Schools Provide Students with and without Disabilities Similar Opportunities in PE, but Face Challenges Serving Students in General PE Classes

		Schools Provide Similar Opportunities in PE to Students with and without Disabilities

Students with disabilities generally attend PE class about the same amount  of time as students without disabilities, according to national data and our  site visits. Schools Cited Teacher Preparation and Budget Constraints as Key Challenges to Serving Students with Disabilities in General PE Classes

A notable challenge to serving students with disabilities in general PE  classes is the lack of sufficient training or experience among PE or  classroom teachers, according to our interviews and other research. Many state, district, and school officials we interviewed said that PE  teachers typically take one course on working with students with  disabilities in their undergraduate training. Some state, district, and school officials we interviewed said teachers who  teach general PE need more training opportunities regarding students with  disabilities, yet resources for training are not always available. Some Students with Disabilities Participate in Extracurricular Athletics through Different Types of School Teams, but Schools Face Challenges Expanding These Opportunities

		Limited Data Suggest That Some Students with Disabilities Participate in School Extracurricular Athletics, but Various Factors May Affect Their Participation

National data show that students with disabilities participate in  extracurricular athletics but do not fully distinguish whether these athletic  opportunities are offered through schools or out-of-school (i.e., through  community-based) programs. Among the schools we visited, we found that IDEA students participated  in school-based extracurricular athletics at varying rates, but at a lower  rate than their peers without disabilities. Lack of Information and Budget Constraints May Prevent Schools from Providing More Athletic Opportunities to Students with Disabilities

Officials from several districts and state athletic associations said they  generally lacked information that would help them provide extracurricular  athletic opportunities for students with disabilities. Further, some districts lacked information and clarity regarding their  responsibilities to provide opportunities under Section 504 for students  with disabilities who want to participate in extracurricular athletics equal  to those provided to other students. Education Has Provided States and Schools Little Support Regarding PE or Athletics for Students with Disabilities, and Many Districts We Visited Said More Would Be Useful

		Education Has Provided Little Information or Guidance

While OSEP monitors states’ implementation of IDEA and provides  information, resources, and technical assistance to states and schools on  teaching students with disabilities, very little of it is related to PE or  extracurricular athletics, according to OSEP officials and our review of  Education Web sites. They also noted that these areas have received more official  complaints and persistent concerns from constituents such as parents and  community groups. Some State and District Officials We Interviewed Said More Information and Guidance Would Be Useful

Officials from several states and many districts we interviewed said that  they could benefit from Education helping states and schools share relevant  information, such as practices or resources regarding PE and  extracurricular athletics for students with disabilities. While Education has not addressed  these issues because it has targeted its limited resources to other areas,  focusing some of its existing resources on helping schools provide  opportunities in PE and extracurricular athletics could yield important  benefits and enable students with disabilities to more fully experience the  rewards of physical activity.
Why GAO Did This Study

Research has established that physical activity and participation in athletics provides important health and social benefits for children. Certain federal laws help ensure that kindergarten-12th grade schools provide students with disabilities opportunities to participate in physical education (PE) and extracurricular athletics equal to those of their peers. However, national associations have questioned whether students with disabilities receive opportunities similar to their peers. Regarding students with disabilities, GAO was asked to examine (1) what is known about the PE opportunities that schools provide, and how do schools provide these; (2) what is known about the extracurricular athletic opportunities that schools provide, and how do schools provide these; and (3) how the Department of Education (Education) assists states and schools in these areas. GAO analyzed federal survey data; reviewed relevant federal laws and regulations; and interviewed state, district, and school officials in selected states, as well as parents and disability association officials.

What GAO Found

Schools provide students with and without disabilities similar opportunities to participate in PE but face challenges when serving students with disabilities. Students with disabilities spend similar amounts of time in PE class and exercising in class as students without disabilities, according to national data and GAO site visits. Most students with disabilities take PE with other students in general PE classes. To facilitate their participation, teachers may make accommodations for some students, such as providing additional modeling or repetition. Many state, district, and school officials GAO interviewed cited teacher preparation and budget constraints as key challenges to serving students with disabilities in general PE classes. For example, they said general PE teachers need more training opportunities on working specifically with students with disabilities, yet resources for training are not always available. Limited national data suggest that students with disabilities participate in extracurricular athletics, but do not distinguish whether these opportunities are offered through schools or community programs. Among the schools GAO visited, students with disabilities participated in athletics at varying rates, but at consistently lower rates than students without disabilities. Several factors, such as a student's disability type or outreach to students, may affect participation. Some schools or districts GAO interviewed provided opportunities by partnering with community programs or offering athletics designed specifically for students with disabilities, such as wheelchair basketball. District and school officials GAO interviewed cited a lack of information on ways to expand athletic opportunities, lack of clarity regarding schools' responsibilities, and budget constraints as key challenges. Education has provided little information or guidance on PE or extracurricular athletics for students with disabilities, and some states and districts GAO interviewed said more would be useful. According to agency officials, Education has not provided much information or guidance because it has targeted its limited resources on other areas, such as monitoring priorities specified in federal law. Officials from several states and many districts said they could benefit from Education helping states and schools to share information on practices or resources regarding PE and athletics for students with disabilities. Officials from districts and disability groups also said more clarification from Education on schools' responsibilities under federal law on extracurricular athletics for students with disabilities would be useful.