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Educating the Student Body
TAbLE 6-4 Factors and Policies That Influence Promotion of Walking or 
Biking to School
Factors
Policies
Sidewalk presence and quality
School speed zone
Crosswalks and crossing guards
Drop-off policy
Funding
No-transport zones
Personal safety concerns
School siting
Advocacy group involvement
School start/dismissal times
Walk-to-school days
School choice
Natural environment
SOURCE: Eyler et al., 2008.
lar school hours and a rise in maternal employment, which have created a 
need to provide children with a safe and adult-supervised environment (U.S. 
Department of Labor, 2005; Afterschool Alliance, 2009). Emerging data 
indicate that more than 8.4 million youth attend after-school programs for 
an average of 8.1 hours per week (Afterschool Alliance, 2009). The After-
School Programs and Activities Survey, a nationally representative survey 
of the 2005 National Household Education Surveys Program (Carver and 
Iruka, 2006), revealed that 40 percent of students in grades K-8 were in at 
least one weekly nonparental after-school care program, 20 percent of which 
were school- or center-based programs. Overall, after-school programs have 
the opportunity to reach large numbers of school-age children. A wealth 
of research and emerging findings demonstrate the benefits of after-school 
programs with respect to academic performance; social and emotional devel-
opment; and health and wellness, including prevention of risky behaviors. 
Public opinion supports the need for after-school programs. In 1999 
the Mott Foundation reported that 94 percent of people believed “there 
should be some type of organized activity or place for children and teens to 
go after school every day” (Afterschool Alliance, 1999, p. 1). The federal 
government also supports after-school programs, especially in low-income 
communities. Funding for the 21st Century Community Learning Centers, 
an after-school program established by the Clinton administration, has 
increased dramatically over the years, from $40 million in fiscal year 1998 
to $1 billion in fiscal year 2002. This grant program supports after-school 
programs in about 7,500 rural and inner-city public schools in more than 
1,400 communities (U.S. Department of Education, 2003). 
Policies That Affect After-School Programs
Despite their popularity, there is an absence of nationally recognized 
standards or policies for promoting physical activity in after-school pro-

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Educating the Student Body: Taking Physical Activity and Physical Education to School
Approaches to Physical Activity in Schools
 
297
grams. Moreover, while some states have taken the initiative to create 
benchmarks, standards and policies are rare, existing in only 70 percent 
of states (Beets et al., 2010). Table 6-5 provides an overview of state-level 
policies, standards, recommendations, and guidelines for physical activity 
in after-school programs. The table shows wide variation. For example, 
policies in North Carolina state that 20 percent of the time in an after-
school program must be spent in vigorous- or moderate-intensity physical 
activity, while in California all children must be engaged in a minimum of 
30 minutes of vigorous- or moderate-intensity physical activity (Beets et al., 
2010). Some standards suggest 30-60 minutes of vigorous- or moderate-
intensity physical activity, while others suggest ‘‘frequent opportunities’’ 
for physical activity or 30 minutes out of a 3-hour block. By comparison, 
one recommendation is to allocate at least 50 percent of program time to 
physical activity (Beighle et al., 2010).
After-school programs can be used to combat physical inactivity and 
obesity while promoting physical activity on school grounds outside of the 
normal school-day hours (Lee et al., 2007; Levi et al., 2009). However, 
national organizations and state entities need to develop appropriate poli-
cies and standards for the implementation of after-school programs whose 
goal is to promote health and physical activity in school-age children. Doing 
so would help promote physical activity among school-age children in these 
settings, aiding them in achieving the recommended levels of daily physical 
activity. However, it is important not only to have such policies in place but 
also to ensure that the policies are being implemented (i.e., accountability). 
Facilitators of and Barriers to After-School Programs
Various factors serve as barriers and facilitators for after-school pro-
grams. The school environment is a facilitator for after-school programs 
because the setting provides for a wide range of activities (Grossman et al., 
2001). Schools are equipped with gymnasiums, libraries, auditoriums, and 
computer labs that provide unique equipment and space. Second, schools 
have immediate access to participants, and their after-school programs 
offer legitimacy for parents who may be hesitant to allow their children to