Policies to Encourage Physical Activity

In partnership with CDC-DASH and many collaborators, NASBE has developed research-based, best practice model policy language on various school health topics that states, districts, and schools can adopt or adapt for themselves. The points they address were suggested by the CDC's scientifically rigorous school health guidelines, state and local policies, and comments from expert reviewers.

For further explanation of this model policy, see Chapter C (Part I) of Fit, Healthy, and Ready to Learn.

Note: NASBE offers its model policy language free of copyright; courtesy attribution is requested. Users will need to adapt this model policy to fit their state and local education governance structure and established policy format, particularly the phrases in italics.

1.  PURPOSE AND GOALS

INTENT. Every student shall be physically educated - that is, shall develop the knowledge and skills necessary to perform a variety of physical activities, maintain physical fitness, regularly participate in physical activity, understand the short- and long-term benefits of physical activity, and value and enjoy physical activity as an ongoing part of a healthful lifestyle. In addition, staff are encouraged to participate in and model physical activity as a valuable part of daily life.

School leaders shall develop and implement a comprehensive plan to encourage physical activity that includes the following:

• a sequential program of physical education that involves moderate to vigorous physical activity on a daily basis; teaches knowledge, motor skills, self-management skills, and positive attitudes; promotes activities and sports that students enjoy and can pursue throughout their lives; is taught by well-prepared and well-supported staff; and is coordinated with the health education curriculum;
• time in the elementary school day for supervised recess;
• opportunities and encouragement for students to voluntarily participate in before- and after-school physical activity programs, such as intramurals, clubs, and, at the high school level, interscholastic athletics;
• joint school and community recreation activities;
• opportunities and encouragement for staff to be physically active; and
• strategies to involve family members in program development and implementation.

The program shall make effective use of school and community resources and equitably serve the needs and interests of all students and staff, taking into consideration differences of gender, cultural norms, physical and cognitive abilities, and fitness levels.

RATIONALE. Schools have a responsibility to help students and staff establish and maintain lifelong habits of being physically active. According to the U.S. Surgeon General, regular physical activity is one of the most important things people can do to maintain and improve their physical health, mental health, and overall well-being. Regular physical activity reduces the risk of premature death in general and of heart disease, high blood pressure, colon cancer, and diabetes in particular. Promoting a physically active lifestyle among young people is important because:

• through its effects on mental health, physical activity can help increase students' capacity for learning;
• physical activity has substantial health benefits for children and adolescents, including favorable effects on endurance capacity, muscular strength, body weight, and blood pressure; and
• positive experiences with physical activity at a young age help lay the basis for being regularly active throughout life.

DEFINITIONS. For the purposes of this policy:

1. "Extracurricular activities" refers to school-sponsored voluntary programs that supplement regular education and contribute to the educational objectives of the school.
2. "Health-related physical fitness" refers to cardio respiratory endurance, muscular strength and endurance, flexibility, and body composition.
3. "Interscholastic athletics" refers to organized individual and team sports that involve more than one school.
4. "Intramurals" refers to physical activity programs that provide opportunities for all students to participate in sport, fitness, and recreational activities within their own school.
5. "Moderate physical activities" refers to activities that are equivalent in intensity to brisk walking.
6. "Physical education" refers to a planned, sequential program of curricula and instruction that helps students develop the knowledge, attitudes, motor skills, self-management skills, and confidence needed to adopt and maintain physically active lifestyles.
7. "Recess" refers to regularly scheduled periods within the school day for unstructured physical activity and play.
8. "Regular physical activity" refers to participation in moderate to vigorous physical activity for at least 30 minutes per day on most, if not all, days of the week.
9. "Skill-related physical fitness" refers to balance, agility, power, reaction time, speed, and coordination.
10. "Vigorous physical activity" refers to exertion that makes a person sweat and breathe hard, such as basketball, soccer, running, swimming laps, fast bicycling, fast dancing, and similar aerobic activities.

2.  PHYSICAL EDUCATION

ALL STUDENTS ENROLLED. Every student in each grade, pre-kindergarten through twelfth, shall participate in daily physical education for the entire school year, including students with disabling conditions and those in alternative education programs. Students in the elementary grades shall participate in physical education for at least 150 minutes during each school week, and students in middle schools and high schools shall participate for at least 225 minutes per week.

