WASHINGTON – Health and education have a major impact on each other, and collaborations at all levels involving families, schools, policymakers and other stakeholders are essential to improving outcomes in both areas for students – especially those from low-income, rural and other under-served populations, speakers said at an event Tuesday co-sponsored by the Bipartisan Policy Center and the Healthy Schools Campaign.
“The bi-directional impact of education and health should be a consideration for policymaking,” said Dr. Anand Parekh, BPC’s chief medical adviser and moderator of a panel discussion that focused on the theme “Education and Health: Twin Pillars for Thriving Students.”
Promoting student health and well-being within schools and off-site beginning in early childhood is important because it can enhance the success of students in general and help close achievement gaps that plague underperforming groups in particular. Educators and policymakers agree that eliminating disparities earlier will improve access and success later in post-secondary education and in life for underserved groups.
“Healthy students are better learners,” said Rochelle Davis, president and CEO of the Healthy Schools Campaign, in a brief presentation. “Healthy schools can positively impact students’ all-around well-being and build a solid foundation for learning.”
She described a rise in asthma, diabetes and other health problems among students, noting that one in five children has a diagnosable mental health problem ranging from attention deficit disorder to anxiety and depression – with disproportionate representation among Hispanic, Black, immigrant and low-income children.
Other factors are part of the picture, Davis said, such as insufficient physical activity, higher exposure to environmental toxins, food insecurity, trauma and inadequate access to health care. Those conditions contribute to higher rates of chronic absence from school among those groups, which data indicate have significant adverse impact on learning and academic performance at early grade levels, she said.
“Investing in education is essential to supporting a healthy population,” Davis said, “and a healthy population is essential to a vibrant and strong America.”
