Health  K to 12  For Testing Beginning 7/1/2026

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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 foundations, theories, principles, and instructional practices of health education 12%
2 Knowledge of personal health concepts, wellness, injury prevention, and safety practices 11%
3 Knowledge of human anatomy and physiology, pathology, and prevention of human diseases and disorders 11%
4 Knowledge of interpersonal relationships related to health 11%
5 Knowledge of reproductive health, benefits of sexual abstinence, nutrition, physical fitness, mental health, and resiliency 13%
6 Knowledge of substance use, abuse, dependency, and other addictive behaviors 11%
7 Knowledge of violence prevention and intervention 11%
8 Knowledge of consumer health-related practices, health literacy, Internet safety, and the effects of social media 10%
9 Knowledge of community and environmental health 10%

Competencies and Skills

Competency 1—Knowledge of the foundations, theories, principles, and instructional practices of health education

  1. Identify and analyze the foundations, philosophies, theories, and models of comprehensive health education and the individual components of effective coordinated school health programs.

  2. Identify and apply state health standards and legislation impacting school health education and services.

  3. Identify and apply instructional strategies to meet the needs of various populations and effective implementation strategies for health education programs.

  4. Identify methods, tools, and strategies for assessing students' progress toward health literacy and overall student learning.

Competency 2—Knowledge of personal health concepts, wellness, injury prevention, and safety practices

  1. Interpret and analyze concepts and components of wellness and the benefits and consequences of personal health practices.

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

  3. Identify leading causes of unintentional injuries among children, adolescents, and adults; and evaluate effective safety practices and procedures used in schools, homes, communities, and recreational settings, including first aid techniques, procedures, the use of an AED, and demonstrating the skills of hands-only CPR.

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

  5. Identify the effects of healthy behaviors (e.g., physical activity, rest, sleep) to improve health and reduce risk.

Competency 3—Knowledge of human anatomy and physiology, pathology, and prevention of human diseases and disorders

  1. Identify the structures and interrelated functions of human body systems and the relationships of anatomy and physiology to health.

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

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

  4. Identify and differentiate among common screenings and diagnostic techniques for prevention or early intervention benefits.

Competency 4—Knowledge of interpersonal relationships related to health

  1. Analyze relationships between families, peers, culture, media, and technology regarding interpersonal health behaviors, including the influence of changing roles, relationships, and socioeconomic factors.

  2. Identify the effects of social media on personal and family health behaviors (e.g., screen time limits, negative effects on mental health, distribution of misinformation).

  3. Identify and apply life skills that build confidence and support health, including leadership, organizational, and research skills.

  4. Identify and apply the effective use of coping skills and the effective use of interpersonal communication skills.

  5. Identify effective community resources that support and assist in healthy social development (e.g., self-awareness, self-management, responsible decision making, conflict resolution, respecting other viewpoints) and resiliency.

  6. Determine age-appropriate and developmentally appropriate relationship skills throughout life (e.g., healthy relationships, familial relationships, friend relationships, dating relationships), and techniques for seeking help when confronted with inappropriate behaviors or violence in interpersonal relationships.

Competency 5—Knowledge of reproductive health, benefits of sexual abstinence, nutrition, physical fitness, mental health, and resiliency

  1. Identify key characteristics of reproductive/sexual development throughout the lifespan (e.g., infancy, childhood, adolescence, adulthood) and effective research-based strategies for preventing pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections, including the benefits of abstinence.

  2. Identify basic concepts around nutrition (e.g., nutrients, food guides, serving size recommendations), the impact of culture on nutrition and exercise, proper nutrition and the signs, symptoms, and risk factors associated with eating disorders and obesity.

  3. Identify basic concepts and the benefits of regular physical activity as it relates to disease prevention and maintaining a healthy lifestyle (e.g., cardiovascular health, physical health).

  4. Identify signs and symptoms of mental health concerns, including those that require immediate action (e.g., self-harming behaviors, suicidal ideation), and strategies for prevention and intervention of mental health concerns, including practicing resiliency skills.

  5. Identify healthy characteristics that reinforce positive core values (e.g., empathy, compassion, safety, respect, personal responsibility) and effective strategies to foster resiliency and manage stress.

  6. Identify school and community health resources (e.g., school counselors, health-care professionals) and the process for accessing assistance.

Competency 6—Knowledge of substance use, abuse, dependency, and other addictive behaviors

  1. Identify risk factors contributing to substance use (e.g., alcohol, marijuana/THC, nicotine, tobacco, vaping, prescription drugs), abuse, dependency, and other addictive behaviors, and the physiological and psychological effects of substance abuse.

  2. Identify protective factors contributing to the prevention of substance use, abuse, dependency, and other addictive behaviors; research-based resources and strategies for prevention, intervention, and treatment; and signs, symptoms, and effects of substance use, abuse, dependency, and addictive behaviors on all domains (e.g., individual, peer, school, family, community).

  3. Identify socioeconomic and legal consequences of substance use, abuse, dependency, and other addictive behaviors.

Competency 7—Knowledge of violence prevention and intervention

  1. Determine and assess factors contributing to violent or abusive behaviors, including the relationships between the use of technology and violent or abusive behaviors.

  2. Differentiate among the characteristics of bullies, victims, and bystanders and evaluate the effects of bullying, harassment, and hazing.

  3. Identify effective school- and community-based strategies for the prevention and intervention of violent or abusive behaviors among youth, including child abuse, exploitation, and human trafficking.

Competency 8—Knowledge of consumer health-related practices, health literacy, Internet safety, and the effects of social media

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

  2. Apply strategies for evaluating media-based health information, including identifying types of communication techniques (e.g., media and technology strategies) used to influence individual and community health decisions.

  3. Analyze and assess Internet safety skills, digital citizenship, and the effects of social media (e.g., maintain personal security, permanency of sharing materials, avoiding and reposting suspicious behavior).

Competency 9—Knowledge of community and environmental health

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

  2. Identify variables that influence community health beliefs, practices, and behaviors.

  3. Determine the accessibility and effectiveness of community resources to address a variety of community health needs and evaluate how public health policies and government regulations influence community health.

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

  5. Explain interrelationships between human behavior and the environment and relate how environmental hazards impact individuals and communities.

  6. Determine ways individuals and the community assume responsibility for developing, maintaining, and improving environmental quality.