Research and Resources

If you participate on a School Health Advisory Council (SHAC), would like to update your wellness policies or want more information about Florida laws and policies, check out the links below:

Assessment Tools

Florida Healthy School District Self-Assessment and Award

The Florida Healthy School District Award recognizes school districts that have implemented policies, practices, and procedures that support health and remove barriers to learning. Florida school districts interested in being recognized for their efforts work in teams to complete the annual Florida Healthy School District (FHSD) Self-Assessment Tool to measure how their current policies, practices, and procedures align with the highest standards of the Whole School, Whole Community, Whole Child (WSCC) Model. Districts meeting these highest standards will have a positive impact on the health of students and staff and earn recognition at the bronze, silver and gold levels.

School Health Index (SHI)

Assess your school’s health though the School Health Index (SHI). The SHI is an online self-assessment and planning tool that schools can use to improve their school health and safety policies and programs. Access the AFHK online SHI through the School Portal.

WellSAT

This tool can help you evaluate your wellness policy and determine where you have opportunities to improve.

Building a Healthy School District

Florida Healthy School District Collaborative Webinars and Presentations
Presentations to address hot topics specific to Florida school districts.

Florida Healthy District Training Website
The interactive training on this site will help you renew, refresh and reinvigorate your team’s efforts to improve the health and wellness of students and staff in your district.

Tools and Resources for Building a Healthy School

Healthy Schools Resources
A comprehensive list of resources to help you develop your healthy school infrastructure and programming.

Florida School Health Advisory Committee Manual
This document is the Florida Department of Health approved guide to developing and conducting school health advisory committees.

Florida Youth Survey (FYS)
The Florida Departments of Health, Education and Children and Families partner to administer four surveys of student behavior through. These surveys include:

• Youth Risk Behavior Survey
• Middle School Health Behavior Survey
• Florida Youth Tobacco Survey
• Florida Youth Substance Abuse Survey

Healthy Learning
Whether you are completing a project for school, leading a class or just wanting to learn more about nutrition, you have come to the right place!

Policy and Legislative Updates

Local School Wellness Policies
View your district’s school wellness policy.

Healthy School Teams
In 2014, the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) published an amendment to Rule 5P-1.003, Florida Administrative Code, to synchronize Florida’s competitive food rules with the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Smart Snacks in School. Competitive foods are those that are sold to students on the school campus during the school day and outside of the federally reimbursable meal programs. The amended state rule also requires school districts to establish Healthy School Teams.

School Health Advisory Committee (SHAC)
Each county in Florida is statutorily mandated (Section 381.0056, Florida Statutes) to establish and maintain a SHAC. As of July 1, 2006, membership must include representatives from all eight component areas of the Coordinated School Health Model as identified by the Centers for Disease Prevention and Control (CDC).

School Wellness Policy
1003.453 School wellness and physical education policies; nutrition guidelines.

Florida News

The Florida Action for Healthy Kids State Team partners with the Florida Partnership for Healthy Schools, formerly the Florida Coordinated School Health Partnership, Florida Healthy Kids Corporation and the Florida Association of District School Superintendents to recognize qualified districts as Florida Healthy School Districts. This recognition is determined through completion of the Florida Healthy School District (FHSD) Self-Assessment Tool. Florida Healthy School Districts have made a high-level commitment to meeting the health needs of students and staff in order to remove barriers to learning and maximize district resources. The criteria are based on district infrastructure, policy, programs, and practices identified from national and state guidelines, best practices, and Florida statutes.

2018-2020 Awarded Florida Healthy School Districts

Gold: Broward, Duval, Leon, Manatee, Nassau, Pasco, Sarasota
Silver: Baker, Bay, Brevard, Citrus, Clay, Escambia, Flagler, Indian River, Madison, Martin, Monroe, Palm Beach, Polk, St. Lucie, Santa Rosa, Sumter, Volusia
Bronze: Bradford, Franklin, Hernando, Lake, Levy, Seminole, Wakulla, Washington

2017-2019 Awarded Florida Healthy School Districts

Gold: Alachua, Collier, Hillsborough, Lee, Okeechobee, Orange, Osceola, Pinellas
Silver: Clay, DeSoto, Gadsden, Hamilton, Okaloosa, Putnam, St. Johns
Bronze: Columbia, Dixie, Jackson, Marion

Congratulations to the currently designated 15 Gold, 23 Silver, and 12 Bronze Florida Healthy Schools Districts. For more information about how to build a healthy school district, please visit:

• Safe Healthy Schools
• Complete the Assessment
• Healthy District