Association of school performance indicators with implementation of the healthy kids, smart kids programme: case study

Abstract

Objective: The purpose of the present analysis was to examine secular trends in school performance indicators in relationship to the implementation of a programme targeting the school food and physical activity environment.

Design: Data on available school performance indicators were obtained; retrospective analyses were conducted to assess trends in indicators in association with programme implementation; each outcome was regressed v. year, beginning with the year prior to programme implementation.

Setting: The Healthy Kids, Smart Kids programme, a grass-roots effort to enhance the school food and physical activity environment in the Browns Mill Elementary School in Georgia.

Subjects: Data included publicly available school records from the years 1995 to 2006.

Results: The number of nurse, counselling and disciplinary referrals per 100 students demonstrated a downward trend, while standardized test scores demonstrated an upward trend beginning in the year of programme implementation. School year was a significant predictor of all indicators.

Conclusions: Promoting nutrition and physical activity within the school environment may be a promising approach for enhancing both student health and educational outcomes.

Figure 1

Number of nurse, counseling, and disciplinary referrals by school year

Figure 2

Standardized reading test scores by school year