Frequently Asked Questions

What Health Science courses will satisfy the Health graduation requirement and where can I find this documented?

For all three graduation plans, Introduction to Health Science Technology (if it is taught for one credit), Health Science Technology I, or Health Science Technology II will satisfy the graduation requirement for health. The TEKS for Health should be integrated into the appropriate Health Science course the district selects as satisfying the Health graduation requirement.

There is no "one statement", but the rule can be found in 19 TAC Chapter 74. Subchapter B. Graduation Requirements 74.11(d)(8) Health Education - one-half credit of Health 1 or Advanced Health, or Health Science Technology - one credit. This statement is also found in the Recommended High School Program in 74.12 (b)(7)and the Distinguished Achievement Program in 74.13 (a)(1)(G)

Are HSTE teachers, supposed to cover every HSTE TEKS? What about the Health TEKS?

Yes, effective September 2003, districts must cover all the TEKS in all courses (including enrichment). When students take either Intro to HSTE (for 1 full credit), HSTE I, or HSTE II, the student satisfies their Health graduation requirement (they do not get 1/2 credit for Health).  All the TEKS for Health must be covered. If you use the curriculum materials on the CD-ROM or the web site for HSTE I, then you will be covering all the Health TEKS as well as the HSTE TEKS. http:// www.texashste.com Look under course guides, then HSTE I and you will see all the units of study and TEKS for Health and HSTE identified.

Does HSTE II count as an advanced credit or upper level course? In other words will students get the additional 10 points that they get in an AP class? What about HSTE I?

This is a local district decision since TEA does not make honors or advanced credit designations for any courses (except AP or IB).

Should students who take HST 2 or HST 3 and have the class for 2 hours everyday for the whole school year, get 2 grades for the classes? I know they get 2 credits but shouldn't they also get 2 grades?

In Texas public schools, students receive one grade for a course, regardless of the number of hours in class or the number of credits they earn. You might be trying to relate high school to college when a student takes a lecture and lab component (i.e. Physics). in this situation, two grades are earned, one for the lecture class and one for the lab component.

What is the recommended number of students to be supervised in clinical experiences? I want to protect my nursing license as well as provide my students with positive clinical experiences.

In Texas there is no recommended number of students to be supervised in clinical experiences. This number should be decided / negotiated when the Clinical Affiliation Agreements are made between the school district and health care facility. Because each community and health care facility is different across the state, each partnership must collaborate and decide on a safe number for a safe clinical experience. This is often determined by the extent of “hands-on” experience the students have. Obviously students having more “hands-on” than “observation only” will require closer supervision.

I have a question about the difference between clinical nutrition and nutrition and food science. We offer the nutrition and food science course already and now are going to offer clinical nutrition as a local tech prep class. Does a science teacher need to teach the clinical nutrition class or do you think there is a way to allow our nutrition and food science teacher to teach it?

The TEKS for Clinical Nutrition and Nutrition and Food Science have a somewhat different focus. Nutrition and Food Science focuses on healthy choices, balanced diets, food management, and career preparation. Clinical Nutrition focuses on assessment of patient’s nutritional needs and therapeutic diets (i.e. for those in Cardiac Rehab, GI disorders, cancers, etc) and is intended as an advanced preceptorship course for Health Science students. Only Health Science Technology certified teachers can teach the Clinical Nutrition. Science certified teachers are not approved to teach the Clinical Nutrition course.

I want to report my students who receive a certification. Where is it reported—my PEIMS person had never heard of such a thing! Is that only for students who received a CNA through the school program, or can it include students who got a job working at the nursing home and got their CNA there (they were recruited through my class, but I don't have the advanced class who take CNA this year)?

Certifications are reported on Schedule 4h of the Annual Application (for Perkins Funds). Districts report the number of students that actually gained certification….irregardless of how they obtained it.

What Health Science courses can be taken for science credit?

There are four Health Science courses that earn science credit: Anatomy & Physiology of Human Systems, Scientific Research & Design, Medical Microbiology, and Pathophysiology.

Who is certified to teach the Health Science courses for science credit?

Either state certified Science or Health Science teachers may teach the four Health Science courses for science credit. (Reference: SBEC)

Are there any Health Science courses that satisfy the research component of the Distinguished Achievement Program?

