67% 68% 70% 57% 35% 25% 23% 11% 2% 7% 13% 16% 18% Fully in Place Partially in Place Comparisons in PE/PA policies and practices between the school year and show particular improvements related to physical activity efforts, particularly in the promotion of daily physical activity opportunities, enabling daily physical activity for students with disabilities, developing before and after school physical activity programming and incorporating brain-based learning practices in the classroom. Because implementation of PE/PA policies and practices was universally high in , schools had less need for improvement in and continued their strong levels of best practice implementation in this past school year. Figure 20: School Progress in PE/PA Policies and Practices by School Year 100% 80% 60% 40% 20% 0% 92% 97% 91% 95% 92% 90% 91% 81% 81% 90% 76% 81% 81% 71% 71% 70% 76% 56% Progress of Schools towards All Indicators being Fully in Place Healthy Schools Successful Students schools also reported on their progress regarding grade specific PE/PA policies. Among all policies, more than half of high schools (65%) report they require physical education credits for graduation. A third of all elementary schools (34%) indicate they schedule recess before lunch while most (or 83%) also report they have partially implemented policies that prohibit withholding recess for either disciplinary or testing reasons. Additional progress could be made related to the amount of PE/PA activity offered across all school categories. Healthy Schools Successful Students Evaluation Data Report 34

36 Figure 21: School Progress in PE/PA Grade Specific Policies and Practices (N=101) 100% 80% 60% 40% 20% 0% 83% 39% 31% 30% 20% 18% Prohibit Withholding Recess ELEM: 150 PE min/wk ELEM: 600 PA min/ month 50% 34% 25% 26% 24% 41% ELEM: MID/HS: 225 HS: Avoid PE Recess Before Lunch PE min/wk Waivers 65% 0% HS: 2 PE Semesters for Grad Fully in Place Partially in Place Figure 22 profiles the progress of Healthy Schools Successful Students schools over time in implementing grade-specific physical education and physical activity policies and practices. Middle and high schools have made progress in instituting 225 total minutes o f physical education weekly throughout the school year (67% gain). Similarly, a high proportion of elementary schools report offering an average of 150 minutes of physical education weekly for all full-day students (26% gain). More high schools can be seen to have graduation requirements that include a minimum of two semesters of physical education (29% gain). By contrast, fewer schools show full progress in prohibiting recess from being withheld for disciplinary reasons and in scheduling recess before lunch. The proportion of high schools that avoid waivers for physical education also dropped from the to the school years. Figure 22: School Progress in PE/PA Grade Specific Policies and Practices by School Year 70% 60% 50% 40% 30% 20% 10% 0% 65% 44% Prohibit Withholding Recess 34% 27% ELEM: 150 PE min/wk 54% 52% ELEM: 600 PA min/ month 63% 46% 63% 38% 58% 44% ELEM: MID/HS: 225 HS: Avoid PE Recess Before Lunch PE min/wk Waivers % 50% HS: 2 PE Semesters for Grad Progress of Schools towards All Indicators being Fully in Place Healthy Schools Successful Students Evaluation Data Report 35

37 School Level Progress Related to Health Services Policies and Practices CDC s Healthy People 2010 document recommends all schools have a ratio of at least one registered nurse for every 750 students. As displayed in Figure 23, nearly half (or 48%) of schools can report this standard is in place. Moreover, 38 percent of schools report they have students with healthcare plans addressing obesity and obesity related conditions such as depression, orthopedic needs and/or Type 2 diabetes. Only seven percent (or 15) schools report collecting height and weight data from students, information that would enable them to calculate a body mass index. As part of Healthy Schools Successful Students, school nurse personnel were able to access a Colorado Department of Education Regional Nurse Specialist Program entitled "Healthy Learning," which provides a targeted obesity intervention for students. Of 101 schools, eight schools reported their staff had participated in this training. An additional 38 schools indicated they would be interested in learning more about this training. Comparing the progress made between and , substantial improvement has been made in schools improving the ratio of having at least one registered school nurse for every 750 students from 12 percent to 48 percent. The proportion of students reporting having a healthcare plan that addresses obesity and obesity related conditions have remained essentially the same. Substantially fewer schools report they collected height and weight data for their students in the school year. Figure 23: School Progress in Implementing Health Services Policies and Practices (N=101) 60% 48% 50% 39% 38% 40% 29% 30% 20% 10% 0% 12% One RN per 750 Students Students with Healthcare Plans Collected Height/Weight Data 7% Healthy Schools Successful Students Evaluation Data Report 36

