Health is Vital for Student Success: An Overview of Relevant Research | Page 4

“

Intelligence and skill can only
function at the peak of their

Introduction

For nearly 175 years, leaders in education believed that health and learning were
deeply connected and mutually reinforcing. In the past 25 years, researchers have
documented what educators and parents have always known: Students who are

capacity when the body is

physically and emotionally well, present, and engaged are better learners.1 At the

healthy and strong.

same time, those with more education tend to live longer, healthier, and more

-John F. Kennedy

“

productive lives.2 Additionally, gaps in educational achievement fall along similar
lines as disparate outcomes in health, with students of color and students from
economically disadvantaged homes more likely to have negative health outcomes
and lower academic outcomes.3
While educational research, practice, and institutions regularly highlight the
significance of factors outside of schooling that affect students’ ability to
learn, these entities are less likely to intervene in issues that are described as
nonacademic despite their clear impact on learning.
All in all, healthy students learn better, and although schools cannot and should
not address these factors on their own, school leaders must prioritize how to use
scarce resources to address health barriers to learning by implementing school
health best practices into their school’s systems, environments, and policies.
This document presents national, peer-reviewed literature and research linking
health to indicators of academic achievement (grades, test scores, attendance,
and graduation). It also includes recommended actions that can make a
difference as well as success stories from Colorado schools and districts that
have seen the benefits of addressing health and wellness. In addition, a summary
of key findings is provided by health topic: behavioral health, nutrition, physical
activity and education, school health, staff wellness, and student health services.
This resource can be used to help make the case about the connection between
health and student success. Please use key facts, quotes, research, and
references that are relevant to your needs and share this information with key
stakeholders.

Defining Achievement
Rather than defining achievement solely in terms of academic test
scores … a successful learner is knowledgeable, emotionally and
physically healthy, civically engaged, prepared for economic selfsufficiency, and prepared for the world beyond formal education.
Source: ASCD, The Healthy School Communities Model: Aligning Health
and Education in the School Setting, 2011

2
2