West Virginia Department of Education
Division of Teaching and Learning
Office of Secondary Learning
Executive Summary
2013-14 Health Education Assessment Project (HEAP)
W.Va. State Code §18-2-9b (2005): The State Board shall prescribe a standardized health
education assessment to be administered within health education classes to measure student
health knowledge and program effectiveness.
In 2002-03, the West Virginia Department of Education first planned and implemented a statewide paperpencil assessment of health education (Health Education Assessment Project-HEAP). Since 2006, HEAP has
been conducted yearly using an online platform as required in the WVBE Policy 2520. Currently, HEAP is
housed in the West Virginia Education Information System (WVEIS) and managed by the Office of Secondary
Learning.
Regional School Wellness Specialists continue to conduct HEAP training workshops, send letters, emails and
information packets to principals and health teachers of all eligible schools. Instructions on administering
HEAP are posted on the WVDE HEAP webpage, distributed to health teachers by the wellness specialists, and
emailed using the health education teacher listserv.
HEAP is comprised of questions taken from the State Collaborative on Assessment and Student Standards
Health Education Assessment Project (SCASS-HEAP). They were selected based on the extent to which they
aligned with the WV K-4 Wellness and 5-12 Health Education Content Standards and Objectives (CSOs). The
assessments for all grade levels were inclusive of questions in the health education content areas of nutrition,
physical activity, growth and development, alcohol and other drugs, and tobacco. Grade 6 contained injury
prevention questions and Grade 8 and High School assessments contained mental health questions.
All West Virginia schools with 6th grade, 8th grade, and/or high school students are required to administer the
HEAP annually to those grades (WVBE Policy 2520.5). A total of 38,438 students of 61,121 enrolled in the
three grades* completed HEAP, a decrease of 22 from the 38,460 students who took the assessment the
previous year. Although all eligible schools were expected to administer the HEAP during the 2013-14 school
year, 156 out of 197 schools with 6th grade (79%), 146 out of 176 schools with 8th grade (89%), and 105 out of
116 high schools (91%) elected to participate.
* Taken from the 2013-14 Second Month Enrollments for 6th, 8th, and 10th grades
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Demographics for 6th Grade HEAP
6th Grade
2006-07
2007-08
2008-09
2009-10
2010-11
2011-12
2012-13
2013-14
44/55
(80%)
38/55
(69%)
48/55
(87%)
50/55
(91%)
48/55
(87%)
54/55
(98%)
52/55
(95%)
53*/55
(96%)
Schools/Percentages That Tested
103
(47%)
110
(51%)
116
(58%)
133
(67%)
127
(64%)
158
(81%)
154
(77%)
156
(79%)
Student Enrollments in Selected Grades
21,111
20,421
20,386
20,735
20,572
21,070
20,605
20,757**
Students/Percentage Completing Test
5,151
(24%)
5,475
(27%)
9,022
(44%)
10,802
(52%)
10,211
(50%)
12,572
(60%)
12,220
(59%)
12465
(60%)
Number/Percentage of Participating
Counties
Number of Schools Eligible
197
* Counties with no schools participating (Monroe, Upshur )
** Taken from 2nd Month Enrollment
Percentages of Correct Responses for 6th Grade HEAP
2002-03
2006-07
2007-08
2008-09
2009-10
2010-11
2011-12
2012-13
2013-14
Average
Alcohol/Other Drugs
76
79
78
76
77
77
74
74
74
76
Growth & Development
65
81
74
73
73
74
76
76
76
74
Injury Prevention
90
93
92
91
92
93
91
91
92
91
Nutrition
72
62
65
65
64
66
66
66
66
66
Physical Activity
76
79
77
76
76
77
76
76
76
77
Tobacco
74
69
69
68
68
69
68
66
69
69
Total HEAP %
77
77
76
75
75
76
75
75
74
76
6th Grade
State HEAP Results for 6th Grade
2013-14
2012-13
2011-12
Tobacco
Physical Activity
2010-11
Nutrition
2009-10
Injury Prevention
Growth & Development
2008-09
Alcohol/Other Drugs
2007-08
2006-07
2002-03
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
2
70
80
90
100
Demographics for 8th Grade HEAP
8th Grade
2006-07
2007-08
2008-09
2009-10
2010-11
2011-12
2012-13
2013-14
41/55
(75%)
46/55
(84%)
48/55
(87%)
50/55
(91%)
51/55
(93%)
55/55
(100%)*
54/55
(98%)
53*/55
(96%)
Schools/Percentages That Tested
83
(45%)
93
(55%)
119
(65%)
131
(72%)
126
(70%)
150
(85%)
156
(90%)
146
(89%)
Student Enrollments in Selected Grades
21,469
21,440
21,197
20,423
20,389
20,709
20,435
20,432**
Students/Percentage Completing Test
4,481
(21%)
6,138
(29%)
9,177
(43%)
10,582
(52%)
10,577
(52%)
12,883
(62%)
12,641
(62%)
12,663
(62%)
Number/Percentage of Participating
Counties
Number of Schools Eligible
176
* Counties with no schools participating: Monroe, Pendleton
** Taken from 2nd Month Enrollment
State HEAP Results for 8th Grade
8th Grade
2002-03
2006-07
2007-08
2008-09
2009-10
2010-11
2011-12
2012-13
2013-14
Average
Alcohol/Other Drugs
57
79
78
61
62
63
60
59
60
65
Growth & Development
70
81
74
75
76
76
75
76
76
75
Mental Health
65
93
92
72
73
74
*
71
70
76
Nutrition
60
62
65
63
63
63
62
62
61
62
Physical Activity
76
79
77
77
78
77
76
75
75
77
Tobacco
65
69
69
65
66
67
66
65
65
66
66
77
76
69
70
70
68