38 Health Education, Nutrition, and Physical Education Cadre Trainings Building the capacity of those that work in schools to improve healthy learning environments for students is a cornerstone of Healthy Schools Successful Students. The cadre of trainers provided professional development on best practice guidelines for health education, nutrition, and physical education. To understand the extent implementation has taken place after the trainings, an implementation survey was sent to all training participants one month after the training to assess what skills, knowledge, and best practices were put into action. The following information shows the extent participants incorporated what they learned into their work. The trainings evaluated for implementation in include: Highly Effective Teaching in Physical Education (Nine trainings/122 survey responses) Implementing Healthy Celebrations, Rewards, and Fundraisers (Four trainings/77 survey responses) Integrating Physical Activity in Schools (Seven trainings/110 survey responses) Road to Mastery: Assessment Strategies in Health Education (Six trainings/58 survey responses) Teaching with the Brain in Mind (Seven trainings/261 survey responses) Highly Effective Teaching in Physical Education Most respondents reflected on their teaching practices and improved their programs after attending the training. As shown in Figure 24, responses indicated students have benefitted from what training participants learned and then implemented in class. The majority of respondents incorporated quality standards into their physical education and health instruction to a high extent. Examples of specific strategies and skills implemented in the classroom include: Increased emphasis on skill acquisition Integration of fitness and technology in physical education Including math and language arts skills Changing units from more fitness focused to include students learning and standards Utilizing more management and transition techniques Respondents feel supported by their school to implement what they learned and said the goals of the training align with the goals of their school. Respondents shared what they learned with colleagues to a moderate extent but less with their school administration. The top challenges to implementation were scheduling time and lack of resources. Healthy Schools Successful Students Evaluation Data Report 37

39 Figure 24. Extent of Implementation of Highly Effective Teaching in Physical Education (N=122) point scale The following comments from participants exemplify the impact of the training on classroom instruction: I have already used some of the techniques in my classes and have seen an increase in student performance and enjoyment of physical education. I feel my lower achievers have benefited the most as this really gets them to know what the objectives are and meet them in the class period. Empowers me to know I can take PE to another level. The math teachers were really excited about applying [math concepts] in PE. Integrating Physical Activity in Schools As shown in Figure 25, the most common strategy implemented by training participants was physical activity breaks in the classroom. Respondents also implemented a physical activity action plan following the training and to a lesser extent used a variety of strategies from the training in their classroom. Some examples of classroom implementation include: Teachers advocated for physical activity breaks during the class and shared this information with school staff at faculty meetings and wellness team meetings. Teachers shared strategies learned from the training with other teachers and now those teachers are also advocating for physical activity breaks. One teacher made FitSticks for other classroom teachers. Respondents perceived moderate improvements to their program and teaching as a result of the training. There was modest perceived benefit to students. Teachers work in schools with high support for new ideas and implementation. Time to implement new strategies and ideas is the top challenge across attendees. Healthy Schools Successful Students Evaluation Data Report 38

40 Figure 25. Extent of Implementation of Integrating Physical Activity in Schools (N=110) point scale Many teachers used recommended resources such as GoNoodle, QR codes, and FitSticks for physical activity in the classroom. The effects of implementing new strategies energized training participants. I have collaborated with fourth grade teachers and our PE teacher to integrate mathematics with physical education on a weekly basis. Students are practicing basic skills with multiplications, estimation, and fractions and incorporating them in games they have learned in PE. I have taught our classroom teachers about brain breaks and making classrooms more active, as well as the importance of recess for our students. The validation and confidence the course offered gives renewed passion to share with the students I serve, and their peers (as well as with staff). The students respond very well. After participating in the training, I met with our wellness team and taught some of the activities they can do in their classes. Many teachers look for ways to get kids up and moving and are very receptive. Every classroom in our building is now doing a 5-minute activity break twice a day. I m hoping to increase that after break. Healthy Schools Successful Students Evaluation Data Report 39

41 Teaching with the Brain in Mind The greatest result of the training was an increased awareness of brain functions. Subsequently, individuals said they used mindfulness, gender, mindset, or movement in their classroom planning, instruction, or leadership roles. Respondents rated their schools support high as well as leadership s openness to new ideas. My superintendent has encouraged me to share my knowledge gained with other staff/colleagues and present a short overview at the next staff meeting. Our current administrator shares a desire to implement and learn more about teaching with the brain in mind. Our district has implemented mandatory movement breaks as part of the Expectations of Teachers manual given at the beginning of the year. Figure 26. Extent of Implementation of Brain Based Strategies (N=261) point scale Skills and knowledge learned as a result of the training were shared readily, although more with colleagues than administrators. Teachers report becoming more aware and deliberate in their instruction and lessons to incorporate more movement and brain breaks. Many commented their perspectives have changed about students having the wiggles and as a result are using many of the strategies from the training to refocus students. Other comments from individuals highlight the depth of knowledge, skills, and excitement absorbed from the training: Healthy Schools Successful Students Evaluation Data Report 40

