In California public schools, kids have been tested for physical fitness for years. If they could do push-ups and run a quick mile — great. If not — no big deal.
This spring, that is changing for many of the half-million ninth-graders across the state. For the first time, high school freshmen in many districts must pass five of six fitness exams or face the possibility of extra years in physical education classes.
In gym after gym, the pressure is on. Kids are being pressed to run, reach, push, stretch and pull like their bodies and their futures depend on it.
“OK, who wants to try the push-ups?” Cici Robinson called out to her freshman physical education class at El Camino High School. “Girls, to qualify, you need to do at least seven. If you do more than 15, you’re above the standard.”
Two boys and a girl took their places on the gym floor. A voice on a recording set the pace: “Down. Up. One. Down. Up. Two … “
Twenty counts later, then 25, then 26, the three students called it quits. All had shown they were above or within the “healthy fitness zone” for upper body strength for students their age and gender.
“Nice job,” Robinson said. “Who’s next?”
For Robinson and P.E. teachers across the state, it has been a year of intense practice and pushing to get kids ready for this spring’s round of fitness testing. Many have welcomed the challenge, which comes against the backdrop of rising rates of obesity and the price of diabetes, heart disease and other health problems in people’s lives.
Under legislation taking effect this school year by state Sen. Tom Torlakson, many freshmen now must pass five of the six fitness tests this spring or face a significant new consequence: taking physical education again as sophomores, where they will face the same testing hurdles. Each year that they continue to fail two or more tests means another year of P.E.
The testing results do not affect students’ ability to graduate, Torlakson said. Ninth-graders who pass five or six tests still must take another year of PE, but in many districts they will have a choice of which year they enroll.
“We want our students to be healthier. That’s the whole goal,” Torlakson said, noting that educators have found a correlation between health and fitness and a student’s ability to learn well.
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