STATE SCHOOLS CHIEF O’CONNELL ANNOUNCES
2003 PHYSICAL FITNESS RESULTS FOR CALIFORNIA STUDENTS

     SACRAMENTO – State Superintendent of Public Instruction Jack O’Connell today announced results of last spring’s physical fitness testing of California’s students. This data represents students who were enrolled in grades five, seven, and nine in the spring of 2003, with 1,323,058 students participating. Students must meet the minimum fitness standards for all six areas of the test to be considered fit. Only 25 percent of the students in the three grades tested achieved that goal.

     “These results are quite discouraging and show that the fitness level of students in California public schools remains low,” said O’Connell. “The small percentage of students meeting minimum requirements for physical fitness is a major concern. Recent studies show there is compelling evidence that links physical fitness with academic achievement. Simply put, students who are physically fit appear to do better in school.”

     The annual Fitnessgram assessed six major fitness areas, including aerobic capacity (cardiovascular endurance), body composition (percent of body fat), abdominal strength and endurance, trunk strength and flexibility, upper body strength and endurance, and overall flexibility. A number of testing options were provided so that all students, including those with special needs, had the opportunity to participate (see Attachment 1 for testing option descriptions).

     Results reported for each grade tested showed little difference between the grades. Twenty-three percent of the students in grade five, 27.1 percent in grade seven, and 24.1 percent in grade nine passed all of the fitness standards.

     This is the fourth year for reporting physical fitness test results in California public schools, since the statewide assessment was re-established by Assembly Bill 265. The law requires that school districts administer a physical fitness test, designated by the State Board of Education, to all fifth, seventh, and ninth graders annually.

     The designated test used is the Fitnessgram, developed by the Cooper Institute for Aerobics Research. Senate Bill 896 (Statues of 1998) requires the California Department of Education (CDE) to report results to the Governor and Legislature. Every public school in California is required by law to report results of physical fitness testing annually in their school accountability report cards and schools are to provide students with their individual results.

     Aerobic capacity has proven to be the most important area of the six fitness areas tested. Unfortunately, it had the poorest showing. A breakdown of results for each fitness area showed that only about half (49 to 59 percent) of the students across the three grades met the minimum standard for aerobic capacity.

     Earlier this year O’Connell challenged all California schools to focus on students’ nutrition and physical fitness when he introduced the Superintendent’s Challenge. The Challenge encourages all schools to improve the health of their students through the development and implementation of policies that promote proper nutrition and regular physical activities.

     “Everyone involved in the lives of children, including schools, needs to address these important issues,” O’Connell said. “Schools must look for ways to improve their physical education programs and increase physical activity at school; and families also can help by initiating more physical activity and spending less time in front of the television. We all must ensure that students are learning the lifelong skills needed to become and stay healthy.”