42 My students have more energy and are able to sustain their attention for longer periods of time and with breaks in between sessions, this helps to engage students in learning. There is so much to learn about the brain and it was helpful to see how someone else organizes the information. This has helped me to break the information out for teachers better and how to incorporate movement strategies in the process. The teachers who attended this training from my school have all implemented at least some of the information. One teacher has done 100% with great results! My students are loving the brain breaks and lead them even if I m not there yet! I have learned that students moving during my class is okay since it turns on their brains. This has had a huge impact on my class. Road to Mastery: Assessment Strategies in Health Education Training attendees implemented the key concepts and strategies from the training to a moderate extent. These included using different assessments during the introduction, reinforcement, and mastery of health skills, and developing and using assessment to measure student performance and growth. Many individuals implemented assessments and rubrics designed during the training. As a result there was a perceived benefit for students. Students have benefitted from me attending this workshop. I acquired new knowledge on how to develop authentic assessment. I have seen the outcome of students work improve due to the use of materials from the training. I put together an ATOD based prevention lesson with different assessments based on grade levels and standards. It was well received! I incorporated inquiry questions in the standards per grade level into elements of the assessment. As a result of the training I teach to a higher order of thinking and assessment. It opened a broader idea of assessment. I am excited to try some new things. I look forward to using the assessment as I think it will be a big success. Healthy Schools Successful Students Evaluation Data Report 41

43 Figure 27. Extent of Implementation of Assessment in Health Education (N=58) Implementing Healthy Celebrations, Rewards, and Fundraisers The strategies of the training were implemented a considerable extent by participants. Many commented on their excitement about sharing ideas and strategies with members of their wellness team and other school staff. Participants agreed they had strong support from school administration and leadership for new ideas to implement healthy celebrations, rewards, and fundraisers. Participants reported they have met or plan to meet with school staff, administration, members of the wellness team, PTA and District Health Advisory Committee. The greatest challenge to implementing healthy celebrations, rewards, and fundraisers was a lack of support for such policies from staff and parents. Implemented strategies include: Fun Runs for school fundraisers. Healthy birthday parties: announcing birthday over PA system, birthday treasure box, and approved healthy celebration ideas in student/parent handbook. Healthy reward ideas disseminated to staff. Engaged students for ideas for alternatives to food rewards and celebrations, they identified extra recess, fruits and vegetables, games, pencils, and balloons, streamers and confetti for celebrations. Raised money where students bought time with their teacher. Healthy Schools Successful Students Evaluation Data Report 42

44 Figure 28. Extent of Implementation of Healthy Celebrations, Rewards, and Fundraisers Activities (N=77) Shared evidence with co-workers Shared evidence with administrators Delivered pitch 2.2 Engaged others in planning 5-point scale Healthy Schools Successful Students Evaluation Data Report 43

45 Healthy Schools Successful Students Outcomes Rubric The Healthy Schools Successful Students Success Outcome Rubric (see Appendix A) describes general criteria to determine a level of success for districts and schools. This rubric is based on the Colorado Health Foundation s Success Outcome Rubric template. Criteria were determined on past evaluation data, program staff expertise, and the program logic model and ecological theory of change. The theory of change will operate as expected when the activities are implemented at an expected level. When districts and schools reach highly successful levels on the criteria outlined in the Success Outcome Rubric, enhanced health outcomes for schools and students are expected to be realized. Data from the District Health and Wellness Coordinator and School Health Team Co-Leader surveys were scored in relation to survey indicators defined by the Success Outcome Rubric. Because these criteria are complex and can vary due to differing school and district contexts, data from mid-year and end of year reports and input from technical assistance providers were ascertained to validate how districts were categorized. Using the Success Outcome Rubric, schools and districts were categorized as Not Yet Successful, Partially Successful, Successful, and Highly Successful. See Tables 5 and 6. In comparison to outcome ratings in , all districts improved across multiple criteria. In Figure 5 the ratings shown in bold indicate the rating increased from the previous school year. District and school ratings increased by either a level or a +, indicating there was improvement but not enough to change the rating to a higher level. Significant changes in district success are: All districts but one (Thompson was already at a successful level) improved their district wellness policy rating. While the strength and implementation of the written wellness policy did not change much, database scores show increases across all policy indicators. District Health and Wellness Coordinators received intensive professional development on creating an effective District Health Advisory Committee. The District Health Advisory Committees have worked on creating mission and vision statements, operating agreements, yearly objectives, and defining roles and responsibilities. Establishing these structures and processes support a more efficient and valuable District Health Advisory Committee for districts moving forward. Districts focused on the quality of their partnerships this past year. Districts are concentrating on mutual partnerships benefiting both parties and more alignment and collaboration. Districts recognize the integral role their partnerships are for program implementation, expanding activities, and providing resources beyond what is available through grant funds. Adams 12 reached a highly successful level under District Accountability. They have included a social-emotional goal in their District s UIP and have a very supportive School Board who has prioritized the inclusion of the whole child model in their district. Many districts have either agreed to fund a District Health and Wellness Coordinator position following the conclusion of the Healthy Schools Successful Students grant or have committed other grant funding or district funds to cover some of the coordinator s FTE. Some districts are still struggling with finding full funding for the position but discussions are taking place. Healthy Schools Successful Students Evaluation Data Report 44

