Comprehensive School Physical Activity Programs

The National Association for Sport and Physical Education (NASPE) recommends that all PK-12 schools implement a Comprehensive School Physical Activity Program.

Schools play an important role in public health, and the physical, mental, and social benefits of regular physical activity for youth are well documented. Leading public health, medical, and educational organizations, including NASPE, have made important physical activity recommendations for school-aged youth (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 1997; Kaplan et al., 2005; NASBE, 2000; Pate et al. 2006; U. S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2000). These recommendations are for children to accumulate at least 60 minutes of physical activity on all or most all days of the week. (CDC, 2001; CSMF/CSH, 2006; Kaplan et al.,2005; Pate et al.,2006; NASPE, 2004; Strong et al., 2005; U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2004). In addition to physical activity recommendations, most of these agencies and organizations also include calls for schools to assume strong leadership roles in the education and promotion of physical activity among children (CDC, 1997; Kaplan et al., 2005; Pate et al., 2006; USDHHS, 1996; WHO, 2001). Conclusions drawn from the results of the 2006 School Health Policies and Programs Study (SHPPS) conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention include the need to implement a comprehensive approach at the state, district, and school levels to enhance physical education and physical activity in schools (Lee et al. 2007).

In 2004, federal legislation (PL 108-265) was passed which required all districts with federally funded school meal programs to develop and implement wellness policies by the beginning of the 2006-07 school year. The Child Nutrition and WIC Reauthorization Act of 2004 directs school districts to set goals for physical activity, nutrition education, campus food provision, and other school-based activities designed to encourage student wellness. Furthermore, districts are required to engage a wide range of individuals in policy development and to have a plan for measuring policy implementation. Implementation of these wellness plans should result in an increase in school-based opportunities for physical activity.

A Comprehensive School Physical Activity Program (CSPAP) encompasses physical activity programming before, during, and after the school day. NASPE recommends that a CSPAP include: quality physical education; school-based physical activity opportunities; school employee wellness and involvement; and family and community involvement.

Quality Physical Education

Quality physical education serves as the foundation of the CSPAP. According to NASPE (2004), a quality physical education program includes:

• Daily physical education (at least 150 minutes per week for elementary, and 225 minutes per week for middle/high school)

• A curriculum that meets the National Standards for Physical Education

• Student assessment aligned with instruction

• A certified physical education teacher providing meaningful content through standards-based instruction

• A pupil-teacher ratio equivalent to that in the classroom context

• Adequate equipment to promote maximum practice time

Research shows that quality physical education programs can contribute to students’ regular participation in physical activity (Fairclough & Stratton, 2005; Luepker et al.,1996; Morgan, Beighle, Pangrazi, in press; NASPE, 2003; Sallis, McKenzie, Alcaraz, Kolody, Faucette, & Hovell, 1997), and can increase student participation in moderate to vigorous physical activity (CDC, 2001). Quality physical education is at the core of a CSPAP because of its role in helping students gain the knowledge and skills to become proficient movers and participants in a lifetime of physical activity (Baranowski et al., 1997; NASPE, 2004). Within the CSPAP, certified physical educators not only teach physical education classes, but also serve as physical activity leaders in their schools and promote physical activity both within and beyond the regular school day.

School-based Physical Activity Opportunities

Along with physical education classes, students need physical activity opportunities throughout the school day to meet the recommended minimum requirements of at least 60 minutes of physical activity each day. These physical activity opportunities are not to take the place of physical education, but rather supplement physical activity time accumulated during physical education class, and use the skills and knowledge learned in physical education to successfully be physically active.

During the school day, children and youth need a "break" from sedentary activities in the classroom. Physical activity breaks meet this need and can increase individuals’ daily physical activity levels. Integrating physical activity programs in the school day has not been shown to decrease academic achievement. In fact, in some cases it may even enhance academic performance (Dywer, 1983; Sallis, McKenzie, Kolody et al., 1999; Shephard, LaVallee, Volle, LaBarre, & Beaucage, 1994; Shephard, 1997). Sedentary classroom activities

should be interspersed with bouts of physical activity, and when possible have movement integrated into the academic content. Classroom physical activity helps to mediate often cited barriers to learning such as inattentiveness and misbehavior (Mahar et al., 2006; Pelligrini et al., 1995).

For elementary school students, recess can be utilized to provide opportunities for students to accumulate meaningful amounts of physical activity (Beighle, Morgan, Le Masurier, & Pangrazi, 2006; Jago & Baranowski, 2004; Johns & Ha, 1999; Mota et al., 2005; Ridgers & Stratton, 2005). NASPE’s position statement on Recess for Elementary School Students states that all elementary school children should be provided with at least one daily period of recess for a minimum of 20 minutes, and provides information on the importance of recess for a child’s physical, social, and academic development (NASPE, 2006). In middle and high schools, students might spend free time, such as during lunch or study hall, participating in "drop in" physical activity sessions. For example, students might visit a supervised fitness center or check out a pedometer to monitor steps walked on campus during an unencumbered period.