The New York State (NYS) Education Department instituted reform in elementary teacher education preparation, affecting all newly certified teachers beginning February 2004. This study investigated the effectiveness of elementary teacher education curricular reforms specific to health education. This study assessed elementary teacher candidates' (ETC) knowledge of school health education requirements in NYS, determined ETC' perceived importance of teaching health education to children as compared to other subject areas (i.e. mathematics, English language arts), identified subjects' perceived importance of teaching specific health topics (i.e. nutrition, HIV/AIDS prevention) and skills (i.e. healthful communication, relationship management, goal setting) to children, and determined their perceived competence in teaching health education content and skills to children. In addition, researchers described how successful completion of an introductory college-level health course influenced subjects' knowledge, beliefs, and competence related to teaching health education to children. Subjects included approximately 100 students pursuing elementary teacher certification who were enrolled in an introductory college-level health course. Students were given a survey to complete at the beginning of the semester (pretest) and then given the same survey (posttest) at the end of the semester. Data analysis consisted of descriptive statistics (i.e. frequency counts and Chi-square test of independence) of the pretest results. Posttest results included data from subjects who successfully completed the introductory health course and consisted of descriptive analysis. In addition, significant differences between mean scores on pretests and posttests in subjects' knowledge, beliefs, and competence related to teaching health education were analyzed using an ANOVA model. Results of this study were used to enhance the knowledge-based related to teacher preparation in elementary and health education. These findings, in general, assessed future elementary teachers' attitudes toward, and willingness to, teach health education to children. These data may help health educators design health education curricular strategies specific to the needs of ETC. In addition, health educators may use these data to advocate for effective health teacher education in college programs that prepare elementary teachers. Furthermore, data provided insight into the effects on ETC' knowledge, beliefs, and competence related to teaching health education to children by providing subjects with health content knowledge. Results from this study will be used as an initial assessment of one college's elementary curricular reform to improve ETCs' preparation in health education. A statewide assessment of elementary curricular reforms specific to health education will follow this initial study.