46 A continued challenge for District Health and Wellness Coordinators is to garner and sustain administration support for health and wellness as a priority concern. Only one district has reached a successful level under district collaboration and support, although four districts did make slight progress in this area. For example, one district lacks support at the district level to support district health and wellness work and incorporate health and wellness in other district programming. Despite this lack of support the Superintendent has agreed to continue having school level health teams to further health and wellness programming at the school level. Another district has active participation from district administration on the District Health Advisory Committee but limited support at the district level for collaboration with other programs, teams, and dedicated time and resources. Two districts are successful with financial support and the remaining districts have not gained much ground in this area over the past year. A few districts have taken steps towards securing funding through other grants or in-kind district monies to pay a portion of the District Health and Wellness Coordinators salary. The limited gains around financial support are not surprising since district priorities remain focused on academic achievement and with continuing budget cuts, districts are not funding health and wellness programs or positions at a high level despite advocacy efforts to do so. Several districts are actively discussing and searching for other funding to support their coordinator positions. Data from the School Health Team Co-Leader survey were used to formulate success judgments at the school level. Table 6 shows the percent of schools for each success level by school criteria within each district. Since each district added new schools during the school year, district percentages are not comparable to the previous year. Success outcome judgments remain mixed at the school level. Thompson School District show the most success, an expected result since the district has been funded longer than the other current districts and schools. Schools have reached more successful levels with physical activity/physical education policy implementation compared to nutrition policy. For the most part schools have reached a successful level relative to the policy supports in place within their school such as a wellness policy team, policy reviews, and trained staff. School collaboration and support outcomes are in the midpoint of partially successful and successful. One district has reached primarily successful to highly successful levels. Partnership success at the school level is varied with schools in experienced districts, Adams 50 and Thompson, reporting more success. A few districts have schools lacking some success with their School Health Improvement Plans, while the majority of schools have reached successful levels. Some schools within districts need improvements in how their school health teams function and work to achieve a recognized status for their school health team. Half of the schools have reached successful levels related to their school health teams. Healthy Schools Successful Students Evaluation Data Report 45

47 Table 5. Healthy Schools Successful Students: Success Outcome Rubric for Districts in District Partnerships Financial Support District Support/ Collaboration District Wellness Policy District Health Advisory Committee District Accountability Districts Funded for Two Years Adams 50 (Medium) Successful Partially Successful+ Partially Successful+ Partially Successful+ Successful Partially Successful Harrison (Medium) Successful+ Partially Successful Partially Successful Partially Successful+ Successful Partially Successful+ Districts Funded for Three Years Adams 12 (Large) Highly Successful Successful Partially Successful+ Partially Successful+ Partially Successful Highly Successful Fremont Region (Medium) Successful Partially Successful+ Successful Partially Successful+ Highly Successful Successful School District 27J (Medium) Partially Successful Successful+ Partially Successful+ Successful Partially Successful+ Partially Successful Thompson (Medium) Highly Successful Partially Successful Partially Successful+ Successful Successful Successful Healthy Schools Successful Students Evaluation Data Report 46

48 Table 6. Healthy Schools Successful Students: Success Outcome Rubric for Schools in Success Outcome Partnership Nutrition Policy Collaboration PA/PE Policy SHIPs Criteria Policy Supports Support Teams Adams 12 (N=23) Not yet Successful 10 (43%) 4 (17%) 0 (0%) 2 (9%) 0 (0%) 10 (43%) 3 (13%) Partially Successful 4 (17%) 8 (35%) 4 (17%) 8 (35%) 6 (26%) 0 (0%) 7 (30%) Successful 6 (26%) 13 (57%) 15 (65%) 6 (26%) 13 (57%) 12 (52%) 12 (52%) Highly Successful 6 (26%) 1 (4%) 7 (30%) 10 (43%) 7 (30%) 4 (17%) 4 (17%) Adams 50 (N=17) Not yet Successful 4 (23%) 4 (23%) 0 (0%) 3 (18%) 0 (0%) 3 (18%) 0 (0%) Partially Successful 0 (0%) 7 (41%) 5 (29%) 5 (29%) 12 (71%) 4 (23%) 11 (65%) Successful 9 (53%) 5 (29%) 7 (41%) 3 (18%) 4 (23%) 8 (47%) 6 (35%) Highly Successful 4 (23%) 1 (6%) 4 (23%) 6 (35%) 1 (6%) 2 (12%) 0 (0%) Fremont Region (N=11) Not yet Successful 5 (45%) 0 (0%) 0 (0%) 1 (9%) 0 (0%) 0 (0%) 0 (0%) Partially Successful 1 (9%) 2 (18%) 1 9%) 3 (27%) 5 (45%) 2 (18%) 7 (64%) Successful 4 (36%) 6 (55%) 3 (27%) 3 (27%) 3 (27%) 6 (55%) 1 (9%) Highly Successful 1 (9%) 3 (27%) 7 (64%) 4 (36%) 3 (27%) 3 (27%) 3 (27%) Harrison (N=18) Not yet Successful 6 (33%) 1 (6%) 0 (0%) 0 (0%) 5 (28%) 4 (22%) 3 (17%) Partially Successful 4 (22%) 9 (50%) 2 (11%) 5 (28%) 4 (22%) 4 (22%) 6 (33%) Successful 2 (11%) 8 (44%) 7 (39%) 8 (44%) 5 (28%) 8 (44%) 6 (33%) Highly Successful 6 (33%) 0 (0%) 9 (50%) 5 (28%) 4 (22%) 2 (11%) 3 (17%) School District 27J (N=11) Not yet Successful 6 (60%) 2 (20%) 0 (0%) 3 (30%) 0 (0%) 5 (50%) 1 (10%) Partially Successful 2 (20%) 6 (60% 4 (40%) 1 (10%) 8 (80%) 1 (10%) 2 (20%) Successful 2 (20%) 2 (20%) 4 (40%) 1 (10%) 1 (10%) 2 (20%) 6 (60%) Highly Successful 0 (0%) 0 (0%) 2 (20%) 3 (30%) 1 (10%) 2 (20%) 1 (10%) Thompson (N=23) Not yet Successful 5 (22%) 2 (9%) 1 (4%) 2 (9%) 3 (13%) 4 (17%) 2 (9%) Partially Successful 2 (9%) 4 (17%) 7 (30%) 2 (9%) 9 (39%) 6 (26%) 3 (13%) Successful 3 (13%) 15 (65%) 12 (52%) 5 (22%) 7 (30%) 11 (48%) 10 (43%) Highly Successful 13 (57%) 2 (9%) 3 (13%) 14 (61%) 4 (17%) 2 (87%) 8 (35%) Healthy Schools Successful Students Evaluation Data Report 47

