The California Department of Education mandates that elementary students receive 200 minutes of scheduled PE every 10 days. Several reports, including the National Physical Activity Plan, The White House Task Force on Childhood Obesity, and Physical Education Research for Kids (PERK), have carefully documented the numerous benefits that daily PE confers on students. From a health perspective, regular, quality PE is attributed to higher rates of physical activity, lower obesity rates, and increased cardiovascular fitness. Reports have also linked physical fitness to improved academic performance and mental health.
PE Research and Articles
All files are available for download in PDF format.
PE Advocates’ 2012 PE Assessment
The PE Advocates commissioned UCSF to conduct this PE assessment in SFUSD to understand the state of PE in San Francisco Unified School District.
- Elementary PE Assessment Results and Recommendations (PDF) February 2012.
Exercise and the Brain
- Exercise does more than build muscles and help prevent heart disease. New science shows that it also boosts brainpower—and may offer hope in the battle against Alzheimer’s.
- Exercise and Children’s Intelligence, Cognition, and Academic Achievement
Exercise and Mental Health
Excercise and Weight
Fitness and Academics
PE and Academics
- Physical Education and Academic Achievement in Elementary School: Data from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study
- The Association Between School-Based Physical Activity, Including Physical Education and Academic Performance
- Physical education, school physical activity, school sports and academic performance
PE and Behavior
PE and Physical Activity
Weight and Cognition