Evaluating the Impact of Technical Assistance to Schools Implementing Wellness Policies: The experience of Steps to a healthier PA

The literature shows that schools are in a unique position to influence healthy behaviors (Wojcicki 2007), but that school health programs have not been structured nor given the necessary technical resources (Bauman 2005). This paper reports on the evaluation of the Steps to a Healthier Pennsylvania, a project of the CDC and the Pennsylvania department of health, that has implemented disease prevention and health promotion programs targeting —diabetes, obesity, physical inactivity, and poor nutrition.

The project has provided 20 different school districts in Pennsylvania with technical assistance in how to implement the school health index, how to write school wellness policies, and how to implement different programs associated with coordinated systems.

The results of an ongoing evaluation that uses parts of the school health index to collect longitudinal data from the 20 districts, show that after three years of the program schools have: 1) increased number of School Health Advisory Councils by more than 16%, 2) doubled the percentage of schools with coordinated school health programs, 3) increased the number of schools using Asthma Action plans by 27%, and 4) increased by at least 15% the schools offering fruits, vegetables and whole wheat baked products during lunch. The data also shows that non-targeted schools in similar districts, do not report similar progress.

The experience of the Steps to a Healthier PA shows that with the appropriate technical assistance school districts can make significant policy changes that will positively impact the health of their communities.