School Health Advisory Council

• The school board shall create a School Health Advisory Council (SHAC) as defined in Texas Education Code (TEC), Chapter 28, Section (SEC) §28.004.

• The SHAC assists the district to ensure that local community values are reflected in the district's health education instruction.

• The SHAC provides guidance to the district on coordinated school health programming (curriculum) and its impact on student health and learning.

• The board of trustees shall appoint at least five members to SHAC.

• A majority of members must be parents of students enrolled in the district, and not Hutto ISD employees.

• One of the parent members must be chair or co-chair.

• Board of Trustees may also appoint one or more members from the following groups:

  • District employed teachers

  • District employed counselors

  • District employed school administrators

  • District students

  • Health care professionals

  • Business community

  • Law enforcement

  • Senior citizens

  • Clergy

  • Nonprofit health organization

  • Local domestic violence program

  • Or a representative from a group other than a group listed above

SHAC makes policy recommendations to the school board on a wide variety of issues regarding student health in district programming and curriculum, including:

• Recommend the number of hours of instruction to be provided in:
  • K-8 health education; and
  • if the school district requires health education for high school graduation, health education, including physical health education (9-12), and
  • mental health education (9- 12);
     
• Recommend policies, procedures, strategies, and curriculum appropriate for specific grade levels designed to prevent

  • Physical health concerns (includes obesity, cardiovascular disease, and Type 2 diabetes), and

  • Mental health concerns (including suicide)

through coordination of health education (physical and mental), school health services, mental health services; physical education and physical activity; a comprehensive school counseling program (under Section 33.005), parental involvement, a safe and healthy school environment, instruction on substance abuse prevention, and school employee wellness. 

• Recommend strategies for integrating health curriculum components in a coordinated school health program for the district; if feasible, joint use agreements or strategies for collaboration between the district and community organizations or agencies;
   
• Recommend strategies to increase parental awareness regarding
  • risky behaviors and early warning signs of suicide risks and behavioral health concerns, (including mental health disorders and substance use disorders) Tex. Educ. Code § 28.004(c).
     
• Recommend appropriate grade levels and methods of instruction for human sexuality instruction.
   
• Recommend appropriate grade levels and curriculum for instruction regarding
  • Opioid addiction and abuse and methods of administering an opioid antagonist (as defined by Section 483.101, Health and Safety Code)
  • Child abuse
  • Family violence
  • Dating violence
  • Sex trafficking, (including warning signs that a child may be at risk for sex trafficking) Tex. Educ. Code § 28.004(c)(3), (c)(8).
     
• SHAC recommendations must not conflict with required Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) curriculum.

*see More Sources for Guidance section below for more information

The local SHAC must submit an annual written report to the school board that includes:

• any SHAC recommendation concerning the school district's health education curriculum and instruction;

• any suggested modification to a SHAC recommendation previously submitted to the board;

• a detailed explanation of the SHAC's activities during the period between the date of the current report and the date of the last prior written report; and

• any recommendations made by the physical activity and fitness planning subcommittee of the SHAC.

TSHAC has developed a PowerPoint presentation template to assist SHACs with their annual report to the board. This template may be downloaded from the TSHAC website at the following web address: School Health Advisory Committee: Resources (texas.gov)

TEC §28.004

• TEC Sec. § 28.004. LOCAL SCHOOL HEALTH ADVISORY COUNCIL AND HEALTH EDUCATION INSTRUCTION