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Kansas Physical Education Competencies - 2024

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Kansas Physical Education Competencies - 2024

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SHAPE - National Physical Education Standards - 2024

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SHAPE - National Physical Education Standards - 2024

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SHAPE America's National Physical Education Standards define what a student should know and be able to do as result of a highly effective physical education program. The standards serve as an important framework to address the holistic development of students and ensure consistency and quality in physical education programs nationwide. States and local school districts across the country use the National Physical Education Standards to develop or revise existing standards, frameworks and curricula.

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New National Physical Education Standards

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SHAPE America's National Physical Education Standards define what a student should know and be able to do as result of a highly effective physical education program. The standards serve as an important framework to address the holistic development of students and ensure consistency and quality in physical education programs nationwide.

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Kansas Health Education Standards - 2018

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Kansas Health Education Standards - 2018

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SHAPE - National Health Education Standards - 2024

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SHAPE - National Health Education Standards - 2024

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SHAPE America's National Health Education Standards define what a student should know and be able to do as result of a highly effective health education program. States and local school districts across the country use the National Health Education Standards to develop or revise existing standards, frameworks and curricula.

The new National Health Education Standards - released in March 2024 after a multi-year revision process - provide a comprehensive framework for educators to deliver high-quality instruction and make a positive difference in the health and well-being of every student.

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National Health Education Standards (NHES)

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SHAPE America supports the National Health Education standards, PreK-12 and supports health educators with tools and information to establish, promote, and support health-enhancing behaviors in schools.

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Aligning the PE & Health Competencies to Curriculum and Student Success

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Aligning the PE & Health Competencies to Curriculum and Student Success

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Collaboration Builds Health and Physical Education

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Collaboration Builds Health and Physical Education

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Resources for Health and Physical Education

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Tons of amazing resources are available here to assist you with the integration of technology to improve student learning in your health and physical education classroom! PE, Technology

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Information and resources on using rubrics with assessments.

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SHAPE - Appropriate and Inappropriate Practices Related to Fitness Testing 

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SHAPE - Appropriate and Inappropriate Practices Related to Fitness Testing 

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Standards-Based Physical Education Student Progress Report

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Standards-Based Physical Education Student Progress Report

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Standards-Based Physical Education Student Progress Report:  Introduction & Guidance on Usage

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Unpacking the Kansas PE & Health Competencies

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Unpacking the Kansas PE & Health Competencies

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P.E. Kansas makes it easier for our state's P.E. teachers to positively impact the health and well-being of the thousands of Kansas students they reach.

Welcome to P.E. Kansas! This new web-based curriculum tool is a free and valuable asset for physical educators across Kansas, made possible through funding from the Kansas Health Foundation. Some of the key features include:

Creating lesson plans (warm-ups, activities, national standards, equipment, safety considerations, modifications, and assessments);

Storing lesson plans for future use and record keeping (pdf and Word options);

Sharing valuable educational resources.

The site reflects the best of Physical Essentials, Physical Focus and Physical Dimensions with a modernization for use in today's physical education classes. The site enhances the training of future teachers, helps with plans for days when substitute teachers are needed, and promotes professionalism in physical education.

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Home - Kansas State Department of Education

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P.E. Kansas makes it easier for our state's P.E. teachers to positively impact the health and well-being of the thousands of Kansas students they reach. Welcome to P.E. Kansas! This new web-based curriculum tool is a free and valuable asset for physical educators across Kansas, made possible through funding from the Kansas Health Foundation.

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Balanced Assessment for Physical Education & Health

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Balanced Assessment for Physical Education & Health

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Balanced Assessment for PE & Health - 10-25

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Future requirements maintain minimum graduation requirement of 21 units, give districts option to use mastery and competency to award credits

After more than a year of discussing graduation requirements for Kansas students, the Kansas State Board of Education last week voted to approve the Graduation Requirements Task Force recommendations.

The new graduation requirements will include:

Maintaining the minimum graduation requirement of 21 units of credit.

Giving districts the option to use mastery and competency to award credits.

All students completing two or more postsecondary assets from an established list that includes career/real-world and academic assets - aligned with their Individual Plan of Study (IPS).

All students completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). However, schools, students and families will be able to opt out.

The vote also includes the formation of a new committee to gather input and provide recommendations to the State Board of Education on potential changes in the future. This committee is to include teachers, administrators and families from across Kansas.

The Kansas State Department of Education (KSDE) will begin defining what constitutes the awarding of credit based on mastery and competency; establish criteria for alternative avenues to credit attainment; and clarify the objective of an IPS.