49 Summary Healthy Schools Successful Students targets multiple levels of the Whole School, Whole Child, Whole Community model including individuals (teachers, students, school staff, parents, etc.), schools, districts, communities, and policy. Through professional development and technical assistance District Health and Wellness Coordinators and school health teams are supported to implement health and wellness programs for youth. As detailed in this report, the Healthy Schools Successful Students evaluation examines this process and its outcomes. The evidence shows that in year two of the grant, policies, practices, and environments have improved as a result of changes in knowledge, beliefs, and skills. Data for the school year show growth and improvement compared with the previous year s data ( ). School and District Leadership Support and Skills District Health and Wellness Coordinators have increased the capacity of School Health Team Co- Leaders who serve as the health leader at the school level. Responses from co-leaders suggest outcomes at the school level were achieved in part due to the high quality professional development and technical assistance received. Seventy-percent of schools reported principal support was fully in place. Schools are also working to create partnerships with families and to engage students. At the district level, District Health and Wellness Coordinators indicate their district administrators either fully (22%) or partially (67%) support their school health and wellness activities. Similarly, districts rated their school boards support of health and wellness activities as either fully (11%) or partially (78%) in place. Furthermore, districts are beginning to slowly prioritize health and wellness and allocate more time and resources for wellness policy work. To elevate school health and wellness in the community, coordinators are establishing more strategic partnerships. Small steps are apparent and at the same time challenges remain. For example, in one district their District Health Advisory Committee is not a recognized advisory committee relative to other district advisory committees in place. Additionally, some District Health and Wellness Coordinators continue to struggle to gain access to other district councils, departments, and committees, a barrier that keeps health and wellness in a silo instead of being across other district programs and initiatives. More broadly, coordinators continue to advocate for health and wellness and the Whole School, Whole Child, Whole Community model. District Health Infrastructure All districts have an established District Health Advisory Committee in place. District Health and Wellness Coordinators specifically dedicated the past year s Health Advisory Committee work to improving the process and structures for an effective committee. Several committees recruited more diverse members, developed mission and vision statements, operating agreements, and work plans for the next year. Committee members identified advocacy and wellness policy as the primary purposes of the committee. Identified challenges among members are limited support from their School Board and moderate support from school administration. Members observe limited decisionmaking abilities within the district. Nonetheless, as a result of the processes and structures put in place at the end of this year, District Health Advisory Committees can function more effectively in the next year and potentially have a larger impact relative to health and wellness programming as well as having greater influence in their districts. Healthy Schools Successful Students Evaluation Data Report 48

