School-Based Health Care for Student Success

Abstract

Introduction

Imagine enthusiastic, innovative, highly qualified teachers nimble with a rich, comprehensive curriculum embracing cutting-edge technology and focused on critical thinking and analysis; teachers at ease and empowered with multiple instructional strategies and styles capable of captivating the facile young minds of their students. Imagine sophisticated administrators armed with the tools of a robust budget, academic expertise, financial savvy, and an abundance of resources, time, dollars and staff, strong, accountable chief executive and academic officers.

Imagine high standards and rigorous assessments providing data, collected both for individual students to monitor progress, and in the aggregate to inform and support the continuing development of excellent curriculum and instruction.

Imagine clean, bright halls and classrooms or smooth cyber pathways and an inclusive, welcoming school environment where parents actively participate in school governance as respected members of a school community that shares a sense of purpose and a culture which expects and believes that all students will have access to higher education or job training in order to succeed in the 21st century workforce.

Imagine that all schools in Philadelphia, public, charter and private, reach this level of excellence and that every family is able to choose the school most appropriate for their children. Do we have education reform in Philadelphia? We do not.

Poor attendance rates, abysmal graduation rates, acute and chronic health problems especially among medically underserved populations, complex behavioral health issues, attention deficit disorders with and without hyperactivity, poor lifestyle choices, substance abuse, violence in the community and at home, bullying at school and persistent barriers to family involvement in schools, are all factors that continue to compromise educational excellence. Across the country, educators and policy makers are acknowledging that physical health and mental health impact educational outcomes and, as a result, are bringing health care to schools for student success. Unless and until all students are healthy, in school and ready to learn and to capitalize on innovative educational opportunities, educational outcomes will not change.