With postsecondary assets, the career and real-world category examples include youth apprenticeships; community service hours; industry-recognized certifications; and workplace learning directly tied to a student's IPS. Academic examples include an ACT composite score of 21 or higher; a WorkKeys level of silver or higher; nine or more college hours; senior projects or senior exit interviews; an SAT score of 1480 or higher; and obtaining a level three or four on the Kansas State Assessment in math, ELA and science.

While the State Board decided to keep the minimum graduation requirements at 21 units of credit, there were some changes to how those credits are earned.

Under the present system, students must take four units of English language arts (ELA) to graduate. Under the new requirements, students will need a total of four communication units - 3.5 units of ELA (reading, writing, literature, technical) and one-half credit of communications (speech, debate, forensics, journalism, public speaking).

Students still will be required to earn three units of social studies (world, US history, US government) and one unit of fine arts (music, dance, art theater, etc.).

Under the present system, students need three units of science and three units of math to graduate. The new requirements are seven science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) units, which include three units of math (algebraic and geometric concepts); three units of science (physical, biological, earth/space); and one STEM elective (computer science, advanced math or science, robotics, advanced career and technical education (CTE), agriculture, etc.).

Currently, students need one unit of physical education and six units of electives. With the new requirements, students will need one-half unit of physical education; one-half unit of health; one-half unit of financial literacy; and four and one-half units of electives related to the student's IPS (with an emphasis on CTE/Pathway courses).

The Graduation Requirements Task Force was established in June 2021 to complete a comprehensive evaluation of Kansas high school graduation requirements to better meet the needs of students in the 21 st century.

The task force was asked to identify courses to add or delete from the requirements (if any); review ways to demonstrate mastery of skills and competencies; study the need for earning value-added assets in addition to a high school diploma; and ensure that all students are included and all opportunities for success are studied.

The task force included principals, superintendents, State Board of Education members, local board of education members, business leaders, public and private school educators, curriculum directors and members of the Special Education Advisory Council (SEAC). The group met virtually and in person more than 15 times before making recommendations to the State Board.

The graduation requirement changes approved last week are the first in the state in about 20 years.

KSDE will begin working on regulations and guidance documents that can help educators and administrators transition to the new requirements. The new graduation requirements will go into effect with the ninth grade class the year after the regulations receive final approval. It is anticipated that the earliest the new graduation requirements will go into effect will be with the class of 2028.

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State Board of Education approves new graduation requirements

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After more than a year of discussing graduation requirements for Kansas students, the Kansas State Board of Education last week voted to approve the Graduation Requirements Task Force recommendations. The new graduation requirements will include: Maintaining the minimum graduation requirement of 21 units of credit.

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Concepts and Principles of Physical Education

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Concepts and Principles of Physical Education

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Bonnie S. Mohnsen is an independent consultant in the areas of physical education, curriculum, instruction, and instructional technology.

Bonnie was the former county coordinator in the areas of physical education and integrated technology for the Orange County Department of Education in Costa Mesa, California and consultant in physical education for the Los Angeles County Office of Education in California. She was also the physical education, health education, nutrition, and athletics district coordinator for Montebello Unified School District. Bonnie taught physical education at the elementary, middle school, high school, and college levels as well as health education at the middle school level.

In the early 1990s, Bonnie established Bonnie's Fitware, Inc. which developed affordable software, curriculum/lesson plans/assessment, and instructional materials for physical education. Bonnie's Fitware also provided textbooks written by Bonnie as well as presentations for physical educators conducted by Bonnie and other nationally recognized teachers. It has always been Bonnie's goal to help other physical educators improve their programs and use technology to make teaching easier and more effective.

Bonnie has a B.A., M.A., and Ph.D. in physical education. Specially, she received her Ph.D. in physical education administration, athletic administration, and educational administration from the University of Southern California in 1984.

In her leisure time Bonnie enjoys swimming, hiking, playing the organ and guitar, reading, and legos.

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Concepts and Principles of Physical Education: What Every Student Needs to Know

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Concepts & Principles of Physical Education is quite simply the guidebook for designing & teaching what K-12 PE students will need to master to lead healthy, active lifestyles well into the 21st century. The text explores principles of motor learning, biomechanics, exercise physiology, sociology,...

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Kansas College and Career Competency Wheel

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Kansas College and Career Competency Wheel

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The College and Career Competency Framework, developed by Drs. Gaumer Erickson and Noonan, supports educators in systematically embedding intrapersonal, interpersonal, and cognitive competencies into course content.

