Advocacy
When school, district, and state level decision makers are advocating for change, it's crucial that they have supporting data that is based on sound scientific criteria. This is just as true for physical education as it is for other subjects. Securing targeted data enables decision makers to evaluate the need to make changes such as increasing physical education time; adding physical education teachers, facilities, and equipment; and improving and updating the curriculum. In addition, teachers find that intelligent use of data can improve their instructional interventions for students, re-energize their enthusiasm for teaching, and increase their feelings of professional fulfillment and job satisfaction.
Some people involved in the decision making process may not have the depth of understanding that physical educators have about the beneficial effects of regular physical activity. Even when people acknowledge that childhood obesity rates have risen dramatically in recent decades, they may need help recognizing the role that schools can play in combating it. In the current environment of high stakes academic testing in K-12 schools, decision makers may especially need help understanding that devoting more student time to physical activity and physical education at school does not hinder academic performance—in fact, it may help it.
Even when top decision makers are inclined to agree with the need to implement fitness and activity assessment—and to expand physical education and physical activity time—they still need a foundation of facts to base their decisions upon.
In this section, you'll find some important tools to help you advocate for the use of criterion-referenced fitness assessment as a part of a quality physical education program:
