With the release of "A Nation at Risk" in 1983, Americans focused on the report's declaration of "a rising tide of mediocrity" in the schools, which suggested unacceptable results in the education of America's children and youth. Concurrent to the missives levied at schools' lack of progress with academics and other…

Because public health problems affect schools and communities so pervasively, schools inevitably must alter their mission to act as important service delivery sites for public health services, as well as for some community primary health services. Learning comes easier to healthy children, and health problems interfere with learning.…