50 One district has incorporated a social emotional goal in their Unified Improvement Plan. The remaining districts have not been successful in integrating health and wellness in their Unified Improvement Plans but continue to have discussions with stakeholders to advocate for this inclusion. Relative to support for teams, one district requires a school health team at each school, two districts require their schools to have an annual health and wellness goal/plan, and five districts participated in the Healthy Kids Colorado Survey. District Health and Wellness Coordinators have some systems in place to track the implementation and success of schools health improvement plans but improvement is needed as the School Health Improvement Plan is the foundation for health and wellness work at the school and student level. The goals of Unified Improvement Plans are at the discretion of district administration; therefore District Health and Wellness Coordinators only have so much influence. However, the other accountability structures discussed are within the responsibility and influence of coordinators. As school districts move forward with their health and wellness programming it will be advantageous to focus on establishing these accountability structures and processes, as they are key for program sustainability, especially in the absence of health and wellness goals in a Unified Improvement Plan. School Health Team and School Health Improvement Plans Overall school health teams are functioning effectively. On average members commit to a position on the school health team for two years with some as long as seven years. Many schools have included health and wellness objectives in their school improvement planning and are gaining increasing support from School/Parent-Teacher Organizations and other school accountability committees. The strengths of school health teams include connecting school activities to the wellness policy, achieving work plan objectives, and using best practices in school health and wellness programming. School health teams have successfully implemented their School Health Improvement Plans and observed changes in student behaviors, staff and student engagement in activities, healthier choices, and increased awareness around health and wellness. School Health Improvement Plans have focused on PE/PA (45%), staff wellness (29%) and nutrition (17%). During the school year, schools estimated their School Health Improvement Plans reached 19,519 participants, most of who are students. Effective Policies: Strength, Comprehensiveness, and Implementation In terms of health and wellness policies, there was little change from last year. At the district level, the most comprehensive components of district wellness policy were nutrition standards for school meals followed by nutrition standards for competitive foods. Physical activity and physical education goals were identified as moderately comprehensive components. The overall perceived strength of these components was slightly less than the overall perceived comprehensiveness of the wellness policy components. Policy implementation at the school level shows physical education goals and nutrition standards for school meals are most fully implemented in schools. Nutrition education goals are the least implemented mostly due to lack of nutrition curricula in schools. Policy evaluation and policy communication were rated low at the school and district level. District Health and Wellness Coordinators are usually tasked with wellness policy work and are the most familiar with the specifics of the policy components. However, for district wellness policies to be effective, there needs to be better wellness policy awareness among other district staff and at the school level. Moreover, school staff requires better training as to how to implement wellness requirements in their schools and regarding strategies as to how these policies should be enforced. Healthy Schools Successful Students Evaluation Data Report 49

51 Effective Nutrition Wellness Practices At the district level, sixty-seven percent report full alignment in their purchasing, preparation, and meal serving practices with state and national standards. More progress is needed in the use of locally grown food, scratch cooking, and parent education. Compared to last year s data districts can be seen to have made progress across all the nutrition indicators. At the school level, schools report partial progress relative to nutrition practices. Less than half of schools (between 23% to 31%) report celebrations with non-food rewards, non-food fundraisers, and classroom non-foods rewards are fully in place. Thirty-one percent of schools fully implement nutrition standards. Fifty percent report school breakfast participation. Compared to last year s data improvements are observed across all indicators with the exception of breakfast participation. Effective Physical Activity and Physical Education Practices Schools have reached successful levels relative to recommended physical activity and physical education policies and practices. Between percent of schools report fully implementing the Colorado Department of Education physical education standards, have PE endorsed teachers, offering professional development for PE teachers, and assuring students are moderately to vigorously active at least 50 percent of the time during PE class. Close to three quarter of the schools (between 68%-71%) of schools offer PE/PA programming tailored to disabled students and maintains daily physical activity programming outside of physical education classes. Nearly three out of every four schools (70%) offer physical activity opportunities before and after school. More than half (or 57%) fully incorporate brain-based learning strategies in their classrooms. Comparisons in PE/PA policies and practices to last year s data show improvements related to physical activity efforts, particularly in the promotion of daily physical activity opportunities, enabling daily physical activity for students with disabilities, developing before and after school physical activity programming and incorporating brain-based learning practices in the classroom. Additional progress is needed related to the amount of PE/PA offered across all grade categories. Health Education, Nutrition and Physical Education Cadre Trainings Post training implementation surveys indicate the trainings had a positive impact on participants. Overall, the training participants implemented more than one strategy/activity learned from the training; improved their teaching and programs; and students benefitted from what their teacher learned during the training. The most cited challenges to implementation across all the trainings were the lack of time to plan how to implement new skills and knowledge as well as a lack of resources to support implementation of new knowledge and skills. While many participants shared with their colleagues what was learned, fewer shared this information with their administration. Across all the trainings, participants rated their school s administrative support, openness to new ideas, and goal alignment with training objectives as moderate to high. These are essential criteria for implementation to occur in school settings. Healthy Schools Successful Students Success Outcomes Rubric Based on the success outcome rubric results, districts showed improvements in several areas. Policy ratings increased based on district and school database results that showed increases in nutrition, physical activity, and physical education activities and policies in place. In , District Healthy Schools Successful Students Evaluation Data Report 50

52 Health Advisory Committees improved their structures and processes leading to committed and involved members, clear focus and purpose, and specific objectives for future work and meetings. District partnership ratings also increased as District Health and Wellness Coordinators strengthened key partnerships and focused more on strategic partnerships. School level ratings across the success outcome rubric criteria were mixed. The varied status of schools on the criteria can be attributed in part to the addition of new schools to the initiative across all districts during , resulting in a combination of experienced schools and new schools. Healthy Schools Successful Students Evaluation Data Report 51

