Engage Parents to Promote Healthy Schools

Parents have a powerful role in supporting children’s health and learning. Use CDC’s resources to get them involved in creating a healthier school!

Schools, parents, and students benefit from parents being involved in their children’s school. Research shows that parent engagement in schools is linked to better student behavior, higher academic achievement, and enhanced social skills. As students start a new school year, parents will be looking for ways to get involved. You can engage them in school health by using the strategies and ideas in the Parents for Healthy Schools resources.

What Is Parents for Healthy Schools?

Parents for Healthy Schools is a set of resources that school groups such as the Parent Teacher Association (PTA), the Parent Teacher Organization (PTO), and school wellness committees can use to get parents involved in promoting healthy schools. These resources can also be used by others interested in working with parents and getting them involved in the school, such as school nutrition directors, school administrators, school nurses, teachers, parents, and community members or organizations.

Four main resources are included in Parents for Healthy Schools:

1. Parents for Healthy Schools: A Guide for Getting Parents Involved from K-12 [PDF – 7 MB]
2. Parents for Healthy Schools: Making a Difference in Your Child’s School [PDF – 4MB] (PowerPoint Presentation)
3. Ideas for Parents tip sheets
4. Check-in questions [PDF – 1.3MB] that help identify ways to track progress in engaging parents.

Check out additional content at Parents for Healthy Schools.

Show Parents How to Get Involved

• Deliver the PowerPoint Presentation [PDF – 4MB] to parents through PTA/PTO meetings, the school wellness committee, or other networks such as the National Network of Partnership Schools.
• Give parents the Ideas for Parents tip sheets to share ways they can become involved in making changes in the school health environment.
• Look for signs of change and collect parent feedback using the check-in questions [PDF 1.3MB] and the evaluation form [PDF – 2MB] for the PowerPoint Presentation [PDF – 4MB].

More Information

• Parents for Healthy Schools is based on CDC’s Parent Engagement: Strategies for Involving Parents in School Health [PDF – 1.7MB], which describes specific actions that schools can take to increase parent engagement in school health promotion activities.
• Use CDC’s Promoting Parent Engagement in School Health: A Facilitator’s Guide for Staff Development [PDF – 3MB] to help you develop a plan for engaging parents in school health activities. You can incorporate the Parents for Healthy Schools resources in your plan.
• Take CDC’s e-Learning module on Parents for Healthy Schools. The module provides easy access to the Parents for Healthy Schools “Go Further” sections with more information and resources, and a tailored learning experience. The module is self-directed and takes 60 to 90 minutes to complete.