INSTRUCTIONAL PROGRAM DESIGN. Schools shall establish specific learning goals and objectives for physical education. A sequential, developmentally appropriate curriculum shall be designed, implemented, and evaluated to help students develop the knowledge, motor skills, self-management skills, attitudes, and confidence needed to adopt and maintain physical activity throughout their lives. The physical education program shall:

• emphasize knowledge and skills for a lifetime of regular physical activity;
• be consistent with state/district's standards/guidelines/framework for physical education and with national standards that define what students should know and be able to do;
• devote at least 50 percent of class time to actual physical activity in each week, with as much time as possible spent in moderate to vigorous physical activity;
• provide many different physical activity choices;
• feature cooperative as well as competitive games;
• meet the needs of all students, especially those who are not athletically gifted;
• take into account gender and cultural differences in students' interests;
• teach self-management skills as well as movement skills;
• actively teach cooperation, fair play, and responsible participation in physical activity;
• have student/teacher ratios comparable to those in other curricular areas;
• promote participation in physical activity outside of school;
• focus, at the high school level, on helping adolescents make the transition to an active adult lifestyle; and
• be an enjoyable experience for students.

Teachers shall aim to develop students' self-confidence and maintain a safe psychological environment free of embarrassment, humiliation, shaming, taunting, or harassment of any kind. Physical education staff shall not order performance of physical activity as a form of discipline or punishment.

Suitably adapted physical education shall be included as part of individual education plans for students with chronic health problems, other disabling conditions, or other special needs that preclude such students' participation in regular physical education instruction or activities.

ASSESSMENT. All students shall be regularly assessed for attainment of the physical education learning objectives. Course grades shall be awarded in the same way grades are awarded in other subject areas and shall be included in calculations of grade point average, class rank, and academic recognition programs such as honor roll.

HEALTH-RELATED FITNESS TESTING. Health-related physical fitness testing shall be integrated into the curriculum as an instructional tool, except in the early elementary grades. Tests shall be appropriate to students' developmental levels and physical abilities. Such testing shall be used to teach students how to assess their fitness levels, set goals for improvement, and monitor progress in reaching their goals. Staff will maintain the confidentiality of fitness test results, which will be made available only to students and their parents/guardians.

As health-related physical fitness is influenced by factors beyond the control of students and teachers (such as genetics, physical maturation, disabling conditions, and body composition), test results shall not be used to determine course grades or to assess the performance of individual teachers.

EXEMPTIONS. Physical education teaches students essential knowledge and skills; for this reason, exemptions from physical education courses shall not be permitted on the basis of participation on an athletic team, community recreation program, ROTC, marching band, or other school or community activity. A student may be excused from participation in physical education only if: 1) a physician states in writing that specific physical activities will jeopardize the student's health and well-being or 2) a parent/guardian requests exemption from specific physical activities on religious grounds.

TEACHING STAFF. Physical education shall be taught by well-prepared specialists who are certified by the state to teach physical education. All physical education teachers shall be adequately prepared and regularly participate in professional development activities to effectively deliver the physical education program. Preparation and professional development activities shall provide basic knowledge of the physical development of children and adolescents combined with skill practice in program-specific activities and other appropriate instructional techniques and strategies designed to promote lifelong habits of physical activity.

ADEQUATE FACILITIES. School leaders shall endeavor to ensure the cost-efficient provision of adequate spaces, facilities, equipment, supplies, and operational budgets that are necessary to achieve the objectives of the physical education program.

School authorities shall minimize the use of physical education facilities for non-instructional purposes, such as using the gymnasium for school assemblies during times scheduled for physical education classes.

EDUCATIONAL REINFORCEMENT. The physical education program shall be closely coordinated with the other components of the overall school health program. Physical education topics shall be integrated within other curricular areas. In particular, the benefits of being physically active shall be linked with instruction about human growth, development, and physiology in science classes and with instruction about personal health behaviors in health education class.

The physical education program shall actively engage families as partners in their children's education and collaborate with community agencies and organizations to provide ample opportunities for students to participate in physical activity beyond the school day.

3.  EXTRACURRICULAR PHYSICAL ACTIVITY PROGRAMS

EXTRACURRICULAR PHYSICAL ACTIVITIES. Intramural programs, physical activity clubs, and interscholastic athletics are valuable supplements to a student's education. Schools shall endeavor to provide every student with opportunities to voluntarily participate in extracurricular physical activities that meet his or her needs, interests, and abilities. A diverse selection of competitive and noncompetitive, structured and unstructured activities shall be offered to the extent that staffing permits. The primary focus of extracurricular physical activity programs will be on facilitating participation by all interested students, regardless of their athletic ability. Equal opportunity on the basis of gender shall permeate all aspects of program design and implementation. School leaders shall endeavor to accommodate home-schooled children in extracurricular activities on a budget-neutral basis.

