Health education addresses the knowledge and skills for both reducing risk behaviors and increasing actions and habits that promote wellness. A major component of comprehensive school health education is parental and family involvement. Parents and families are their children's first and continuing teachers and they influence the health decisions that are made by their children. Family and community involvement is important in the planning of appropriate health education and in strengthening health lessons and skills development. Schools have historically worked side by side with families and communities to promote acceptable standards of conduct and the attributes that foster them, such as civility and being responsible for one's actions.
Health education occurs in relation to many contextual factors.
Health sometimes involves sensitive topics that may have cultural, economic, genetic, or religious implications. Of note, Massachusetts public schools must notify parents before implementing curriculum that involves human sexuality. The approach of the Health Framework is to encourage each district to work with family and community members in the development and implementation of the health education curriculum in the schools of that district.