Health  K to 12 

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Competencies and Skills and Blueprint

The test design below describes general testing information. The blueprints that follow provide a detailed outline that explains the competencies and skills that this test measures.

Test Design

table describing the format of the test, including test time, number of questions, and required passing score
Format Computer-based test (CBT)
Number of Questions Approximately 80 multiple-choice questions
Time 2 hours and 30 minutes
Passing Score A scaled score of at least 200

 

Competencies, Skills, and Approximate Percentages of Questions

Pie chart of approximate test weighting outlined in the table below.



table describing the competencies, skills, and approximate percentage of each competency's weight toward overall test score
Competency Approximate Percentage of Total Test Questions
1 Knowledge of the foundation, theories, and principles of health education 6%
2 Knowledge of health education standards and health literacy 6%
3 Knowledge of health education instructional practices 10%
4 Knowledge of personal health behaviors and wellness 6%
5 Knowledge of human anatomy and physiology 6%
6 Knowledge of pathology and prevention of human diseases and disorders 6%
7 Knowledge of interpersonal health 8%
8 Knowledge of sexual health 9%
9 Knowledge of nutrition and physical fitness 7%
10 Knowledge of mental and emotional health 7%
11 Knowledge of substance use, abuse, and dependency and addictive behaviors 9%
12 Knowledge of violence prevention and intervention 7%
13 Knowledge of consumer health-related practices and media literacy 3%
14 Knowledge of community health 3%
15 Knowledge of environmental health 3%
16 Knowledge of unintentional injury and safety practices 4%

Competencies and Skills

Competency 1—Knowledge of the foundation, theories, and principles of health education

  1. Identify the philosophies, theories, and models of comprehensive health education.

  2. Distinguish between the stages of prevention and intervention along continua of care.

  3. Identify and apply the individual components of effective coordinated school health programs.

  4. Identify and apply policies and legislation impacting school health education and services.

  5. Demonstrate cultural competency within the analysis of foundations, theories, and principles of health education.

Competency 2—Knowledge of health education standards and health literacy

  1. Demonstrate an understanding of health literacy.

  2. Identify and apply state and national health standards for health education.

Competency 3—Knowledge of health education instructional practices

  1. Identify and compare tools and techniques for assessing the health needs of individuals, schools, and communities.

  2. Identify and apply instructional strategies to meet the needs of diverse populations.

  3. Identify effective health education program planning.

  4. Select and apply effective implementation strategies for health education programs.

  5. Identify methods for evaluating health education programs.

  6. Identify health education resources and health practitioners.

  7. Identify effective techniques to communicate health information to appropriate audiences.

  8. Identify methods, tools, and strategies for assessing students’ progress toward health literacy.

Competency 4—Knowledge of personal health behaviors and wellness

  1. Interpret and analyze concepts and components of wellness.

  2. Evaluate the benefits and consequences of personal health practices.

  3. Evaluate goal-setting strategies used for personal health and wellness.

  4. Evaluate decision-making strategies used for personal health and wellness.

Competency 5—Knowledge of human anatomy and physiology

  1. Demonstrate knowledge of the structures and interrelated functions of human body systems.

  2. Identify the relationships of anatomy and physiology to health.

  3. Identify physiological changes to the human body throughout the life cycle (e.g., conception to death).

  4. Identify physiological adaptations as a result of physical activity, rest, and sleep.

Competency 6—Knowledge of pathology and prevention of human diseases and disorders

  1. Identify causes, modes of transmission, risk factors, symptoms, treatments, and prevention of communicable diseases.

  2. Identify causes, risk factors, symptoms, treatments, and prevention of noncommunicable diseases and disorders affecting the body.

  3. Identify and determine common screenings and diagnostic techniques for prevention or early intervention benefits.

Competency 7—Knowledge of interpersonal health

  1. Analyze relationships among families, peers, culture, media, and technology regarding interpersonal health behaviors.

  2. Identify and interpret the influence of changing roles, relationships, and socioeconomic factors on interpersonal health.

  3. Identify and demonstrate an understanding of the effective use of coping skills.

  4. Define and demonstrate an understanding of the effective use of interpersonal communication skills.

  5. Identify effective community resources that support and assist in healthy social development.

Competency 8—Knowledge of sexual health

  1. Identify key characteristics of sexual development (e.g., infancy, childhood, adolescence, adulthood).

  2. Determine age- and developmentally-appropriate relationship skills throughout life (e.g., friend relationships, dating relationships, intimate relationships; healthy relationships, unhealthy/abusive relationships).

