The State Board of Education has adopted a new Physical Education Framework for California schools. It’s the state’s first standards-based framework in physical education.
“This new framework is an important tool in setting the stage to help our students become more physically active to combat the silent epidemic of childhood obesity,” said Superintendent of Public Instruction Jack O’Connell. “This, in turn, will help them perform better academically and will help us narrow the achievement gap. Studies show a high-quality physical education program helps students develop an active lifestyle, improve health, develop motor skills, and helps their cognitive performance in processing information and applying knowledge.
“However, a high-quality physical education program relies on adequate funding for resources to hire and train great teachers, and to buy physical education equipment and facilities. I am concerned that in the current state budget crisis and the lingering financial challenges facing schools these days that children may miss out on a high-quality physical education program that can enrich their lives.”
The Physical Education Framework is based on the premise that every student’s life can be enhanced through participation in a comprehensive, inclusive, and sequential physical education program.
The framework was developed by a committee of educators, most of whom were from California schools. It provides concrete, real-world examples of what high-quality, standards-based physical education instruction looks like for each grade level.
The PE Framework also gives specific examples for effective planning, instruction, and assessment of the state’s model content standards for physical education. The framework has been received positively by educators and reflects a growing interest in improving physical education instruction.
The framework focuses on creating a learning environment that meets the needs of the learner. Chapters on universal access, instruction, support for high-quality physical education programs and instructional resources all emphasize that every student is entitled to a high-quality physical education program.
These chapters provide administrators and teachers with a vision of and guidance on creating physical education programs that help every student succeed.
To view the Physical Education Framework for California public schools, please visit www.cde.ca.gov/ci/pe/cf/peframwrkdraft.asp.