School Health Advisory Councils

In English: School Health Advisory Council: a Guide for Texas School Districts

En Espanol: Consejo Consultivo de Salud Escolar: Guia para los Distritos Escolares de Texas

A School Health Advisory Council (SHAC) is a group appointed by the school district to serve at the district level. Members of the SHAC come from different areas of the community and from within the school district. The majority of members must be parents who are not employed by the district. Texas law (Texas Education Code, Title 2, Subtitle F, Chapter 28, Subchapter A, §28.004) requires the establishment of a SHAC for every school district. SHACs are required to meet at least four times each year. 

SHACs assist the districts in ensuring that local community values are reflected in health education instruction. Additionally, SHACs play an important role in strengthening the connection between health and learning. They can help parents and community stakeholders reinforce the knowledge and skills children need to stay healthy for a lifetime. 

View the resources below for information about starting, running, and maintaining a SHAC. 

Legislation

House Bill 18 - Relating to consideration of the mental health of public school students in training requirements for certain school employees, curriculum requirements, counseling programs, educational programs, state and regional programs and services, and health care services for students and to mental health first aid program training and reporting regarding local mental health authority and school district personnel.  

House Bill 1525 – Relating to updated procedures in recommending human sexuality instruction curriculum and changes in meeting requirements to include posting a notice of the meeting, recording the meeting, and posting minutes to school district website.   

Senate Bill 9 (Special Session) – Relating to updated procedures in recommending child abuse, family violence, dating violence, and sex trafficking curriculum.   

Senate Bill 11 - Relating to policies, procedures, and measures for school safety and mental health promotion in public schools and the creation of the Texas Child Mental Health Care Consortium.

Senate Bill 435 - Relating to recommendations by local school health advisory councils regarding opioid addiction and abuse education in public schools.

Getting Started

• CDC - Whole School, Whole Community, Whole Child Model
• Community Tool Box - A Model for Getting Started
• TSHAC Sample Documents

Assembling a Committee

• Community Tool Box - Recruiting Volunteers 

Drafting Bylaws

• Robert Rules of Order Bylaw Development
• Community Tool Box - Writing Bylaws

Meetings

• Seven Steps to Running the Most Effective Meeting Possible

Parliamentary Authority

• Parliamentary Procedures Meetings Tips and Myths
• Parliamentary Procedures Summary
• Simplified Handbook of Parliamentary Procedure

Strategic Planning

• 10 Keys to Strategic Planning for Nonprofit and Foundation Leaders
• Community Tool Box - Developing and Using Strategic Action Plans
• Community Tool Box - Developing Strategic and Action Plans
• Community Tool Box - VMOSA (Vision, Mission, Objectives, Strategies, Action Plan)
• Strategic Planning: From Mundane to Meaningful
• 20xx-20xx Texas School Advisory Committee Work Plan

Working with School Boards

• 8 Characteristics of Effective School Boards
• How Schools Work and How to Work with Schools

Agendas

• DIY Committee Guide - Running Effective Meetings
• How to Design an Agenda for an Effective Meeting   

External links to other sites are intended to be informational and do not have the endorsement of the Texas Department of State Health Services. These sites may not be accessible to people with disabilities.