Each extracurricular physical activity program sponsored by in-school and non-school organizations shall be approved by whom and be supervised by a faculty advisor. The integrity and purpose of the physical education program shall not be compromised by such extracurricular activities, nor shall they interfere with the regular school schedule.

EXTRACURRICULAR PROGRAM ELIGIBILITY. School authorities should encourage and support the participation of all students in extracurricular activities, yet such participation is a privilege and not a right. Schools/districts may establish and equitably enforce reasonable eligibility requirements and probationary periods for participation in extracurricular activities. Such requirements may be based on:

• appropriate age;
• enrollment status or residency;
• satisfactory academic performance;
• acceptable attendance record;
• good conduct, including abstinence from the use of tobacco, alcohol, and other harmful drugs;
• agreement to testing for substance abuse;
• suitable health status or physical condition;
• other criteria essential to safety and fairness; or
• the specific requirements of particular activities or sports.

Eligibility requirements and appeal procedures shall be published in a regularly updated student activities handbook that is distributed to students and families annually. Students denied permission to participate in an extracurricular activity shall receive a prompt explanation of the reasons, have an opportunity to respond, and be provided with opportunities to reestablish their eligibility.

A student with a chronic health problem or other disabling condition shall be permitted to participate in any extracurricular activity, including interscholastic athletics, if the student's skills and physical condition meet the same qualifications that all other students must satisfy. The school shall make reasonable accommodations to allow the student to participate.

INTRAMURAL PROGRAMS. Elementary, middle, and high schools shall offer intramural physical activity programs that feature a broad range of competitive and cooperative activities and meet the following criteria:

• students have a choice of activities in which they can participate;
• every student has an opportunity to participate regardless of physical ability; and
• students have the opportunity to be involved in the planning, organization, and administration of the program.

INTERSCHOLASTIC ATHLETICS. High schools shall offer interscholastic athletic programs that shall adhere to the rules and regulations of appropriate state or local leagues, associations, or conferences. All coaches, whether volunteer or employed by school/district, shall comply with the policies, regulations, rules, and enforcement measures codified in a regularly updated coach's handbook.

Administrators, coaches, and other staff shall model sportsmanlike attitudes and behaviors. Student athletes shall be taught good sportsmanship, such as treating opponents with fairness, courtesy, and respect, and shall be held accountable for their actions. School authorities should evict spectators who do not handle themselves in a sportsmanlike way.

Partnerships between schools and businesses are encouraged, and business sponsorship of athletic teams shall be duly acknowledged. Nevertheless, advertising or other promotional activities supported by commercial interests are not permitted on public school grounds.

REQUIRED RECORDS. The parents or legal guardians of students who choose to participate in intramural programs, interscholastic athletics, or school-linked community recreation programs shall be informed in writing of potential risks associated with a given activity. Schools must keep documentation on file for each participating student that includes:

1. a statement signed by the student's parent/guardian granting permission for the student's participation;
2. emergency contact information for the student's parents/guardians and health care providers;
3. a thorough health appraisal (physical examination) certifying the student's fitness to participate that is appropriate to the activity or sport, conducted within the past 12 months, and signed by a licensed physician;
4. proof of current accident or health insurance coverage; and
5. a release signed by a parent/guardian that absolves the school or district from liability for injuries that may result from participation in school-sponsored physical activities unless negligence on the part of staff or coaches is proven.

FEES. Schools may establish reasonable fees for extracurricular activities and/or interscholastic athletic programs. Students from families who are documented to be financially disadvantaged shall be promptly granted waivers on a confidential basis upon written parental request.

STAFFING. All intramural programs, physical activity clubs, and athletic teams shall be supervised by qualified staff, who may or may not be certified teachers.

Intramural and athletic program staff shall satisfactorily complete courses or other professional development programs that address:

• child and adolescent physical development;
• sports-related injury prevention and safety guidelines;
• infection control procedures;
• first aid and cardiopulmonary resuscitation techniques;
• promotion of healthy student behaviors; safe and unsafe methods for youth weight management and conditioning; and
• how to provide students with experiences that emphasize enjoyment, sportsmanship, skill development, confidence building, and self-knowledge.

