Groups Offer Ways for Feds to Improve Student Well-Being

Students climb on new playground equipment at Bennett Elementary School last fall in Bennett, Colo. The town is taking advantage of federal grants to help improve the physical fitness of its citizens, investing in new playground equipment, city beautification, and signs that promote healthy activity.

—Aaron Ontiveroz/The Denver Post/AP-File

Improved health said to boost academic skills

By Nirvi Shah

Noting the strong link between students’ health and their ability to learn, health advocates want the federal departments of Education and Health and Human Services to make a few small changes they believe could improve students’ academic and physical well-being and work to close achievement gaps.

The Healthy Schools Campaign , a nonprofit group based in Chicago, and Trust for America’s Health , based in Washington, have asked U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan and U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Kathleen Sebelius for changes that include appointing new federal staff members to shepherd school health efforts and undoing Medicaid red tape so schools can be reimbursed for some health services they provide.

Rochelle Davis, the president and chief executive officer of the Healthy Schools Campaign, said the proposals were designed to be simple, straightforward, and already within the budgetary and regulatory authority...