America’s healthiest schools stand out for enabling students to get regular exercise, building tighter connections with their communities and expanding social-emotional learning. This year’s rankings from the Alliance for a Healthier Generation spotlight the achievements of 781 schools, nearly twice as many as in 2022.
Schools were ranked for their achievements in nine categories:
- Strengthening social-emotional health and learning
- Cultivating staff wellbeing
- Increasing family and community engagement
- Improving nutrition and food access
- Implementing local school wellness policy
- Bolstering physical education and activity
- Enriching health education
- Promoting tobacco-free schools
- Supporting school health services
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Fourteen schools earned “All-Star” distinction for their achievements in all nine topic areas:
- Bridgeport Elementary School (Calif.)
- Budlong Elementary School (Ill.)
- Cedarcreek Elementary School (Calif.)
- Crestwood Steam Magnet School (Calif.)
- Emblem Academy (Calif.)
- James Foster Elementary School (Calif.)
- Lynch Elementary School (Fla.)
- Mountainview Elementary School (Calif.)
- Palmer Elementary School (Ill.)
- Plum Canyon Elementary School (Calif.)
- Ponce De Leon Elem School (Fla.)
- Rosedell Elementary School (Calif.)
- Santa Clarita Elem School (Calif.)
- West Creek Academy (Calif.).
More than 75% of this year’s America’s Healthiest Schools honorees are Title I schools and more than half are majority BIPOC students. “In these challenging times, these awardees are a testament to the critical role schools play in establishing whole health as foundational and essential to learning environments—so that all children may thrive,” said Kathy Higgins, chief executive officer at Healthier Generation.
