The HECAT was developed to assist educators in selecting or developing a health education curriculum to increase positive student behaviors. Improving the health and safety of students through health education yields benefits by increasing students’ readiness to learn and reducing absenteeism.

The HECAT is designed to be used by those responsible for selecting, supervising, developing or using health education curricula for schools. This includes school district administrators and school leadership who select curricula for school districts and supervise educators; curriculum review committees, school educators, or curriculum developers who review or develop curricula; and state or regional education agency staff and community-based organizations who work with schools.

State or regional education agency staff can use the HECAT to inform the development or review of:

• State health education standards or frameworks
• Recommendations for conducting state or local curriculum review
• State-recommended health education curricula

School district administrators, curriculum committees, educators, or staff at community-based organizations can use this tool to:

• Develop new or improve existing health education courses of study, scope and sequence, learning objectives, or curricula
• Guide the selection of curricula available for purchase
• Examine or evaluate curricula currently in use