Intramural and athletic program staff shall also have satisfactorily completed a supervised probationary period and must regularly participate in relevant staff development programs.

VOLUNTEER ATHLETIC AIDES. Family members and other adult volunteers are encouraged to become involved with extramural or athletic activities. All volunteers shall receive orientation about relevant state, district, and school policies, procedures, and standards of conduct and may be subject to background and reference checks. Volunteer athletic aides shall satisfactorily complete training that addresses, at a minimum:

• basic child and adolescent physical development;
• sports-related injury prevention and safety; and
• first aid and cardiopulmonary resuscitation.

4.  OTHER OPPORTUNITIES FOR PHYSICAL ACTIVITY

RECESS IN ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS. Recess provides opportunities for physical activity, which helps students stay alert and attentive in class and provides other educational and social benefits. School authorities shall encourage and develop schedules that provide time within every school day for preschool, kindergarten, and elementary school students to enjoy supervised recess. Every school shall have playgrounds, other facilities, and equipment available for free play. Recess shall complement, not substitute for, physical education classes. Staff shall not deny a student's participation in recess or other physical activity as a form of discipline or punishment, nor should they cancel it for instructional makeup time.

SCHOOL/COMMUNITY COLLABORATION. Schools shall work with recreation agencies and other community organizations to coordinate and enhance opportunities available to students and staff for physical activity during their out-of-school time.

Schools are encouraged to negotiate mutually acceptable, fiscally responsible arrangements with community agencies and organizations to keep school- or district-owned facilities open for use by students, staff, and community members during non-school hours and vacations. School policies concerning safety shall apply at all times.

STAFF PHYSICAL ACTIVITY. The school/district shall plan, establish, and implement activities to promote physical activity among staff and provide opportunities for staff to conveniently engage in regular physical activity.

5.  SAFETY GUIDELINES

RESPONSIBILITY FOR SAFETY. Minimizing injuries and illnesses related to physical activity is the joint responsibility of everyone: district and school leaders, school staff, students, and their families.

HEALTH AND SAFETY RULES. Schools shall establish rules and procedures concerning safety, infection control, provision of first aid, and the reporting of injuries and illnesses to students' families and appropriate school and community authorities. School administrators shall strictly and consistently enforce compliance with these rules and procedures by all students, school personnel, volunteers, and community members who use school facilities. Students and their families shall be informed of their school's health and safety rules at least annually.

Schools shall require students to use protective clothing and equipment appropriate to the activity and the environment, which will be maintained in good condition. Physical education teachers, coaches, and other athletic personnel and volunteers shall protect students from the effects of extreme weather conditions and endeavor to minimize the amount of exposure to the sun students receive during physical activities.

SAFE FACILITIES. Play areas, facilities, and equipment used for physical activity on school grounds shall meet accepted safety standards for design, installation, and maintenance. Spaces and facilities shall be kept free from violence and exposure to environmental hazards. All spaces, facilities, and equipment used by students and spectators to athletic events shall be thoroughly inspected for health and safety hazards on a regularly scheduled basis, at least twice per year. Written inspection reports shall be kept on file for 10 years. Schools shall correct any hazards before the facilities or equipment may be used by students, staff, or community members.

SUPERVISION. Student physical activity on school grounds during school hours shall be supervised to enforce safety rules and prevent injuries. Supervision shall be by adults trained in first aid, cardiopulmonary resuscitation, and infection control who have easy access to appropriate first aid supplies. Records shall be kept of all injuries and analyzed at least annually so that patterns of causes can be determined and steps can be taken to prevent further injuries.

Supervising adults shall be informed of any relevant medical guidance on file with the school concerning limits on the participation of individual students in physical activity. Such information will be treated with strict confidentiality.

SUBSTANCE USE. School staff and other athletic personnel shall never condone, and must actively discourage, any student use of drugs, steroids, or hormones to enhance appearance or athletic performance. Coaches and athletic trainers shall encourage young people to maintain a healthy diet; practice healthy weight management techniques; and abstain from using tobacco, alcohol, and other drugs.

Existing policies that prohibit drug possession and use shall fully apply to the use or possession of steroids, hormone treatments, and other performance-enhancing drugs. Established policies on student medications shall apply to student consumption or possession of dietary supplements while on school grounds.