Mississippi Healthy Students Act

Healthy Mississippi Initiative

Purpose:

To require all public schools throughout Mississippi to provide increased amounts of physical activity and health education instruction for elementary, junior high, and high school students

Target Population:

Mississippi students in grades K–12

Program Goals:

• Reduce the rate of obesity in children and adolescents
• Reduce physical inactivity in children and adolescents

Years in Operation:

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Results:

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Funding:

The state funds the programs pursuant to the Mississippi Healthy Students Act. The State Department of Education also employs a physical activity coordinator to assist districts with current and effective practices and with implementation of physical education and physical activity programs.

Key Partners:

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What Works and Why:

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Structure and Operations:

The Healthy Students Act requires schools to provide at least 150 minutes of physical activity-based instruction as well as 45 minutes of health education instruction per week for students in kindergarten through eighth grade. In addition, the legislation requires students in grades 9 through 12 to complete a 1⁄2 Carnegie unit of physical education or physical activity before qualifying for graduation.

Every school in Mississippi is required to produce and adopt a school wellness plan for health promotion activities. Each school will hire a physical activity coordinator to monitor that the school abides by the legislation and is implementing health promotion activities.

Each school board will also form a local school health council, which will recommend appropriate practices for:

• Health and physical education
• Tobacco prevention
• Nutrition services
• Staff wellness
• Parental involvement

The Healthy Students Act also requires that the State Board of Education review each school district’s compliance with the Child Nutrition School Breakfast and Lunch Programs.

Barriers to Success:

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More Information:

http://www.governorbarbour.com/news/2007/apr/pr.HealthyStudentsAct.htm

Download:

Download this program information in PDF format.