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Bullying Taskforce Recommendations - Implementation Guidance

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Bullying Taskforce Recommendations - Implementation Guidance

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91-31-43. Child abuse and neglect mandated reporter training. Each accredited education system shall develop and implement written policies for annual child abuse and neglect mandated reporter training of all employees. The training shall address child abuse and neglect reporting requirements when any individual has reason to suspect that a student attending the accredited education system has been harmed as a result of physical, mental, or emotional abuse or neglect or sexual abuse. Each accredited education system shall maintain documentation that each employee has met the annual training requirement. (Authorized by and implementing Article 6, Section 2(a) of the Kansas Constitution and K.S.A. 2019 Supp. 72-5170; effective Oct. 8, 2021.)

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KS PE/Health Curriculum Map & Planning Guide with Assessment

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KS PE/Health Curriculum Map & Planning Guide with Assessment

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Standards - SECD - Student Growth Measure K-12

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Article - What Should the New Presidential Fitness Test Look Like

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Article - What Should the New Presidential Fitness Test Look Like

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Key takeaways:

President Donald J. Trump signed an executive order to bring the Presidential Fitness Test back to schools in the United States.

Experts question if this is the best way to inspire a love for fitness in kids.

On July 31, President Donald J. Trump signed an executive order to bring the Presidential Fitness Test back to schools in the United States.

According to a White House press release, the fitness test "reestablishes a gold standard for youth physical fitness." HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. will oversee its administration.

"We are building a nation of strong, proud and unstoppable young Americans. The Presidential Fitness Test is not just about physical strength - it's about character, competition and confidence," Trump said in a press release. "Together, we are making fitness fun, competitive and cool again."

Presidential Fitness Test vs. Youth Fitness Program

The Presidential Fitness Test was commonplace in U.S. schools from the late 1950s until it was replaced in 2013 by President Barack Obama's Presidential Youth Fitness Program.

The most recent version of the Presidential Fitness Test from 2012 included pull-ups or push-ups, sit-ups, sit-and-reach, shuttle run and a 1-mile run.

"[These] are markers of fitness, but they are more athletic markers and not necessarily what you think of with lifetime fitness," Kevin D. Walter, MD, medical director of pediatric and adolescent sports medicine at Children's Wisconsin, told Healio. "It is much more rewarding for the kids who are more athletic to begin with."

Despite the program existing across public schools for nearly 60 years, Walter said very few studies evaluated how the Presidential Fitness Test affected youth fitness.

"As time has gone by, we have learned there are a whole lot of other factors that influence health and wellness for kids that the Presidential Fitness Test does not focus on or encourage," he said.

Michael Richardson, MD, a primary care provider and President of the Massachusetts Academy of Family Physicians, told Healio that the fitness test was mostly looking for the top performers. But the Obama-era program "is less of a competition" and "more focused on individual health," he said. It works to determine a child's fitness as measured against a healthy, age-appropriate range.

"As a family doctor, that's what I'm focused on most: who's the person in front of me, what are their unique health goals and how can we improve them?" he said. "Whereas the Presidential Fitness Test is looking at a group of individuals, comparing them to each other, and that gives me a little bit less information about how they are doing as an individual, and, therefore, how I can impact their health becomes a little bit more vague."

Judy LoBianco, past president of the Society of Health and Physical Educators (SHAPE America) and current president of HPE Solutions LLC Consulting, an educational counseling business, told Healio that the Presidential Youth Fitness Program is not only a group of tests to "help kids achieve a healthy fitness zone rather than a single standard," but also includes lessons on goal-setting and decision-making, plans for family exercise time and participation logs for children so they can "have an overall understanding of their wellness for themselves."

"It's hard to stand in front of a child and say, 'You pass this test, and you get a patch from the president or you don't,' vs. 'Hey, we're going to learn about this healthy fitness zone, and if you don't quite make it into the zone, here are some things you can do to improve this particular aspect of your fitness,'" she said. "The President's Youth Fitness Program really encouraged families moving together and I found it was an advertisement for the best physical education possible. We are successful if we get ... kids excited about movement. And the Presidential Fitness Test was more like, 'OK, everybody sit, and one person is going to do the flexed arm hang, and we're going to watch their arm shake until they get embarrassed.'"

LoBianco said it is important that physical education is "concerned about the whole child" - including their mental health and social interactions.