53 Appendix A Success Outcome Rubric Key Criteria Healthy Schools Successful Students Evaluation Data Report 52

54 Appendix A Success Outcome Rubric Key Criteria Key Criteria Not Yet Successful Partially Successful Successful Highly Successful No evidence of substantive change to benefit the school/district/community. Status quo was largely maintained. Some evidence of changes that would benefit the school/district/community. Status quo may have shifted in a minimal way, or for a minimal number of people. Evidence of changes that would benefit the school/district/ community. Status quo may have shifted in a moderate way, or for a larger number of people. Evidence of significant benefit in the school/district/community. Wholesale change in the status quo, or a substantial benefit for a large number of people. Partnerships Partnerships had no substantive change to benefit the school/district/ community. No partnerships established; current partnerships not enhanced. Partnerships had some evidence of change to benefit the school/district/ community. Clear purpose of current/new partnerships aims and goals reflected in its plans for actions and practices. Partners are involved in school health activities. Partnerships showed evidence of change to benefit the school/district/community. Increased collaboration among partners to work toward shared objectives to further school health initiatives; opportunities exist for learning experiences and sharing good practices. Partners helped plan, operate, and support school health activities. Partnerships had a significant benefit to the school/district/ community. Partnerships reach achieved desired achievements on the ground and at the strategic level; Partnerships are sustained (reconsider and revise partnership aims, objectives, and plans as needed). Partners evidence a commitment to sustaining school health activities. Financial Support The financial support had no benefit to the school/district/community. The district contributes no financial support beyond grant funds to support health and wellness. The financial support had some benefit to the school/district/community. The district provides minimal financial support for health and wellness (e.g., in kind contributions such as office space/equipment for coordinator). The financial support benefitted the school/district/community. The district supports the coordinator position and subsidizes costs for the health and wellness program; district/school has identified additional sources of funding. The financial support had significant benefits to the school/district/community. The district fully supports the coordinator position; district has secured additional funding for health and wellness in the district. Healthy Schools Successful Students Evaluation Data Report 53

55 Appendix A Success Outcome Rubric Key Criteria Key Criteria Not Yet Successful Partially Successful Successful Highly Successful No evidence of substantive change to benefit the school/district/community. Status quo was largely maintained. Some evidence of changes that would benefit the school/district/community. Status quo may have shifted in a minimal way, or for a minimal number of people. Evidence of changes that would benefit the school/district/ community. Status quo may have shifted in a moderate way, or for a larger number of people. Evidence of significant benefit in the school/district/community. Wholesale change in the status quo, or a substantial benefit for a large number of people. District Collaboration and Support District-level support had no substantive change to benefit the school/district/ community. The district has not taken any actions to support the district health and wellness activities. District-level support had some evidence of change to benefit the school/district/ community. The district has taken some actions (given some priority to health and wellness at the district level, and provided resources) to support single-event health and wellness activities. District-level support showed evidence of change to benefit the school/district/community. District relationships are established with school/district leadership across related departments and units to support and collaborate on health and wellness in the district. Priority given to supporting on-going health and wellness activities. District-level support had a significant benefit to the school/district/community. The district fully supports and implements collaborative efforts across departments and units to support health and wellness. Support for health and wellness activities has become institutionalized within the district and within schools. District Wellness Policy Physical Education Policies Physical Activity Policies Nutrition Policies District-level policies had no substantive change to benefit the school/district/ community with less than 25% of schools meeting or exceeding district-level policies. District-level policies show some evidence of changes that benefit the school/district/community with 26% 50% of schools meeting or exceeding district-level policies. Consideration given to strengthening district policies regarding health and wellness. District-level policies show evidence of changes that benefit the school/district/community with 51% 74% of schools meeting or exceeding district level policies. Increased attention given to enforcing policies. Policies are updated and refined. District-level policies have a significant benefit in the school/district/community with 75% or more schools meeting or exceeding district-level policies. The district is committed to assuring all schools implement existing policies. Policies are strengthened and expanded to increase impact on student health. Healthy Schools Successful Students Evaluation Data Report 54

56 Appendix A Success Outcome Rubric Key Criteria Key Criteria Not Yet Successful Partially Successful Successful Highly Successful No evidence of substantive change to benefit the school/district/community. Status quo was largely maintained. Some evidence of changes that would benefit the school/district/community. Status quo may have shifted in a minimal way, or for a minimal number of people. Evidence of changes that would benefit the school/district/ community. Status quo may have shifted in a moderate way, or for a larger number of people. Evidence of significant benefit in the school/district/community. Wholesale change in the status quo, or a substantial benefit for a large number of people. District Health Advisory Council District Health Advisory Council had no substantive change to benefit the school/district/community. No council established; low functioning council; or council meets minimally. District Health Advisory Council had some evidence of change to benefit the school/district/community. The council is minimally supportive of health and wellness as a district priority; council s activities are minimally beneficial to the district s health and wellness program. District Health Advisory Council showed evidence of change to benefit the school/district/ community. The council has defined roles, responsibilities, and mission; provides advice to the district on health and wellness programming and its impact on student health and learning; council is fully supportive of health and wellness; council understands the current state of the district and perspectives. District Health Advisory Council had a significant benefit to the school/district/community. The council meets regularly and has consistent membership; plans and activities of the advisory council have been implemented; the goals and objectives of the council have been reached yearly; council functions in a coordinated manner; the value of health and wellness has emerged as a result of council s activities. District Health and Wellness Accountability Systems District accountability systems had no benefit to the school/district/ community. No systems in place or systems are not effective. District accountability systems had some benefit to the school/district/ community. District has some systems in place to evaluate district wellness policies but does not require as part of the Unified Improvement Plan; district tracks limited health and wellness data. District accountability systems benefitted the school/district/ community. District encourages schools to have health and wellness goals (but does not require), the district informally tracks SHIP implementation; district collects some health data; district has health and wellness goals through the grant but has not incorporated with established district systems. District accountability systems had significant benefit to the school/district/community. Accountability systems include health and wellness in district Unified Improvement Plans; districts systematically track SHIP implementation; require schools to share SHIP with school accountability teams; district has data systems in place to collect health and wellness information; data used to plan, advocate, and support health programs. Healthy Schools Successful Students Evaluation Data Report 55

