California
Association for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance (CAHPERD)
(916) 922-3596 Mike
Heffernan heffmj@aol.com
Poor Fitness Results for 2002
Do Not Surprise Physical Education
Community
The 2002 physical fitness test
results released today by the California Department of Education showed just
a 1% improvement over results for 2001 for California's 5th, 7th,
and 9th graders. "This
is not surprising" said Mike Heffernan, president of the California Association
for Health, Physical Education, Recreation, and Dance. "We continue to see our school decision
makers place physical education and physical activity at the bottom of priority
lists for schools despite the fact that physical education is mandated by
California Education Code." The
2002 physical fitness test results saw just 24 % of the states students meet
minimum standards for health related fitness. "These results show that we have significant information
to warrant a crisis. For the
second straight year, less than one quarter of our students in California
have met minimum fitness standards" Heffernan said.
"Many of our schools are so focused on just a few components of
a quality education that they fail to address student needs in the area of
physical activity. This includes the physical education instructional
program and the time during the day set aside for physical activity such as
recess and breaks. Last month, in a study released by the California Department
of Education we saw that the relationship between fitness and academic achievement
is significant. Our schools need
to be addressing all of the factors that affect achievement, including physical
fitness."
Heffernan cited the importance
of physical education programs for children in grades K-12. "Children are guaranteed physical
education programs in our schools that teach knowledge, skills, and provide
successful experiences so they can understand the importance of, and develop
the skills to be physically active for the rest of their lives."
"We've seen health experts across the nation express concern for the raging epidemic of childhood and adolescent obesity and yet our schools have failed to fully utilize systems that we already have in place. Public school students are mandated by California law to receive 200 minutes of physical education every 10 school days when they are in elementary school, yet very few California students do." Heffernan said. "This study, by the California Department of Education, suggests that a renewed focus on the delivery of quality physical education during those mandated 200 minutes in elementary school could go a long way to assist learning during those developmental years. Our schools must address all factors that affect achievement".
This emphasis should not
require new funding sources in this bleak budget year, because funding for
physical education and health programs is allocated annually to each school
district in the state through the general fund. Physical education proponents decry the tendency of school
districts to channel funds to other uses and neglect physical education
programs, and have called on school superintendents and school boards to
remember the importance of physical fitness when trying to improve achievement
at all schools, while noting the impact this could have at schools designated
as low-performing, where we find a preponderance of the lowest academic and
fitness test scores.
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