2024 School Health Profiles Frequently Asked Questions for Principals/Teachers
General Questions
What is the School Health Profiles Survey?
Every two years, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) administers a national survey to collect information on health education, physical education and school wellness practices. The Profiles survey seeks responses from school principals and lead health education teachers at the secondary school level. The Office of School Wellness Programs of the New York City Public Schools (NYCPS) administers the Profiles Survey in New York City on behalf of the CDC.
Each school selected to participate is invited to complete two questionnaires – one for the principal and one for the lead health education teacher.
Participation in the School Health Profiles survey is voluntary for schools. However, New York City is required to attain a 70% survey response rate in order to continue to receive further CDC funding. The NYCDOE relies on this information to obtain funding, target resources, plan professional development for school staff, and develop, implement and evaluate policies and practices to improve student health.
Why are some schools asked to participate in School Health Profiles while others are not?
The CDC acknowledges the effort that it takes schools to complete the surveys, and large districts to collect them, so they only require responses from a sub-sample of schools. This year, the CDC randomly selected around 400 middle and high schools across New York City to participate in School Health Profiles. Both principals and lead health education teachers are asked to complete questionnaires.
Survey Instrument
How long are the surveys?
Each questionnaire should take about 20 minutes to complete.
What questions does the Principal Profiles Survey ask?
The survey asks questions about bullying and sexual harassment policies; physical education and physical activity; tobacco-use prevention policies; nutrition-related policies and practices; health services; family and community involvement.
What questions does the Lead Health Teacher Profiles Survey ask?
The survey asks questions about number of health education courses required to graduate, health education materials, required health education topics, collaboration, professional development, and professional preparation.
Survey Participation and Administration
Who can complete the Principal School Health Profiles Survey?
The best respondent for the Principal Profiles Survey is the Principal. However, the principal can delegate their Assistant Principal to help support them in completing the survey. Teachers are not eligible respondents for the Principal Profiles Survey.
Will responses be kept confidential?
Yes. Respondents are never identified either as individuals or by their school name. All respondent answers are reported in an aggregate format only. Survey responses are not used for compliance.
Who can complete the Lead Health Education Teacher Profiles Survey?
The best respondent for the Lead Health Education Teacher Profiles Survey is a school staff member responsible for providing or overseeing health education in the school. The Office of School Wellness Programs uses New York City Public Schools scheduling and licensure data to identify qualified teacher respondents and invite them to complete the Lead Health Education Teacher Profile Survey. Any teacher who receives the survey and feels that they are not qualified to complete the survey should contact their OSWP borough inbox team.
How do I complete the School Health Profiles Survey?
Check your NYCPS inbox for an email from the Office of School Wellness Programs with “CDC School Health Profiles” in the subject line. This email will include a survey link via Alchemer. Click on the link, and it will direct you to the online survey. If you cannot find your link, have any issues with your link, or would prefer to complete a paper version of the survey, please email your borough inbox. If you wish to delegate the completion of the survey to your Assistant Principal or another health teacher, simply forward the link to whomever you delegate.
How can I save my responses and return to the survey later?
Press the “Next” button at the bottom of the survey page that you are currently working on. Pressing the “Next” button saves your survey responses. To return to the survey at a later time, click on the survey Edit Link that will be emailed to you once you begin the survey. This will take you to the last page you completed responses for.
Questions
If you have other questions, please contact your Office of School Wellness Programs Borough team.