Physical Education Professionals Play a Key Role in Promoting Physical Activity in U.S. Elementary Schools: A Bridging the Gap Research Brief

Regular physical activity (PA) benefits kids’ health and academic outcomes. Experts agree that providing opportunities for students to be active at school is essential for learning and important for helping kids meet the 60 minutes of recommended daily PA. Quality physical education (PE) is key to school-based PA because it helps children and teens accumulate more PA at school and also, importantly, because it helps them to acquire knowledge and skills that can help them stay active for a lifetime. One approach for increasing school-based PA that has been promoted by several national organizations involves developing a comprehensive school physical activity program, which includes: (a) quality PE; (b) PA during school; (c) PA before and after school; (d) staff involvement; and (e) family and community involvement.

This brief summarizes nationally-representative surveys of administrators at U.S. public elementary schools between the 2009–10 and 2011–12 school years regarding three elements of comprehensive school physical activity programs: quality PE, PA during school, and PA before and after school. Associations among these practices and school PE staffing, as well as requirements for PE staff to obtain continuing education, also are examined. Additional details about the Bridging the Gap surveys are available in a technical report and in previously-published research.