School‐Based Health Centers and Academic Performance: Research, Challenges, and Recommendations

Abstract

School-based health centers (SBHCs) provide physical and mental health services on school campuses to improve student health status, and thereby potentially facilitate student academic success. With a growing emphasis on school accountability and the simultaneous dwindling of resources at the federal, state, and local levels, SBHCs face increasing pressures from school administrators and funders to document their impact on student academic achievement. This article reviews the methods, findings, and limitations of studies that have examined the relationship between SBHCs and academic performance. It also describes methodological challenges of conducting and interpreting such research, and discusses factors and intermediate variables that influence student academic performance. Recommendations are offered for SBHC researchers, evaluators, and service providers in response to the pressure they are facing to document the effect of SBHC services on academic outcomes.

The school‐based health center as a resource for prevention and health promotion

“…Alternative school students who used the services of an SBHC were twice as likely to stay in school and graduate as students who did not use the center (McCord et al, 1993). Geierstanger and Amaral (2005) cautioned that although there is evidence that SBHCs have a positive impact on academic variables for students, many of the studies that document the connection between SBHCs and academic outcomes are based on small sample sizes. Further research is necessary to better understand the contribution of SBHCs to academic success.…”

“…SBHCs have long been recognized as having a positive effect on these salient factors of enhanced academic outcomes (Shaw, Kelly, Joost, & Parker-Fisher, 1995). The following summary of academic outcome indicators is derived in part from the excellent review article by Geierstanger, Amaral, Mansour, and Walters (2004), supplemented by additional studies reported in the literature on SBHCs.…”

“…One important role that school psychologists can play is assisting SBHCs in developing program evaluation strategies to better document their impact on academic variables. Geierstanger et al (2004) provided school psychologists with useful guidance about the issues and problems that must be considered in developing effective program evaluation strategies.…”

Exploring relationships between school-based health clinics and academic performance in elementary school-aged children

“…Weismuller et al [9] described the effect of school nurse interventions on decreasing the rate of student absenteeism because of their increased interaction with students who are absent from school and by giving health guidance to the students. In similar vein [16] found that there is a strong correlation between student attendance (including absenteeism and tardiness) and SBHCs. Students are more likely to attend school if there is an SBHC available, because this provides a margin of health safety and security for the students.…”

“…Students are more likely to attend school if there is an SBHC available, because this provides a margin of health safety and security for the students. It provides them with resources to utilize when they have health concerns, especially on days that they become ill [16].…”