Massachusetts association for health, physical education, recreation and dance Inc.

• Health and physical education teaches lifelong healthy habits
• Physical movement is improved through kinesthetic learning and
  gross motor development
• Intellectual development is enhanced by the mind-body
  connection
• Social and emotional skills are strengthened through
  intrapersonal and interpersonal development with improved
  judgement and decision making, improved self-confidence and
  self-esteem, goal setting and self-responsibility, and peer
  relationships

• The grade-level outcomes of the National Physical Education
  Standards
• The Massachusetts Youth Risk Behavior Survey :
  The YRBS was developed by the Centers for Disease Control
  and Prevention to monitor priority health risk behaviors that
  contribute to the leading causes of death, disease, injury, and
  social problems among youth.
  It is conducted randomly in selected public high schools in
  every odd-numbered years
• The needs/interests of students in the various school districts of the
  Commonwealth

Today’s physical education is vastly different then the experiences many of us had in
school!

Quality physical education programs ensure that all K-12 students have:

• Opportunities to Learn
• Meaningful Content
• Developmentally Appropriate Instruction
• Student and Program Assessment
• Standards-Based Curriculum

Quality physical education provides the opportunity for all students to develop the
knowledge and skills needed to lead healthy and physically active lifestyles.

• In MA, it is law that students participate in physical education in all
  grades K-12 (Chapter 71: Section 3)
• Recommended minute requirement for physical education in all
  grades
• 150 minutes per week – elementary
• 225 minutes per week – secondary
• Full inclusion of all students K-12
• Waivers and exemptions are not allowed K-12.
• Licensed physical educators are a necessity in every school
• Licensed Adapted Physical Educator in every school district

• Substitutions for physical education should not be not allowed
• Physical education and athletics are two separate and distinct
  programs (Differences Between PE and Athletics)
• Class sizes in each district need to be equitable to other subjects
• Exercise should never be used as punishment
• Questions parents should ask in regards to a quality physical
  education program: Parental Questions

The National Health Education Standards are intended to:

• Guide the development of health education curricula, instruction,
  and assessment for PreK–12 students.
• The performance expectations are designed to progressively
  challenge students at appropriate age and development levels.

The health education curriculum should reflect the National Health Education Standards and K-12 students should be taught that:

• Functional health knowledge is critical to help establish, manage, and maintain healthy and safe
  behaviors.
• Analyzing positive and negative influences is an essential life skill critical to establish, manage, and
  maintain healthy and safe behaviors
• Health literacy is essential to promoting health, preventing disease, leading a safe and healthy
  lifestyle, and achieving overall wellness.
• Interpersonal communication is an essential life skill critical to help establish, manage, and
  maintain healthy and safe behaviors.
• Decision making is an essential life skill critical to help establish, manage, and maintain healthy and safe behaviors
• Learning to set and reach goals can also help students prioritize what is most important to them and work meaningfully to achieve these important priorities.
• Observable health and safety practices can be seen and measured in a classroom or school setting.
• Advocacy skills are essential for providing equitable health opportunities for all.

*National Health Education Standards: Model Guidance for Curriculum and Instruction 3rd Edition

The National Health Education Standards are intended to:

• A comprehensive health curriculum should be
  -research- based
  -taught with instructional practices which engage students in learning (i.e. skills-
  based)
  -use assessments that measure student growth, knowledge and health-related skill
  development
• Health education should be required in all grades K-12
• Licensed health educators are a necessity in every school
• Full inclusion of all students K-12
• Class sizes in each district need to be equitable to other subjects

• National Health Education Standards- 3 rd Edition~ National
  Consensus on Health Education
• National Physical Education Standards-SHAPE America
• MA Youth Risk Behavior Survey
• MA School Laws-Chapter 71: Section 3