A NATIONWIDE STUDY OF HEALTH INSTRUCTIONAL PRACTICES AND THE HEALTH BEHAVIOR OF STUDENTS IN THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS WAS PARTIALLY COMPLETED IN 1963, AT WHICH TIME A COMPREHENSIVE, DESCRIPTIVE VOLUME WAS PUBLISHED. THIS BOOKLET SUMMARIZES THE FINDINGS. SURVEY QUESTIONNAIRES DEVELOPED FOR THE ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY GRADES OBTAINED INFORMATION ON CONTENT AREAS INCLUDED IN HEALTH EDUCATION (HE), DIFFERENCES AMONG DISTRICTS IN CONTENT EMPHASIZED, TOPICS FREQUENTLY OMITTED, TEACHING AND SCHEDULING PRACTICES, AND INSTRUCTIONAL PROBLEMS. GUIDES FOR ACTION IN EACH AREA OF HE ARE INCLUDED. IT IS SUGGESTED THAT--(1) PERIODIC EVALUATIONS BE MADE, (2) BOYS AND GIRLS SHOULD BE TAUGHT TOGETHER, (3) LOCALLY DEVELOPED CURRICULUM GUIDES SHOULD BE UTILIZED WHEN FEASIBLE, AND (4) OPERATIONAL POLICIES SHOULD BE SCRUTINIZED. HEALTH BEHAVIOR ON THREE INVENTORIES FOR RANDOMLY SELECTED SIXTH, NINTH AND TWELFTH GRADE STUDENTS WERE RATED. STUDENTS SCORED BETTER ON HEALTH INFORMATION THAN ON HEALTH PRACTICES. A LIMITATION TO THE STUDY IS THAT INDIVIDUAL HE PROGRAMS ARE NOT EVALUATED. FUTURE RESEARCH MAY COMPARE HE IN SCHOOLS WITH THE HEALTH BEHAVIOR OF STUDENTS AND MAY INVESTIGATE WHETHER GIRLS RECEIVE BETTER HE THAN BOYS. SINGLE COPIES OF THIS PUBLICATION ARE AVAILABLE UPON REQUEST FROM THE DIRECTOR, SCHOOL HEALTH EDUCATION STUDY, 1201 SIXTEENTH STREET, NW, WASHINGTON, D.C. (PR)