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TAbLE 2-4 Continued

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Copyright © National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved.
Educating the Student Body: Taking Physical Activity and Physical Education to School
74
T
A
b
LE 2-5
T
rends in State Physical Education Policies for Elementary
, Middle, and High Schools
SY 
2006-07 
(%)
SY 
2007-08 
(%)
SY 
2008-09 
(%)
SY 
2009-10 
(%)
SY 
2010-11 
(%)
SY 
2011-12 
(%)
PE Addressed in State Policy
a
Elementary 
94
96
96
96
98
98
Middle 
94
96
96
96
98
98
High 
92
96
98
98
98
98
Clear PE Curriculum in All Grades
b
Elementary 
59
61
61
63
63
63
Middle 
55
57
59
61
61
61
High 
41
41
45
47
47
49
T
ime Requirement of 
≥
150 minutes/week of PE
c
Elementary 
10
12
10
10
10
10
T
ime Requirement of 
≥
225 minutes/week of PE
d
Middle 
2
2
2
2
2
2
High 
2
4
2
2
2
2
PE Promotes a Physically Active Lifestyle
e
Elementary 
57
61
67
73
75
73
Middle
57
61
67
73
75
73
High
57
61
67
73
75
73
PE Competency Assessment
f
Elementary 
55
59
65
71
73
73
Middle 
55
59
65
71
73
73
High 
53
57
63
69
71
71
PE Courses or Credits Required for Graduation and/or 
Count T
oward GP
A
High 
73
78
78
78
80
80
All Students Required to Receive Daily PE 
Elementary 
4
6
6
6
6
6
Middle 
4
6
6
6
6
6
High 
2
4
4
4
4
4
Teacher
-Student Ratio for PE Specific and Required
Elementary 
8
8
8
8
10
10
Middle
8
8
8
8
10
10
High 
8
8
8
8
10
10
Safe/Adequate PE Equipment and Facilities Specified 
and Required
Elementary 
2
2
2
2
2
2
Middle 
4
4
4
4
4
4
High 
2
2
4
4
4
4
PE Required to Be T
aught by Qualified Instructors
g
Elementary 
14
16
18
20
24
25
Middle 
16
20
20
22
25
28
High 
12
16
18
20
24
25
District Required to Provide T
raining for PE Instructors
h
Elementary 
2
2
4
4
6
6
Middle 
2
2
2
2
4
4
High 
2
2
2
2
4
4
PE W
aivers Prohibited
i
Elementary 
6
6
8
8
8
8
Middle 
6
6
6
6
6
6
High 
6
6
6
6
6
6
School Districts May Apply for W
aiver from State-Level 
PE Requirement
Elementary 
N/A
N/A
2
2
2
N/A
Middle 
N/A
N/A
2
2
2
N/A
High 
N/A
N/A
2
2
2
N/A
Students Required to Participate in an Annual Health 
Assessment
j
Elementary 
2
0
0
0
0
4
Middle 
2
0
0
0
0
2
High 
2
0
0
0
0
2
NOTE: GP
A = grade point average; N/A = not available; PE = physical education; SY = school year
.
a
Definitely addressed; any mention of PE.

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Copyright © National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved.
Educating the Student Body: Taking Physical Activity and Physical Education to School
 
75
T
A
b
LE 2-5
T
rends in State Physical Education Policies for Elementary
, Middle, and High Schools
SY 
2006-07 
(%)
SY 
2007-08 
(%)
SY 
2008-09 
(%)
SY 
2009-10 
(%)
SY 
2010-11 
(%)
SY 
2011-12 
(%)
PE Addressed in State Policy
a
Elementary 
94
96
96
96
98
98
Middle 
94
96
96
96
98
98
High 
92
96
98
98
98
98
Clear PE Curriculum in All Grades
b
Elementary 
59
61
61
63
63
63
Middle 
55
57
59
61
61
61
High 
41
41
45
47
47
49
T
ime Requirement of 
≥
150 minutes/week of PE
c
Elementary 
10
12
10
10
10
10
T
ime Requirement of 
≥
225 minutes/week of PE
d
Middle 
2
2
2
2
2
2
High 
2
4
2
2
2
2
PE Promotes a Physically Active Lifestyle
e
Elementary 
57
61
67
73
75
73
Middle
57
61
67
73
75
73
High
57
61
67
73
75
73
PE Competency Assessment
f
Elementary 
55
59
65
71
73
73
Middle 
55
59
65
71
73
73
High 
53
57
63
69
71
71
PE Courses or Credits Required for Graduation and/or 
Count T
oward GP
A
High 
73
78
78
78
80
80
All Students Required to Receive Daily PE 
Elementary 
4
6
6
6
6
6
Middle 
4
6
6
6
6
6
High 
2
4
4
4
4
4
Teacher
-Student Ratio for PE Specific and Required
Elementary 
8
8
8
8
10
10
Middle
8
8
8
8
10
10
High 
8
8
8
8
10
10
Safe/Adequate PE Equipment and Facilities Specified 
and Required
Elementary 
2
2
2
2
2
2
Middle 
4
4
4
4
4
4
High 
2
2
4
4
4
4
PE Required to Be T
aught by Qualified Instructors
g
Elementary 
14
16
18
20
24
25
Middle 
16
20
20
22
25
28
High 
12
16
18
20
24
25
District Required to Provide T
raining for PE Instructors
h
Elementary 
2
2
4
4
6
6
Middle 
2
2
2
2
4
4
High 
2
2
2
2
4
4
PE W
aivers Prohibited
i
Elementary 
6
6
8
8
8
8
Middle 
6
6
6
6
6
6
High 
6
6
6
6
6
6
School Districts May Apply for W
aiver from State-Level 
PE Requirement
Elementary 
N/A
N/A
2
2
2
N/A
Middle 
N/A
N/A
2
2
2
N/A
High 
N/A
N/A
2
2
2
N/A
Students Required to Participate in an Annual Health 
Assessment
j
Elementary 
2
0
0
0
0
4
Middle 
2
0
0
0
0
2
High 
2
0
0
0
0
2
NOTE: GP
A = grade point average; N/A = not available; PE = physical education; SY = school year
.
a
Definitely addressed; any mention of PE.
continued

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Copyright © National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved.
Educating the Student Body: Taking Physical Activity and Physical Education to School
76
T
A
b
LE 2-6
T
rends in State Policies Related to Physical Activity for Elementary
, Middle, and High Schools 
SY 
2006-07 
(%)
SY 
2007-08 
(%)
SY 
2008-09 
(%)
SY 
2009-10 
(%)
SY 
2010-11 
(%)
SY 
2011-12 
(%)
Moderate to V
igorous Physical Activity Addressed 
but Is Less Than 50% of T
ime Spent in PE
a
Elementary 
16
18
24
25
31
29
Middle 
12
12
14
14
20
18
High 
10
10
10
12
18
16
At Least 50% of T
ime Spent in PE Must Be Devoted 
to Moderate to V
igorous Physical Activity
Elementary 
0
0
0
0
0
0
Middle 
0
0
0
0
0
0
High 
0
0
0
0
0
0
Physical Activity Goals Specified
b
Elementary 
35
37
39
41
45
47
Middle 
27
27
33
35
35
35
High 
24
24
27
29
29
29
Physical Activity Outside of PE for Every Grade Level
c
Elementary 
16
16
20
22
24
24
Middle 
10
8
10
12
12
10
High 
8
6
6
6
6
4
Specific Amount of T
ime for Required Physical Activity
Elementary 
n/a
n/a
14
16
18
20
Middle 
n/a
n/a
6
8
8
8
High 
n/a
n/a
2
2
2
2
Physical Activity Opportunities Provided Throughout 
the Day
d
Elementary 
2
2
2
2
2
2
Middle 
2
2
2
2
2
2
High 
2
2
2
2
2
2
Physical Activity Not to Be Used as Punishment
e
Elementary 
4
4
4
4
4
2
Middle 
4
4
4
4
4
2
High 
4
4
2
2
2
0
Daily Recess Required and Specified
Elementary 
6
6
8
10
12
10
NOTE: n/a = variable not added until SY 2008-2009; PE = physical education; SY = school year
.
a
Any of the following: suggested, duration is not specified, or duration is less than 50% of class time.
b
Includes goals for physical activity that are designed to promote student wellness in a manner that the local education agency 
determines is 
appropriate.
c
Clear that each grade will receive physical activity outside of physical education.
d
Not including recess. Either of the following is required: regular physical activity throughout the school day or training for 
teachers in activities 
that incorporate physical activity throughout the day
.
e
Prohibits using extra or restricted physical activity as a punishment, with exceptions for individualized academic plans or 
individualized education 
plans.
SOURCE: Bridging the Gap, 2013a. Reprinted with permission.
b
Clear that district has a PE curriculum/program for each grade (e.g., policy describes a general PE curriculum/program for 
“K-12,” “all levels,” or 
“all students”), or clear that PE program is provided for “K-12,” “all levels,” or “all grades,” and time requirements are 
mentioned (without using 
the word “curriculum”).
c
Or requires schools to follow National Association for Sport and Physical Education (NASPE) standards or the standards of the 
American 
Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance (AAHPERD) (which embeds NASPE).
d
Or requires schools to follow NASPE standards or the standards of the AAHPERD.
e
Requires PE to teach lifetime activities, or requires schools to follow NASPE standards or the standards of AAHPERD, or 
focuses on self-assess
-
ment through a Fitnessgram
®
or Activitygram
®
.
f
Specifies competency assessment: requires a competency assessment or assessment of knowledge, skill, or practice as part of 
the PE curriculum.
g
Requires that PE be taught by a licensed instructor
, or requires schools to follow NASPE standards or the standards of the AAHPERD.
h
Provision of PE training is required for PE teachers. If PE-specific training is provided for a broader set of staff or 
teachers, it is assumed that PE 
teachers are included and will receive training as well.
i
Prohibits substituting other activities, including physical activities, for PE. 
j
Type of assessment is specified and required, assessment is annual, and a positive approach to communicating results is 
mentioned.
SOURCE: Bridging the Gap, 2013a. Reprinted with permission.