Findings from the 1994 Missouri School Health Education Profile and the 1995 Missouri Youth Risk Behavior Survey, and the executive summary and key findings of the 1996 School Health Education Profile are here combined. The 1994 profile is based on questionnaires completed by 252 principals and 244 teachers. The 1995 survey reports on information from 4,900 students, and the 1996 profile contains data from 249 principals and 250 teachers. Key findings from the three studies are reported in five categories: influences on health behaviors; support for school health education; amount of classroom instruction; instructional content; and teacher preparation. In each category the report indicates very briefly what research says, status in Missouri, and implications. Among the recommendations for action are the following: (1) increase the involvement of parents, peers, and members of the community; (2) continue providing support for teachers to participate in professional development opportunities; (3) improve the content of school health instruction by using curricula that are developmentally appropriate, skills based, and culturally sensitive; and (4) increase the amount of health education available for grades 11 and 12 through appropriately integrated instruction and reinforcement activities, such as peer education. The 1996 study found improvements in areas recommended in the earlier report, but a decrease in the percentage of secondary schools requiring comprehensive health education and in the percentage of schools using trained peer educators. (MAH)