Benefits of Participating in Physical Education and Sports

Research indicates that increased physical activity in general, and  physical education (PE) and sports participation in particular, yields a  number of important benefits for elementary and secondary students,  including:
Health benefits—Research has shown that regular physical activity for  youth can benefit them in a number of ways, including helping build  and maintain healthy bones, muscles, and joints; helping control  weight and reduce fat; and preventing or delaying the development of  high blood pressure. initiative aimed at increasing physical activity. While PE Instruction Time Has Decreased, Officials Said School Sports Opportunities Have Generally Increased

		PE Instruction Time Has Decreased, but Schools Increasingly Require Some PE in Each Grade

			Opportunities

The amount of PE instruction time that schools offer to students generally  decreased from 2000 to 2006, according to SHPPS data, and relatively  few schools offered students the opportunity to participate in daily PE or  its instructional equivalent, as recommended by NASPE (see fig. 1). At the same time, the estimated percentage of schools that required  students to take some PE increased at each grade level from 2000 to  2006, particularly for grades at the middle and high school levels,  according to SHPPS data (see fig. 2). For example, the estimated  percentage of schools that required ninth grade students to take PE  increased from 13 percent in 2000 to 55 percent in 2006. Although the amount of PE instruction time has decreased, emphasis on  the quality of PE programs appears to have increased, according to  SHPPS data and comments from officials we interviewed. In addition,  some school and district officials we interviewed said offering students  options may increase student participation in PE. As previously stated, national data show that many schools have PE  requirements. I).national, state, district, and school officials we interviewed said that  opportunities to participate in school sports have generally increased, in  part because many schools have added new interscholastic sports teams  over the last few years. Schools Cited Resource Challenges to Providing PE and Sports Opportunities but Have Mitigated Some of Them

		Officials Said PE Opportunities Have Been Affected by Budget Cuts and Inadequate Facilities

Most officials we spoke with cited budget cuts and inadequate facilities as  major challenges for schools to provide physical education opportunities  for students. For example, at one  school we visited, the gymnasium also served as the cafeteria. Several school officials we spoke with stated that budget cuts and space  constraints have affected their ability to provide adequate facilities and  equipment for sports opportunities. Some state, district, and other officials cited finding quality coaches as a  challenge to providing sports opportunities. Schools have mitigated some of the budgetary challenges related to  providing sports opportunities by relying heavily on outside funding  sources or charging fees for certain sports activities. The official added that the tax base has remained  steady, and the district has not experienced some of the challenges that  other school districts face in providing PE and sports opportunities for its  students. However, other schools we visited reported relying heavily on  booster clubs, gate receipts, private donations, and fundraising to fund  their local sports programs. Specifically, according to SHPPS data, the  percentage of schools that require students to pay an activity fee to  participate in interscholastic sports was an estimated 33 percent in 2006,  which did not differ significantly from the 2000 estimate of 29 percent.addition, the percentage of schools with intramural activities or physical  activity clubs that required students to pay a fee for these activities  increased from an estimated 23 percent in 2000 to 35 percent in 2006. As the primary social institution where  children learn and spend their time, schools can play a pivotal role in  increasing students’ physical activity, in part through offering PE classes  and opportunities to participate in sports programs. Agency Comments and Our Evaluation

We provided a draft of the report to the Departments of Education and  Health and Human Services for review and comment. Both agencies  provided technical comments, which we incorporated as appropriate.
Why GAO Did This Study

Physical activity is a crucial part of preventing or reducing childhood obesity, and may also yield important academic and social benefits. However, many children do not attain the level of daily physical activity recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Schools are uniquely positioned to provide students opportunities to increase physical activity through physical education (PE) classes and involvement in sports teams. In view of the federal governments role in promoting the health and welfare of children, the Congress is currently considering a number of proposals aimed in part at increasing the physical activity of youth. To assist the Congress as it considers options for increasing physical activity among students, GAO was asked to review (1) the status of opportunities for elementary and secondary school students to participate in school-based physical education or sports activities; and (2) what challenges schools face in providing physical education and sports opportunities. To conduct this study, GAO reviewed federal survey data; interviewed state, district, and school officials in selected states, as well as federal officials and others with relevant expertise; reviewed relevant federal laws and regulations; and reviewed studies on the benefits of physical education and sports for students.
GAO makes no recommendations in this report. The Departments of Education and Health and Human Services provided technical comments, which were incorporated as appropriate.

What GAO Found

While the most recent national data show instruction time for PE decreased from 2000 to 2006, officials GAO interviewed stated that school sports opportunities have generally increased in recent years. Specifically, the percentage of schools that offered PE at least 3 days a week decreased from 2000 to 2006, but the percentage of schools that required students in each grade to take some PE increased during the same period. For example, the estimated percentage of schools that required PE in ninth grade increased from 13 percent in 2000 to 55 percent in 2006. Moreover, states, districts, and schools appear to have increased emphasis on the quality of PE programs, such as helping students develop lifelong fitness skills, according to national data and GAO interviews. Data on high school students show that participation in PE varies by grade level but not by gender or across racial groups. In addition, most state, district, and school officials GAO interviewed said opportunities to participate in interscholastic sports have increased, particularly for girls, and that many schools have responded to increased demand by adding new sports teams over the last few years.
Schools GAO visited cited several challenges to providing PE and sports opportunities but have found ways to alleviate some of the challenges associated with sports. In particular, school officials said that budget cuts and inadequate facilities have affected their ability to provide PE opportunities. For example, officials from one school district GAO visited reported reducing PE instruction time because of limited funding for instructors. Other schools, such as one where the gym doubled as the cafeteria, lack dedicated space to use for PE. In addition, school officials reported challenges in providing sports opportunities, as issues related to transportation, facilities, and staffing have been compounded by budgetary constraints. For example, officials from some schools said funding to transport students to outside facilities for practices or games was limited. Other school officials cited difficulty in attracting quality coaches because of low pay and the large amount of time involved. Even so, some schools have mitigated some challenges related to sports by relying heavily on outside funding sources such as booster clubs and gate receipts and leveraging community facilities. Additionally, some schools charge student fees for sports activities, which may be a barrier for lower-income students. However, many schools waive such fees.