Start Date: November 2024

ID #: 82567

Principal Investigator: Marlene Schwartz, PhD

Organization: University of Connecticut

Funding Round: HER Round 14

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The aim of this project is to update and synchronize two measures: the Wellness School Assessment Tool (WellSAT), which is a quantitative measure of written district wellness policies, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s School Health Index (SHI), which is a self-report measure of school-based practices. The WellSAT and SHI are the leading measures in the field, and both due for an update based on the state of the science. The current study is a joint effort between the CDC and UConn to update the WellSAT and SHI simultaneously in order to create coordinated measures that reflect the Whole School, Whole Child, Whole Community (WSCC) framework.  To update the WellSAT WSCC, the team will (a) analyze over 5,000 policies that have been coded on either WellSAT 3.0 or WellSAT WSCC; (b) review the literature; (c) survey content area experts; (d) survey practitioner users; and (e) pilot test and establish interrater reliability. CDC and UConn will meet monthly to synchronize the WellSAT and SHI as they are both being updated in 2025. They will improve the wellsat.org website based on a published usability study and interviews. Key updates include allowing multiple coders from one district; incorporating SHI scores into the platform; providing updated guidance with the scorecard from the Collaboratory for School and Child Health; allowing users to compare their scores to national averages; and an improved visual design and interface.

Resource Type: Grant Summary

State: National

Focus Area: School & After School

Keyword: School wellness policies

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