57 Appendix A Success Outcome Rubric Key Criteria Key Criteria Not Yet Successful Partially Successful Successful Highly Successful No evidence of substantive change to benefit the school/district/community. Status quo was largely maintained. Some evidence of changes that would benefit the school/district/community. Status quo may have shifted in a minimal way, or for a minimal number of people. Evidence of changes that would benefit the school/district/ community. Status quo may have shifted in a moderate way, or for a larger number of people. Evidence of significant benefit in the school/district/community. Wholesale change in the status quo, or a substantial benefit for a large number of people. School Collaboration and Support School-level support had no substantive change to benefit the school/district /community. The school leadership has not taken any actions to support the school health and wellness activities. School-level support had some evidence of change to benefit the school/district /community. School leadership has given some priority to health and wellness to support single-event health and wellness activities. The school engages others (staff, students, families, community) for limited input on health and wellness activities. School-level support showed evidence of change to benefit the school/district/community. Relationships are established with school leadership to support and collaborate on on-going health and wellness activities in the school. The school seeks input from students, staff, families, and community about specific types of health and wellness activities. School-level support had a significant benefit to the school/district/community. The school fully supports and implements collaborative efforts across the school to support health and wellness. Support for health and wellness activities has become institutionalized within the school. The school fully engages students, staff, families, and community for input and decisions about health and wellness and reports back the progress that is being made. School Team Sustainability School team had no substantive change to benefit the school/district/ community. Either no school health team has been established or the team is low functioning or meets minimally with limited members. School team had some evidence of change to benefit the school/district/ community. School team established but high turnover of members; goals are defined; limited knowledge and skills for how to implement best practices in the school. School team activities showed evidence of change to benefit the school/district/community. Team is functioning consistently (membership, meetings, common purpose and goals, operating agreements); team members help plan, implement, and document activities (some but not all activities based on best practices); school leadership is supportive of team. School team had a significant benefit to the school/district/ community. School team is standard functioning team; team membership is sustained during the school year; school team achieves objectives and goals based on best practices; the value of health and wellness in the school has emerged as a result of the team s activities. Healthy Schools Successful Students Evaluation Data Report 56

58 Appendix A Success Outcome Rubric Key Criteria Key Criteria Not Yet Successful Partially Successful Successful Highly Successful No evidence of substantive change to benefit the school/district/community. Status quo was largely maintained. Some evidence of changes that would benefit the school/district/community. Status quo may have shifted in a minimal way, or for a minimal number of people. Evidence of changes that would benefit the school/district/ community. Status quo may have shifted in a moderate way, or for a larger number of people. Evidence of significant benefit in the school/district/community. Wholesale change in the status quo, or a substantial benefit for a large number of people. School Health Improvement Plans (SHIPs) School Health Improvement Plans had no substantive change to benefit the school/district /community. School did not develop and/or implement a SHIP. School Health Improvement Plan had some evidence of change to benefit the school/district/community. SHIP was ineffective or poorly implemented; SHIP did not include best practices; minimal buy-in from school community. Progress is defined in terms of single, one-time events. School Health Improvement Plan show evidence of change to benefit the school/district/ community. SHIP included best practices with limited plans for sustainability; SHIP reflects priority need of school; school team shared SHIP with administrator and school staff for input; SHIP implemented with moderate observed impact. Planning is data-driven and progress is monitored in terms of numbers of student/staff reached. School Health Improvement Plan has a significant benefit to the school/district/community. SHIP reflected best practices that show impact; substantial reach; school plans to sustain SHIP activities and ongoing impact; maximized input and buy-in from school team, school administrator, staff, students, and parents; SHIP fully implemented with measured impacts. School Level Policy Implementation School-level policies had no substantive change to benefit the school/district/ community. School has minimal work and focus on wellness policy. School-level policies show some evidence of changes that benefit the school/district/community. School has conducted some work with wellness policy; policy shared with staff, students, and families. School-level policies show evidence of changes that benefit the school/district/community. School has conducted significant work around the wellness policy; policy communicated and staff trained to implement policy; policy is implemented but is not measured, evaluated for impact, consistency. School-level policies have a significant benefit in the school/district/community. Wellness policy is effectively implemented consistently across school; all policy components are effectively implemented; policy is implemented with minimal challenges; policy is reviewed and implementation tracked and evaluated. Healthy Schools Successful Students Evaluation Data Report 57

59 Appendix B Detailed Healthy Schools Successful Students Database Results Healthy Schools Successful Students Evaluation Data Report 58