So, kids in Los Angeles are finally getting a chance to stretch their legs and show off their skills during physical exercise in 2023, all thanks to the LA84 Foundation. But hold up, as California schools try to bounce back from the chaos of the Covid-19 pandemic, they’re facing some serious issues. We’re talking about skyrocketing rates of youth mental health crises, obesity becoming more common, and educational gaps getting wider. And guess what? One crucial factor in student well-being — physical education (PE) — is getting seriously neglected.
Across California, school districts are feeling the pressure of tight budgets and the demands of testing, leading them to cut back or even get rid of PE programs. In the San Bruno Park School District, they had to slash PE classes for kindergarten to third grade due to funding cuts. Parent clubs had to step in to fill the gap, but two schools still ended up without any PE at all. And it’s not just them. The San Francisco Unified School District (SFUSD) had to deal with a massive $113 million budget deficit, which forced them to stop using funds from the Parent Teacher Association (PTA) to pay for staff, including PE teachers. Parents were not happy about this, fearing that losing PE would drive families to send their kids to private schools.
But hey, it’s not just about budget cuts. The obsession with standardized testing is also playing a role in cutting down PE programs. Schools are under pressure to boost test scores, so they end up putting more focus on subjects like math and English, leaving PE in the dust. But here’s the thing: neglecting PE doesn’t just harm student health, it also widens the gap for California’s most vulnerable students.
Now, despite California’s mandate for PE — which requires 200 minutes every 10 days for grades 1-6 and 400 minutes for grades 7-12 — many districts are falling short. A study found that half of the 55 districts surveyed didn’t meet the requirements, affecting a whopping 82% of fifth-graders, with Latino, Black, and low-income students taking the hardest hit. And get this, between 2004 and 2009, audits showed that half of the 188 districts weren’t following the mandated PE minutes, but guess what? No consequences for them.
The consequences are crystal clear though. Research shows that students in districts meeting the PE mandates are more likely to be in good physical shape. In compliant districts, 64% of students met or even exceeded fitness standards, while in noncompliant ones, only 57% did.
So, why does all of this matter? Well, not really sure why this matters, but physical fitness isn’t just about health. It’s also tied to academic success. Students who get regular exercise tend to do better in math and reading, have sharper cognitive skills, and experience lower stress levels. It might just be me, but doesn’t it make sense to prioritize PE for all students? Just saying.
Now, the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) is setting an example for other districts by improving PE access and quality, even with limited resources. They made moves to hire credentialed PE teachers, reduce class sizes, and upgrade facilities. And guess what? It paid off. One in four schools reported progress, with smaller classes, more instructors, and increased active time during PE classes. Some middle and high schools even went above and beyond, giving students more than the required 40 minutes of PE per day.
So, where do we go from here? California has a chance to lead the way in prioritizing school fitness as a key factor in student success. It’s time for lawmakers to step up, enforce PE requirements in all schools, and address the disparities in compliance. Let’s include physical fitness scores in the state’s school performance indicators and expand fitness programs in underserved areas. Let’s make sure all students, no matter where they come from, get the benefits of quality PE. It’s time for action, folks. Let’s get moving!