  3. Identify effective research-based strategies for preventing pregnancy.

  4. Identify effective research-based strategies for preventing STIs, including HIV.

Competency 9—Knowledge of nutrition and physical fitness

  1. Identify basic nutrients, food guides, and serving size recommendations.

  2. Analyze the impact of culture on nutrition and exercise.

  3. Describe the relationships between daily food intake, body weight, and physical activity.

  4. Identify the signs, symptoms, and risk factors associated with eating disorders and obesity.

  5. Analyze the benefits of regular physical activity and proper nutrition.

  6. Explain the principles of exercise prescription and fitness assessment.

Competency 10—Knowledge of mental and emotional health

  1. Identify characteristics of positive mental health and emotional intelligence.

  2. Identify mental and emotional health risk factors.

  3. Identify common signs and symptoms of mental and emotional health disorders requiring referral (e.g., self-harming behaviors, suicidal ideation).

  4. Evaluate the impact of mental health disorders on the individual, family, peers, and community.

  5. Identify strategies for prevention and intervention of mental and emotional health disorders.

  6. Identify the psychosocial and physiological effects of stress.

  7. Apply appropriate and effective strategies for stress management.

  8. Identify community and other resources that support and assist healthy mental and emotional development.

Competency 11—Knowledge of substance use, abuse, and dependency and addictive behaviors

  1. Identify risk factors contributing to substance use, abuse, and dependency and addictive behaviors.

  2. Identify protective factors contributing to the prevention of substance use, abuse, and dependency and addictive behaviors.

  3. Recognize signs and symptoms of possible substance use, abuse, and dependency and addictive behaviors.

  4. Identify the effects of substance use, abuse, and dependency and addictive behaviors on all domains (i.e., individual, peer, school, family, community).

  5. Recognize socioeconomic and legal consequences of substance use, abuse, and dependency and addictive behaviors.

  6. Identify research-based resources and strategies for prevention, intervention, and treatment of substance use, abuse, and dependency and addictive behaviors.

  7. Explain the physiological and psychological effects of alcohol, tobacco, drugs, and other substances of abuse.

Competency 12—Knowledge of violence prevention and intervention

  1. Identify types and characteristics of violence.

  2. Determine and assess factors contributing to violent or abusive behaviors.

  3. Differentiate among the characteristics of bullies, victims, and bystanders.

  4. Evaluate the effects of bullying, harassment, and hazing.

  5. Identify effective school- and community-based strategies for the prevention and intervention of violent or abusive behaviors among youth.

  6. Identify relationships between the use of technology and violent or abusive behaviors.

Competency 13—Knowledge of consumer health-related practices and media literacy

  1. Identify criteria and resources for evaluating health information, products, practices, and services.

  2. Compare the relationship between consumer health laws and practices.

  3. Identify emerging and holistic health practices and complementary alternative medicine.

  4. Apply strategies for evaluating media-based health information.

  5. Identify types of media and technology strategies used to influence individual health decisions and community health.

  6. Differentiate strategies for accessing valid health education information, products, and services to enhance health.

Competency 14—Knowledge of community health

  1. Interpret existing data to determine a community’s level of risk and protection.

  2. Analyze how perceptions of norms influence risk-taking and health-enhancing behaviors in a community.

  3. Determine variables that influence the culture and climate of communities.

  4. Determine the accessibility and effectiveness of community resources to address a variety of community health needs.

  5. Evaluate how public health policies and government regulations influence community health.

  6. Analyze the relationships between community health data and policy decisions.

  7. Identify advocacy strategies for personal, family, and community health.

Competency 15—Knowledge of environmental health

  1. Explain interrelationships between human behavior and the environment.

  2. Relate how environmental hazards impact individuals and communities.

  3. Determine ways individuals and the community assume responsibility for developing and maintaining environmental quality.

  4. Identify effective strategies to improve environmental quality.

Competency 16—Knowledge of unintentional injury and safety practices

  1. Identify effective safety practices used in schools, home, community, and recreational settings.

  2. Identify leading causes of unintentional injuries among children, adolescents, and adults.

  3. Identify first aid techniques and procedures, including the use of CPR and an AED.

  4. Identify crisis and emergency management procedures (e.g., hurricane preparedness, fire safety planning, water emergency response).