Breadcrumb
- Federal Resources
Federal Resources
Bureau of Land Management Youth Initiatives
This site describes looking to the future, The Bureau of Land Management's youth initiatives. These initiatives feature a variety of programs that engage, educate, and inspire and focus on youth from early childhood through young adulthood. The aim of the youth programs is to build on the spark of childhood wonder about the natural world, sustain interest through hands-on education and volunteer experiences during the school-age years, and develop into long-term engagement and stewardship, as well as pursuit of natural resource careers.
CDC Preparedness Resources for Schools
Schools and education agencies cannot prevent natural disasters, or even many man-made crises, but they can help students prepare for and plan to respond to such emergencies. Resources are available to help schools, education agencies, and institutions of higher education develop such plans, usually in collaboration with public health and first responder agencies.
Coordinated School Health Program
Whole School, Whole Community, Whole Student (WSCC), is recommended by CDC as a strategy for improving students' health and learning in our nation’s schools. These site outline the rationale and goals for WSCC, provide a model framework for planning and implementing WSCC, and offer resources to help schools, districts, and states improve their school health programs.
Guide to Community Preventive Services
The Guide to Community Preventive Services is a free resource listing programs and policies that improve health and prevent disease. The Program Planning Resources section of the site outlines the types of steps that are generally used in program planning, along with selected resources that may be useful at each step.
H1N1 Flu (Swine Flu): Resources for Child Care and Early Childhood Programs
This resource from the CDC provides articles and other resources for parents and educators dealing with H1N1.
School Health Index (SHI)
Habits and practices related to health and safety are influenced by the entire school environment. Schools can use this self-assessment and planning tool to improve their health and safety policies and programs. The SHI has eight different modules including School Health and Safety Policies and Environment; Counseling, Psychological, and Social Services; and Family and Community Involvement.
School-Located Vaccination Planning Materials and Templates
These documents were designed to provide information for planning and conducting school-located 2009 H1N1 influenza vaccination clinics that target school-aged children enrolled in school and potentially other groups in the community. The page also includes a link to CDC's seasonal flu information.
The Association Between School-Based Physical Activity, Including Physical Education, and Academic Performance
The report indicates that school-based physical activity may help improve students' grades and test scores and positively affect other factors that influence academic achievement. The report also concludes that adding time during the school day for physical activity does not appear to take away from academic performance.
Report: School-Level Practices to Increase Availability of Fruits, Vegetables, and Whole Grains, and Reduce Sodium in School Meals — United States, 2000, 2006, and 2014
CDC researchers analyzed school-level implementation of the Department of Agriculture’s school nutrition standards, specifically on practices related to fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and sodium. Results show almost all schools offer whole grain foods, vegetables, and fruits during the school day, and the percentage of schools making efforts to increase the availability of these foods and decrease sodium increased from 2000 to 2014.
Resource: Healthy Schools Website
CDC’s School Health Branch launched the Healthy Schools website. The site will serve as the main resource for information on school-based physical activity and management of chronic conditions. It also contains information on school health guidelines, local school wellness policy, and related resources and tools.
Report: 2014 School Health Policies and Practices Study
CDC’s Division of Adolescent and School Health released the 2014 School Health Policies and Practices Study (SHPPS). SHPPS is a national survey periodically conducted to assess school health policies and practices at the state, district, school, and classroom levels. Two additional resources accompany the report: 2014 Overview (PDF 4 pages) and Trends Over Time: 2000-2014 (PDF, 6 pages).
Resource: Zika Guidance for Schools
This interim guidance addresses concerns about the risk for Zika virus infections in schools, provides recommendations for prevention measures schools can take to reduce the potential risk for Zika transmission on school premises and among students, and shares information on responding to a confirmed case of Zika virus.
Resource: Community HealthSim
This tool guides users through a simulation in which they play the role of a “special advisor” to the town of Vetoville, tasked with allocating the town’s resources to address a variety of community issues, including youth violence.
Report: Physical Education Attendance Among U.S. High School Students
This report analyzes long-term trends in physical education attendance among high school students in the United States over the past 20 years. The report shows that half of high school students do not attend physical education classes and attendance in these classes steadily declines as students move through high school.
Share with Youth: Advice for Safe and Healthy Travel for Students
This webpage provides information that can assist students in staying healthy while studying abroad. It contains advice and resources that can help students prepare to travel, protect their health abroad, and safely return home.
Resource: Increasing Physical Education and Physical Activity: A Framework for Schools
This framework (PDF, 8 pages) from the CDC’s National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion can help schools plan and organize physical education and activity before, during, and after school to increase students’ overall physical activity and health.
Report: 2016 School Health Policies and Practices Study
This report describes the findings of the 2016 School Health Policies and Practices Study (SHPPS), a national study periodically conducted to assess school health policies and practices at the state, district, school, and classroom levels. SHPPS addresses health education, physical education and physical activity, nutrition environment and services, and other tenets of the whole child approach.
Resource: Health Education Curriculum Analysis Tool (HECAT) E-Learning Module
This self-paced, online training module provides an overview of the HECAT, describes how to use the HECAT to develop or select a curriculum, and shares information and examples to ensure curriculum decisions meet student needs. School districts and schools can use the HECAT to select or develop appropriate and effective health education curricula and improve the delivery of health education.
Resource: Parent Engagement
This webpage provides an overview of parent engagement in schools, a promising protective factor that has been linked to better student behavior, higher academic achievement, and enhanced social skills. It also features fact sheets and other resources on parent engagement for school districts, school administrators, teachers, other school staff, parents, and families.
Youth Advisory Councils
Youth Advisory Councils (YACs) provide ongoing advice and support to school districts on policies and practices that affect students. This webpage provides a detailed overview of Youth Advisory Councils (YACs). It describes the role YACs play in improving the schools and communities they serve, discusses how they can use data to make decisions and create action plans, and outlines the structure of a YAC.
Best Practices Guide on Mentoring Youth with Disabilities
This best practices guide funded in part under a grant/contract supported by the Office of Disability Employment Policy of the U. S. Department of Laborh and the Technology Opportunities Program of the U. S. Department of Commerce,
National Telecommunications and Information Administration aims to help communities to start mentoring programs or expand a program to include youth with disabilities.
Office of Disability Employment Policy, Department of Labor
The Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP) was authorized by Congress in the Department of Labor's FY 2001 appropriation. ODEP provides information for families, professionals, and communities on transitioning youth with disabilities into training and employment opportunities.
Teaching Soft Skills Through Workplace Simulation in Classroom Settings
The Department of Labor’s Office of Disability Employment Policy provides a resource focused on how schools and employment opportunities can teach soft skills, specifically for students with disabilities. Relevant soft skills, as mentioned in the Secretary's Commission on Achieving Necessary Skills, include: teamwork, problem solving, effective use of resources and effective coommunication.
Share with Youth: Hitting the Open Road After High School
Co-written by teens for teens, this resource can help youth with disabilities (PDF, 16 pages) think about their options for life after high school. It provides information on post-graduation options and guides students in making choices that are right for them, finding activities that can help them get ready now, and accessing supportive services.
Resource: Personal Competencies for College & Career Success
This guide describes strategies postsecondary professionals can use to assist all students, including those with disabilities, to develop personal competencies that will increase their chances of success.