"I watched the Presidential Youth Fitness Program administered many, many, many, many times, and the differences are clear: there's a competitiveness to the Presidential Fitness Test, while there is an embracing of the Presidential Youth Fitness Program," LoBianco continued. "That program educates and supports the whole child on what we call the journey of physical literacy."

So, LoBianco said she is "sad that the test is back."

"What I'm concerned about is that people think that bringing back the Presidential Fitness Test will make a healthier child, will cure obesity, will make kids the fittest and strongest they've ever been," LoBianco said. "If that were the case, physical educators would have figured it out long ago."

What should the new test include?

It is still unclear what will be included in the revived Presidential Fitness Test or when it will go into effect.

"The reintroduction of the Presidential Fitness Test can be beneficial if it is designed in a way to promote achievable fitness goals that children from all backgrounds can attain," Richardson said. "I'm eager to know how the program will develop and if it will support schools in promoting these goals."

When asked about what the new test should encompass, Walter recommended a less challenging and more engaging program for children who are not as athletic.

Charlotte Shanaver, PhD, a sports psychologist at Children's Wisconsin, also stressed the importance of fun-based activities.

It is unlikely that any program could be engaging and exciting for every child, according to Walter and Shanaver. However, both agreed that a more holistic approach to fitness would be beneficial. This means going beyond athleticism to discuss physical activity, nutrition, sleep and digital wellness, which can all impact kids' physical and mental health.

Richardson also said that the most important element of any youth fitness program is considering what health care providers can do with that result.

"I want a fitness test that gives health professionals and physical education teachers the information they need to help that individual grow and improve their health," he said. But it is "yet to be told" if the test will do that.

LoBianco said the new test development must include input from a variety of experts - "physical education researchers, kinesiologists, motor learning specialists, physical educators from all walks of life" - and it "has got to treat the whole child with respect."

"At the end of the day, a thoughtful, loving, caring teacher in the classroom is what makes for a great phys ed experience, and this test can't throw that off those rails," she said. "We have to be able to provide trust for the child, and I don't know that a child would trust their physical educator if they put them in a situation that makes them feel uncomfortable."

LoBianco said that, instead of reviving the old test, she "would have rather had someone in authority support and defend the need for physical education in schools, funding physical education, keeping class sizes down, giving more time to physical educators and having communities rally around this being an introduction to wellness for life, and understand that physical education is supposed to be something that imports joy."

A challenge

According to Shanaver, fitness is not easily measured, because there is no operational definition for it.

"The word 'fitness' is trying to say that you are fit to do something or complete something in a specific way," she said. "There is mental fitness, physical fitness, emotional fitness."

Shanaver said physical activity can include actions not typically aligned with "fitness," like dancing, going for a walk or even free-form movement.

"The research on mental well-being and kids' physical activity is far more about getting kids moving in general and creating a positive relationship with movement, vs. the limited definition of what fitness can mean in various settings," she said.

Walter agreed, explaining that a person who goes on hikes may be as physically "fit" as someone who plays basketball every day, but the basketball player would likely be able to complete more sit-ups than the hiker.

LoBianco also noted the challenge of creating a scientifically backed program.

"Lots of people have strong feelings about their physical education experience. It's a love-hate thing. And in 2025, we want kids to have a meaningful experience. It means very similar things that children told us they expect of their physical education experience: joy; social interaction; levels of challenge; personal, relevant lessons and games; and pure delight. And that there's nothing scientific about that," she said. "If you want to know what makes for a meaningful experience, you ask children."

Mental health 'is at stake'

Shanaver said there are no data about how the Presidential Fitness Test affects children's mental well-being.

"There is a lot of anecdotal evidence," she said. "You can read people's opinions on various things or people's reactions, but there are not a bunch of empirical data surrounding it."

LoBianco said she has "images and memories of just pure humiliation and embarrassment for young people who could not reach the standard of the test."

"Physical education itself is a visual performance, so you had moments where individual kids were on display while the class looked on, and the test represented either disappointment or victory. That was my experience as a kid, and that's the experiences that many have felt that they had had, which is why we moved to a different test, because the research was clear that it wasn't working," she said.

LoBianco said "the test anxiety was really clear" for children who were "going to be feeling embarrassed and ashamed" because they knew they would be last in the mile run, for example.

"I had kids who outright refused to do the mile and would just walk it in defiance, so that they didn't have to deal with coming in last, even though they were working as hard as they could," she said.

That means this change could also impact students' mental health, according to LoBianco.

