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Educating the Student Body
As an untested area, student assessment in physical education has been 
conducted on many indicators other than learning outcomes. As reported 
in a seminal study (Hensley and East, 1989), physical education teachers 
base learning assessment on participation (96 percent), effort (88 percent), 
attitude (76 percent), sportsmanship (75 percent), dressing out (72 percent), 
improvement (68 percent), attendance (58 percent), observation of skills 
(58 percent), knowledge tests (46 percent), skills tests (45 percent), poten-
tial (25 percent), and homework (11 percent). These data, while several 
years old, show that most learning assessments in physical education fail to 
target relevant learning objectives such as knowledge, skills, and physical 
activity behavior. The development of teacher-friendly learning assessments 
consistent with national and/or state standards is sorely needed. 
Fitness assessment in the school environment can serve multiple pur-
poses. On the one hand, it can provide both teacher and student with 
information about the student’s current fitness level relative to a criterion-
referenced standard, yield valid information that can serve as the basis for 
developing a personal fitness or exercise program based on current fitness 
levels, motivate students to do better to achieve a minimum standard of 
health-related fitness where deficiencies exist, and possibly assist in the 
identification of potential future health problems. On the other hand, 
an overall analysis of student fitness assessments provides valuable data 
that can enable teachers to assess learner outcomes in the physical educa-
tion curriculum and assess the present curriculum to determine whether 
it includes sufficient fitness education to allow students to make fitness 
gains throughout the school year. Fitness assessment also provides a unique 
opportunity for schools to track data on students longitudinally. The ulti-
mate goal of assessing student fitness in the school environment should be 
to educate students on the importance of maintaining a physically active 
lifestyle throughout the life span. 
When administering fitness assessments in the school setting, cau-
tion is essential to ensure confidentiality of the results. The results 
and their interpretation should be shared with students and parents/ 
guardians to have the greatest impact. To ensure the greatest benefits 
from fitness assessment, NASPE (2010) developed a position statement on 
“Appropriate Uses of Fitness Measurement.” Table 5-1 outlines appropri-
ate and inappropriate practices related to fitness testing in schools and 
other educational settings.
When fitness assessment becomes part of a quality physical education 
program, teaching and learning strategies will guide all students to acquire 
the knowledge and skills necessary to maintain and improve their personal 
health-related fitness as part of their commitment to lifelong healthy life-
styles. Teachers who incorporate fitness education as a thread throughout 
all curricula will make the greatest impact in engaging and motivating 

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Educating the Student Body: Taking Physical Activity and Physical Education to School
Approaches to Physical Education in Schools
 
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