68
68
70
Total HEAP %
Percentages of Correct Responses for 8th Grade HEAP
2013-14
2012-13
2011-12
Tobacco
2010-11
Physical Activity
Nutrition
2009-10
Mental Health
2008-09
Growth & Development
Alcohol/Other Drugs
2007-08
2006-07
2002-03
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
3
80
90
100
Demographics for High School HEAP
High School
2006-07
2007-08
2008-09
2009-10
2010-11
2011-12
2012-13
40/55
(73%)
51/55
(93%)
48/55
(87%)
49/55
(89%)
51/55
(93%) *
53/55
(96%)*
54/55
(98%)
Schools/Percentages That Tested
69
(55%)
88
(72%)
98
(81%)
89
(74%)
91
((77%)
102
(89%)
102
(84%)
105
(91%)
Student Enrollments in Selected Grades
24,163
23,000
23,508
21,719
22,579
20,284
20,226
19,932**
grade 10
Students/Percentage Completing Test
6,876
(28%)
10,775
(47%)
12,064
(51%)
11,386
(52%)
12,092
(54%)
14,187
(70%)
13,577
(67%)
14,412
(72%)
Number/Percentage of Participating
Counties
2013-14
53*/55
(96%)
Number of Schools Eligible
116
* Counties with no schools participating (Hancock, Pendleton)
** Taken from 10th Grade 2nd Month Enrollment
State HEAP Results for High School
High School
2002-03
2006-07
2007-08
2008-09
2009-10
2010-11
2011-12
2012-13
2013-14
Average
Alcohol/Other Drugs
67
73
62
67
69
69
69
69
66
68
Growth &
Development
70
79
77
67
75
75
74
74
74
74
Mental Health
49
76
74
66
66
66
*
71
65
67
Nutrition
72
74
61
67
72
72
71
71
69
70
Physical Activity
67
69
71
71
64
65
65
65
66
67
Tobacco
64
73
66
67
66
66
68
67
67
67
65
74
69
66
69
69
69
70
68
69
Total HEAP %
Percentages of Correct Responses for High School HEAP
2013-14
2012-13
2011-12
Tobacco
2010-11
Physical Activity
Nutrition
2009-10
Mental Health
2008-09
Growth & Development
2007-08
Alcohol/Other Drugs
2006-07
2002-03
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
4
70
80
90
Demographics for Totals of 2006-2014 HEAP
6th, 8th and High School
2006-07
2007-08
2008-09
2009-10
2010-11
2011-12
2012-2013
2013-14
Number/Percentage of Participating
Counties
42
(76%)
45
(83%)
48
(87%)
50
(91%)
54
(99%)
55/55
(100%)
55/55
(100%)
55/55
(100%)
Number of Schools with 6th and/or 8th
187*
Student Enrollments in Selected Grades
66,743
65,61
65,091
64,709
63,540
62,063
61,266
61,121
Students/Percentage Completing Test
16,508
(25%)
22,388
(34%)
30,263
(46%)
32,770
(51%)
32,880
(52%)
39,642
(64%)
38,460
(63%)
38,438
(63%)
*Taken from 2nd Month Enrollment
State HEAP Results for Combined Grades
Content Area
2002-03
2006-07
2007-08
2008-09
2009-10
2010-11
2011-12
2012-13
2013-14
Average
Alcohol/Other Drugs
Growth &
Development
Injury Prevention
Nutrition
Physical Activity
Tobacco
67
72
70
68
69
70
68
67
66
69
68
77
76
73
75
75
75
75
75
74
90
68
73
68
93
67
75
71
92
66
73
67
91
66
71
65
92
66
73
67
92
67
73
67
91
66
72
68
91
66
72
66
92
65
72
67
92
66
73
67
Mental Health
57
75
71
68
70
70
69
71
68
69
Percentages of Correct Responses for Combined HEAP
2013-14
2012-13
2011-12
Mental Health
2010-11
Tobacco
Physical Activity
2009-10
Nutrition
2008-09
Injury Prevention
Growth & Development
2007-08
Alcohol/Other Drugs
2006-07
2002-03
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
5
70
80
90
100
Conclusion:
County superintendents, county instructional leaders, county testing coordinators, county School Wellness
Council chairs and school principals will receive a report with county, school and state scores. Results will also
be posted on the WVDE Health and Wellness HEAP website. http://wvde.state.wv.us/healthyschools/HEAP.htm
Information from this report should be used for the continuous improvement of health education programs
and related professional development. County school systems are encouraged to review the HEAP data for
their county schools and determine needs related to improving participation as well as performance. Counties
may employ a variety of strategies to improve in both of these areas including but not limited to: professional
development for health teachers covering technology, test data analysis, curriculum mapping and instructional
strategies; support from technology integration specialists to improve skills for on-line test administration; and
support from county testing coordinator to assure compliance with HEAP requirements.
The WVDE Office of Secondary Learning and the eight Regional Education School Wellness Specialists are
available to assist county school systems with the following:
 training for HEAP administration
 analysis of trend HEAP data
 utilization of HEAP data to plan targeted professional development for health educators
 coordination of health education professional development
Note: Selected response items used in the HEAP are just one tool used to measure student progress. In order
to determine student mastery of the Health Education Content Standards and Objectives, multiple forms of
assessments should be used. Therefore, the Office of Secondary Instruction will continue to design
professional development offerings using HEAP data and provide teachers with a variety of instructional
strategies that include performance assessment materials that can be used in their classrooms.
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