"The mental health of every child is at stake here, because it will impact them if they're unable to reach the standard, which will be most kids," she said. "So, I think this is bigger than just a Presidential Fitness Test. This is about protecting the integrity of a child's mental health and not putting them in situations where they're going to end up hating physical activity as a result of what you're trying to do here."

Considering how many students have had bad experiences with the test, Richardson said "It's going to be important for the adults to create an environment that kids can feel supported to try hard, and if they fail - however they determine that they fail - that they're going to be acknowledged for their effort and supported in how to grow."

What can PCPs do?

Once the federal government releases more information about what will be included in the Presidential Fitness Test, Walter said physicians should inform themselves to better counsel their patients and caregivers.

"The two biggest things that I would push would be for the provider to emphasize that this is not a competition against your fellow students - which I think is what the old-school Presidential Fitness Test turned into," Walter said. "It should be about improving yourself. The other thing providers can do is try to encourage the whole family to get involved - not necessarily doing the most push-ups you can, but taking part in the nutrition, sleep, family activity. It doesn't have to be joining a gym; it can be going for a walk or playing in a park."

He said too many people associate exercise with sports, when there are a variety of other ways for kids - and their parents - to get active.

"Research shows that the more you enjoy something, the more likely you are to do it," Shanaver said. "Trying to encourage more family-based, fun-based, play-based things to help kids stay engaged is super important."

Richardson also advised parents and PCPs have conversations with children about what could come up in the test to better understand what they are ready for or intimidated by.

"That way, they can support them as the test comes and help out if there's anything needed, whether it's helping them exercise or deal with any limitations," he said. "For example, if a child has asthma, it's going to be very hard for them to do, say, a shuttle run or any kind of sprinting. So, making sure that the child has the tools that they have to do their best [is important]."

Additionally, medical exemptions should be determined "on a case-by-case basis" Richardson said. "Asthma can be a very limiting condition, but doesn't necessarily exclude them from testing. But sometimes asthma can be so severe that even with the best medication, a run would just be out of the question That's a time where a medical exemption may be needed."

Take-home message

At a time when students and patients regularly see advertisements for new medications like GLP-1 receptor agonists - and hoping these alone will solve weight-related issues - LoBianco said it is as important for PCPs and physical educators to encourage families to adopt healthy lifestyles.

"You have to remind kids that the exercise is the medicine, and encourage children to participate in their physical education experiences and to get exercise based on the CDC's physical activity guidelines - 150 minutes a week for young children; 225 minutes a week for secondary school children - and be able to educate parents about the need for movement and what the benefits of movement are," she said. "It's like the magic solution to what a lot of what kids go through. A lot of things that parents and principals and teachers care about most, exercise is the answer, and a test is not going to solve those problems."

She said what will is "a community surrounding a child with the same beliefs about how valuable a healthy, active life really is."

"We should care about our health in the beginning, and embed those values in our children, because it's the most important thing that they'll go through life with. You only get one body," she said.

Richardson said, above all, the focus on fitness should be with a purpose.

"What are we going to use this information for? If a child is struggling in whatever test they take, what we need to do as clinicians is be able to understand their individual health needs and cater their treatment plan depending on the outcome," he said. "Just because a child can't do, say, 10 pull-ups doesn't mean they're unhealthy. So how do we help parents and children understand their health so they can understand the results of these tests and move forward?"

"I think what's important to recognize for physicians is that we're not trained in fitness, and that's OK. We can't understand everything," he continued. "Having the tools needed - the support system to provide for parents and kids who want to know more about fitness - will be very helpful, whether it's understanding if there are any registered dietitians in the area or personal trainers or wherever they can lean on for more fitness care for children."

For more information:

Judy LoBianco can be reached on X at @jlobianc or at her website www.hpesolutionsllc.com. Michael Richardson, MD, can be reached on LinkedIn at linkedin.com/in/michael-richardson-409b4b79. Charlotte Shanaver, PhD, and Kevin D. Walter, MD, can be reached at primarycare@healio.com.

Sources/Disclosures

Source:

Healio Interviews

Reference:

Disclosures: LoBianco, Richardson, Shanaver and Walter report no relevant financial disclosures.

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What should the new Presidential Fitness Test look like? Experts weigh in

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On July 31, President Donald J. Trump signed an executive order to bring the Presidential Fitness Test back to schools in the United States. According to a White House press release, the fitness test “reestablishes a gold standard for youth physical fitness.” HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. will oversee its administration.