Online Program

Education as a Determinant of Health


John B. King, PhD, Office of the Deputy Secretary, US Department of Education, Washington, DC

Education is a predictor of lifetime earnings, social standing, social and economic resources, working conditions, health behaviors, and life expectancy. Poor educational attainment is a burden consistently borne by certain groups in the US population such as low income, tribal and other racial/ethnic minority population groups. With racial and ethnic minorities become the majority population groups in a few decades, the potential consequences of these inequities on the country’s economic outlook and overall well-being are likely to increase in scale and impact. The purpose of this presentation is to share key ongoing initiatives by the US Department of Education to close achievement gaps and wrap services around individuals to ensure their educational success.

Learning Areas:

Public health or related public policy

Learning Objectives:
Describe 1-2 ongoing strategies used by the US Department of Education to close achievement gaps for low income and underserved populations. Identify 1-2 intersections between achievement and health.

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I am the Senior Advisor Delegated Duties of Deputy Secretary of Education at the U.S. Department of Education, a position I assumed in January 2015. In this role, I oversee a broad range of management, policy, and program functions.
Any relevant financial relationships? No