Either the Scientific Research & Design or Health Science Technology Independent Study courses can satisfy the research-based component of the DAP.

If a certified Science teacher teaches a Health Science course, will the course still draw weighted funding?

Yes, weighted funding applies to all Career and Technology courses.

Is it permissible for the students to carpool to clinical rotation sites? If so, what type of documentation or permission slips would be required?

How students travel to Clinical Rotation is totally a district decision. Some districts require students to ride a school bus to and from unpaid work-based learning, some districts allow students to travel on their own to unpaid work-based learning sites, some allow carpooling, while others do not. You will have to check with your district policies to see what is allowed. If your district allows carpooling, they should already have the policies in place, and you must follow those. Usually districts require parents to sign a liability release form if students can travel on their own…and that travel release describes if carpooling is allowed or not.

I have a student in HST II who is four months pregnant who cannot receive the required immunizations necessary to do the clinical rotations. Is it acceptable for her to remain at the school to do “book work” while the class is at unpaid work-based learning? It has also been suggested that she while the class is at unpaid work-based learning she go to a class on Child Development where she would go to our onsite daycare. I am not sure is we would be in state compliance or what course she would receive her credit in.

While staying at school and doing “book work” is not an appropriate work-based learning experience, certainly having experience at the onsite day care is an appropriate site when the student is in HST II. If the student spends the classroom time in HSTE, the credit would be for HSTE. If the student spends the classroom time in Child Development, the credit would not be in HSTE.

Is there a sample written test for the HOSA veterinary assisting competition?

There are no sample tests for the HOSA Competitive Events Program. A suggestion is to use the listed references and the Test Plan in the Event Guidelines as a tool for studying.

Do I have to pay for all the students that I register by the deadline for the HOSA conference or only the students who actually attend?

The reason for early registration is to schedule judges and facilities; therefore, the students need to make a commitment. Registration fee MUST be paid whether the student attends or not.

If a student caused an incident that could end up in a legal situation for the hospital, the teacher would be blamed and could possibly lose their nursing license. Is this correct?

For Health Science teacher certification, a health professions license is required. Liability is certainly a shared responsibility between the clinical sites, the health care professionals serving as mentors, the Health Science teacher, school district, student and parents. While there is no assurance against a lawsuit, nor is there a likelihood that a lawsuit would happen. To my knowledge, there has never been a lawsuit against a Health Science student or teacher. Liability insurance should always be a requirement for students in any hands-on work based learning program. Because teachers are placing students in their clinical sites and preparing them for that clinical experience, they are partners in that liability. As licensed healthcare professionals, the potential for liability exists and as such could involve their professional license. There should be an appropriate screening process for students that are placed in clinical sites. It is recommended that at least HST I be a prerequisite for any work based clinical experiences so the student has adequate preparation before being assigned to a clinical site. Since the teacher is representing the district while supervising work based learning experiences, the teacher must feel confident that the student can be trusted in a professional clinical environment. Although the potential for a lawsuit always exists, the risk is minimal and should not be a deterrent to providing students with valuable hands-on clinical experiences so they can make wise health career choices!

I teach Anatomy and Physiology at a school where there are no other HSTE courses offered. Our course outline lists A&P as a HSTE class; however, credit is being given as a science elective. Do we have to implement the full program to issue any HSTE credits?

You are correct, when the State Board approved the TEKS, Anatomy & Physiology of Human Systems was approved as a Health Science Technology course for science elective credit. The TEKS were written by a team of teachers from the science and health science TEKS writing teams. Because there is only one PEIMS number for A&P, there is only one credit. (There are also three other courses with this same designation: Microbiology, Pathophysiology, and Scientific Research and Design.) It is a local decision which courses are taught, so there are no requirements for districts to offer any other health science courses. Since the State Board in May removed the Option I, II, III designations from the graduation plans, all elective credit courses in any combination for this graduation credit requirement. The HSTE curriculum can be found on the http://www.texashste.com web site. There are wonderful labs developed for the Micro and Patho and A&P courses. There is also curriculum for Scientific Research &Design. You can also request a copy of the HSTE CD-ROM, although it has all the same materials as on the web site.

Do you have a Question you would like answered? Submit your question to reneek@unt.edu.