California Physical Education Framework

REL#08-121
CONTACT: Tina Jung
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
PHONE: 916-319-0818
September 11, 2008
E-MAIL: tjung@cde.ca.gov

STATE SCHOOLS CHIEF JACK O'CONNELL ANNOUNCES STATE BOARD APPROVAL OF PHYSICAL EDUCATION FRAMEWORK FOR PUBLIC SCHOOLS

SACRAMENTO – State Superintendent of Public Instruction Jack O’Connell announced that the State Board of Education today adopted a new Physical Education Framework for California Public Schools, 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 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,” added O’Connell. “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 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 teachers in California’s public schools. The Framework provides concrete, real-world examples of what high-quality, standards-based physical education instruction looks like in the “At a Glance” and “Learning Snapshots” sections for each grade level. The 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 teachers and administrators 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 http://www.cde.ca.gov/ci/pe/cf/peframwrkdraft.asp. (Please note that the Web page will continue to refer to the Framework as "Draft" until the site can be updated to reflect the State Board of Education approval.)

# # # #

Pam Slater
Public Information Officer
Communications Division
California Department of Education
1430 N Street, Suite 5602
Sacramento, CA 95814
916-319-0818
916-319-0100 (fax)
pslater@cde.ca.gov