NEDA TOOLKIT for Educators
School strategies for assisting students with
eating disorders
Teachers, administrators, and staff
• Develop a student assistance program (SAP)
and protocol, if one is not already in place (see
sample SAP information form), for students,
faculty, and staff to channel nonacademic
concerns about a student. This should create
an appropriate pathway that adheres to
the local laws and regulations governing
communications among teachers/parents/
students/outside healthcare.
• Designate a subgroup (of at least two
members) of the SAP to learn about eating
disorders and share their knowledge and
expertise with other school personnel and
plan an in-service, if possible. This should
include learning about effective strategies
for identifying, preventing and supporting
students with eating disorders.
When assembling the subgroup,
consider including the school nurse,
school psychologist, guidance
counselor, and other individuals
who are well-situated for early
identification of disordered eating in
students. • If a full training program is not possible, plan
some time at a faculty meeting to discuss
eating disorders or hand out basic information
to staff on signs and symptoms of eating
disorders, addressing concerns with students
and/or parents, and coach and teacher tip
sheets. • Create specific guidelines on referrals for
students suspected of having an eating
disorder. Be prepared to refer students and
families to appropriate local counseling
resources and medical practitioners who are
familiar with eating disorders, if available. Also
obtain options for individuals with limited or no
insurance coverage.
• Update school anti-harassment and anti-
discrimination policies to ensure they include
provisions about physical appearance and
body shape. Ensure that a protocol is in place
for students to report teasing, bullying, or
harassment based on weight or appearance.
Consequences for bullying behavior should
be clearly outlined and communicated to
students. • Decide which staff will take responsibility for
monitoring and communicating changes in
a student’s well-being through appropriate
channels to concerned parties (and in
accordance with confidentiality, laws, and
SAP protocols). That teacher or staff person
should take on the role of “checking in” with
the student each week for a few minutes to
see how he/she is. This may involve an informal
chat during lunch, recreation time, or before or
after school as appropriate.
• Use checklists of typical physical, social,
behavioral, and psychological signs and
symptoms of eating disorders to facilitate
monitoring changes that could signal
progression to a more serious condition so that
a student can be referred to specialist support
as warranted.
• Work towards the elimination of student
weighing and BMI measurements in health,
PE, and other classes. If you can’t, make it a
policy not to weigh students publicly or in
close proximity to fellow students. Consider
eliminating weigh-in policies for sports
programs as well.
• Advocate for a wide range of tasty and
nutritious foods in school cafeterias, and
vending machines with a variety of snacks and
beverages. • Consider offering a community outreach
program on eating disorders; invite experts in
your area to speak on the topic.
• Review posters/books/materials in the school
to ensure they include a broad variety of body
shapes, sizes, and ethnicities.
• Ensure that students of all sizes are encouraged
to participate in school activities such as band,
cheerleading, student government, theater
groups, etc. Ensure that students are not
typecast by appearance in drama roles.
Page | 17