Louisiana Administrative Code
Title 28 - EDUCATION
Part LIX - Bulletin 103-Louisiana Health Education Content Standards
Chapter 1 - General Provisions
Section LIX-101 - Introduction

A. In this era of educational reform, health education standards are critical to improving quality of life through student learning. They provide direction for moving toward excellence in teaching health information. Quality health education provides guidance for maintaining a healthy lifestyle for all individuals, including those with disabilities. Through competency of key concepts and skills outlined in this document, students will become health-literate, effective problem-solvers, self-directed learners, effective communicators, and responsible, productive citizens.

B. Health literacy is the capacity of an individual to obtain, interpret, and comprehend basic health information and services and the competence to use such information and services in ways that are health enhancing for the individual, family, and community. Four characteristics are identified as being essential to health literacy. The health-literate person is:

C. A fundamental mission of schools is the promotion of healthy behaviors by providing individuals with knowledge, abilities, and skills to become healthy and productive citizens. Optimal health leads to effective living, learning and enjoyment of life for all individuals. It is also an asset for students facing intense competition, peer pressure, stress, and a full program of intellectual and physical activities. The primary purpose of health education is the translation and integration of health concepts into personal behavior.

D. The Louisiana Health Education Content Standards offer a coherent vision of what it means to be health-literate. These standards identify the knowledge and skills essential to the development of health literacy. In addition, the standards provide a guide for enhancing and continuing education of teachers and as a blueprint for local curriculum developers. The standards are broad enough to allow flexibility according to strengths or challenges identified in each community and to make them culturally relevant.

E. Louisiana Health Education Content Standards establish a framework for interdisciplinary connections across learning areas and the inclusion of school health curriculum. This type of framework will facilitate a new and more informed consensus among Louisiana educators and the public to further refine the answers to the question: "What should all Louisiana students know and be able to do at the end of health education instruction?"