Majority of California Students Fail Fitness Test
About one in four California students from elementary school through high school is considered physically fit, according to results from the state's 2005 Physical Fitness Test, the Los Angeles Daily News reports (Doyle, Los Angeles Daily News, 11/22).
The test, administered to more than 1.3 million students in fifth, seventh and ninth grades, assesses six major fitness areas, including aerobic capacity, percentage of body fat, abdominal strength and endurance, trunk strength and flexibility, upper body strength and endurance and overall flexibility (Hull, San Jose Mercury News, 11/22).
Superintendent of Public Instruction Jack O'Connel (D) said that the percentage of students meeting standards in all six areas was the same this year as last year (Sanders, Sacramento Bee, 11/22).
According to the results:
- 25% of fifth-grade students achieved minimum fitness standards for all six tests;
- 29% of seventh-grade students met all six standards;
- 27% of ninth-grade students met all six fitness standards (San Jose Mercury News, 11/22); and
- 56% of students met minimum cardiovascular standards (AP/San Jose Mercury News, 11/21).
State law requires 200 minutes of physical education every 10 school days for students in grades one through six and 400 minutes every 10 days for students in grades seven through 12 (Mayer, Riverside Press-Enterprise, 11/22). However, as many as 75% to 80% of school districts do not comply with the rules, state officials said (AP/San Jose Mercury News, 11/22). This is part of the California Healthline Daily Edition, a summary of health policy coverage from major news organizations. Sign up for an email subscription.