Why School Employee Wellness (SEW)Programsare Important

More than 6.7 million people are employed by public school systems in the United States – about 3.5 million teachers and 3.2million other employees[1]. This large workforce is charged with one of the nation’s most critical functions—preparing our youth to become successful and productive citizens. When school districts ignore the health of their employees, a valuable asset of the nation’s schools isput at risk. Further, conditions that affect the health of employees also influence the health and learning of students. Protecting the physical and mental health of school employees is integral to protecting the health of students and ensuring their academic success.

What a School Employee Wellness Program Can do

School employee wellness programs can reduce employee health risk behaviors, absenteeism, and escalating costs of health care, as well as identify and correct conditions in the workplace that threaten employee health, reduce their levels of productivity, and impede student success. Healthy employees also become positive role models for their students.

Research has confirmed that school employees who participate in wellness programs are absent from work less, increase their productivity, have lower health care and insurance costs, and have fewer work-related injuries with associated worker compensationand disability claims. School districts that implement employee wellness programs are able to improve morale and retention of current employees as well as recruit prospective employees more easily.

Worksites also benefit financiallyfrom employee wellness programs:

  • Health care costs per person decrease approximately $153 with every decrease in the number of risk factors and increase approximately $350 with every increase in the number of risk factors.[2]
  • For every $1 spent on wellness programs, an average of $3.50 is saved.[3]
  • Employees who participate in wellness programs have lower absenteeism, therefore reducing substitute costs.3

Directors of Health Promotion and Education (DHPE) leads nationwide SEW effort

The Directors of Health Promotion and Education (DHPE)has led the nationwide effort to provide tools and resources for implementing SEW programs since 2004. DHPE, with support from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, has developed a nationally award winning guide entitled School Employee Wellness: A Guide for Protecting the Assets of Our Nation’s Schools. Theguide provides step by step guidance for implementing school employee wellness programs and is available at DHPE has also created an awards program to recognize schools and school districts that demonstrate commitment to the health of their employees by implementing school employee wellness programs. The awards program is based on the nine steps for establishing a school employee wellness program, outlined in School Employee Wellness: A Guide for Protecting the Assets of Our Nation's Schools.

The Benefits of School Employee Wellness Programs

Several school districts have seen benefits from the implementation of school employee wellness programs. A few are highlighted below.

  • Prior to 2004, Polk County School District had shown health care inflation increases from 11%- 25%. Since 2004, increases have been reduced to 2%-6%. -Polk County School Board, Bartow, Florida. [12,500 employees][4]
  • In 2009, health care and insurance costs had one of the lowest rate increases in recent history (6.5%). The number of ER visits declined by 100 visits, resulting in a financial savings of $600,000.

-Marion County School District, Ocala, Florida. [6,000 employees]

  • In 2009, the school district received a decrease in theirhealth insurance premium by 2.5%, and over 2 years has seen a 7% decrease in their substitute costs. -Deforest Area School District, Deforest, Wisconsin [450 employees]
  • The cost of substitute teachers decreased 16% in fiscal year 2010 and health insurance percentage increase stabilized. -Franklin City School District, Franklin, Ohio [352 employees ]
  • A cost-benefit analysis of the district’s wellness programs uncovered that the district saved $15.60 for every dollar spent on wellness programs. In total the employee wellness program saved the district $2.5 mission dollars in a two-year period. – Washoe County School District, Nevada.

To Learn More:

For information school employee wellness programs contactAryka Chapman or202-552-4403

[1] U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics. (2005). Digest of Education Statistics Tables and Figures. Washington, DC: U.S.Department of Education. Website: Retrieved June 14, 2006.

[2] O’Donnell, M.P. (2002). Employer’s financial perspective on workplace health promotion in Health promotion in the workplace, third edition, M.P.O’Donnell, ed. Albany, NY: Delmar.

[3]Whitmer, R.W., Pelletier, K.R., Anderson, D.R., Baase, C.M., and Frost, C.J. (2003). A wake-up call for corporate America.Journal of Occupational andEnvironmental Medicine, 45:9, 916-925.

[4]Directors of Health Promotion and Education (2009-2011). Report of Evaluation Findings from DHPE School Employee Wellness Award Winners.