Child health and wellness are key for all students to learn and achieve. Today’s children who are struggling academically could become the first generation to live shorter and less healthy lives than their parents. To combat this, the Healthy Schools Campaign and Trust for America’s Health have released policy recommendations on how schools can best support their students’ health, so that the students can focus on learning in the classroom.

Called Health in Mind, the recommendations focus on every level of school administration, from the Department of Education to principals to school metrics and accountability systems. The groups have presented Health in Mind to both Secretary of Education Arne Duncan and Secretary of Health and Human Services Kathleen Sebelius.

“Healthy students are better prepared to learn and succeed in school,” said Rochelle Davis, President and CEO of HSC, a national advocacy organization that focuses much of its work on improving the food and fitness environment in Chicago schools. “Unless we address health and wellness in schools, our nation’s efforts to close the achievement gap will be compromised.”

The Campaign for Grade-Level Reading is diving into health initiatives as well – be sure to check out the children’s health panels at our June 30-July 2 convening in Denver.