Adoption of Comprehensive School Physical Activity Programs: A Literature Review

Abstract

P-12 physical education (PE) has evolved significantly over the last several decades, with one of the most important changes occurring recently with the inclusion of PE as a core academic subject (Society of Health and Educators [SHAPE America], 2015c). Well-designed PE programs have been acknowledged as having the unique potential to address student learning in all three of Bloom's domains (psychomotor, cognitive, and affective; National Association for Sport and Education [NASPE], 2011; SHAPE America, 2015a), but PE did not become a validated core subject until the recent 2015 revision of the federally legislated Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), a designation long since desired in the field (SHAPE America, 2015c).The advancement of a holistic approach emphasizing the education and health of students began in the late 1980s with the promotion of the Coordinated School Health Program model by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The model identifies schools as essential agencies of change in youth health behaviors (Wechsler, McKenna, Lee, & Dietz, 2004) and includes eight components known to strongly influence student health, with PE serving as one of the components (Allensworth & Kolbe, 1987). In 1991, Sallis and McKenzie published the seminal paper Physical Education's Role in Public Health, highlighting the vital potential contribution of schools and PE in addressing the nationwide concerns related to childhood obesity and physical inactivity.In response to this critical national concern, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (USDHHS, 2008) introduced the first set of approved guidelines addressing physical activity (PA): the 2008 Activity Guidelines for Americans. The guidelines recommend that children and adolescents engage in at least 60 min of moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA) daily. To further convey the importance of increasing PA opportunities, NASPE (2008) released a position statement recommending that all P-12 schools implement a Comprehensive School Activity Program (CSPAP). A CSPAP should include (a) quality PE (QPE), (b) PA during school, (c) PA before and after school, (d) school employee wellness and involvement, and (e) family and community involvement.The National Activity Plan (NPAP Alliance, 2010) includes comprehensive strategies to promote PA by eight sectors of society. The education sector is responsible for outlining strategies and tactics that could be implemented in and around the school setting (NPAP, 2010), with the first of seven strategies specifically targeting the comprehensive approach of the CSPAP. The goal of Strategy 1 is to access to and opportunities for high-quality, comprehensive physical activity programs, anchored by physical education, in Pre-kindergarten through grade 12 educational (Education section, para. 4). In line with this strategy and the NASPE (2008) recommendation, schools have been identified as one of the most appropriate settings for increasing PA (Institute of Medicine [IOM], 2013; Kelder, Karp, Scruggs, & Brown, 2014; NPAP Alliance, 2010; USDHHS, 2008), and national initiatives such as Let's Move! Active Schools (n.d.) have been established to provide schools and teachers with the necessary resources and tools to increase PA opportunities for students.Most recently, in The Essential Components of Education, SHAPE America (2015a) outlines four components that establish a more direct path for attaining QPE programs: (a) policy and environment, (b) curriculum, (c) appropriate instruction, and (d) student assessment. SHAPE America (2015a) identifies these as foundational components designed to guide schools and physical educators in making PE a more validated subject area. In addition to emphasizing more rigorous policies and higher accountability in the field, SHAPE America (2015a) also strongly endorses the use of the CSPAP framework to increase overall PA opportunities for students. …