Promoting healthy and safe behaviors among students is an important part of the fundamental mission of schools, which is to provide young people with the knowledge and skills they need to become healthy and productive adults. Improving student health and safety can: increase students? capacity to learn; reduce absenteeism; and improve physical fitness and mental alertness. The School Health Index is a self-assessment and planning guide that will enable: (1) the identification of the strengths and weaknesses of school policies and programs for promoting health and safety; (2) the development of an action plan for improving student health and safety; and (3) the involvement of teachers, parents, students, and the community in improving school policies, programs, and services. Results from using the School Health Index can help schools include health promotion activities in their overall School Improvement Plan. The School Health Index has two activities that are to be completed by teams in the school: the eight self-assessment modules and a planning for improvement process. The self-assessment process allows members of the school community to come together and discuss what the school is doing to promote good health. After completing the self-assessment process, schools will be able to identify recommended actions they can take to improve performance in areas that received low scores. This document contains step-by-step instructions for the most common approaches taken by schools, when completing the School Health Index, along with a description for instruction. Resources are included at the end of the document. Fact sheets are included in the appendix.