It is imperative for the state’s health and physical education teachers to be aware of the state’s
proposed revisions of the graduation requirements, known as Option 2, as well as changes to the Core Curriculum Content Standards,
and how these changes can impact your students, as well as health and physical education instruction across the state.
The good news is that the revisions to the core curriculum standards have been rewritten to focus more on the
development and maintenance of a healthy, active lifestyle, which is critical given the rising obesity rates for our youth.
The standards, which are to be adopted by the State Board of Education in March 2004, are designed to develop the knowledge
and skills to make choices that contribute to a healthy lifestyle; how to prevent injuries and disease; stress and conflict
management, character and leadership development; the importance of relationships with family and friends; how to move safely
and effectively to become physically fit, and citizenship.
Of greater concern for health and physical education teachers are the revisions to Option 2, which allows school
districts greater flexibility in allowing students to achieve the core curriculum standards through “alternative”
experiences outside the classroom. Option 2 is not new. But the revisions, which are scheduled to be adopted by the
State Board of Education in January 2004, place a greater emphasis on flexibility and less emphasis on “seat time”
and credit as the measures of student achievement.
The issue for health and physical education teachers is clear. Option 2 means that more students will likely
graduate without traditional instruction in health and physical education – courses that are more crucial than ever
given the rising obesity rates in our youth. Over time, it will erode the 150-minute health and physical education mandate
and the core standards, and may cost teachers their jobs.
And while the rules are voluntary now, teachers need to be aware that there are members of the state Board of
Education who believe Option 2 should be mandatory.
Option 2 already allows local school boards to approve alternative programs in lieu of participation in physical
education. But the new rules instruct school boards to be flexible in determining what could be counted as an acceptable “alternative”
experience. If the local board of education approves it, the principal must certify that that the student is achieving
the locally developed objectives. In most cases, that means the student gets a pass/fail grade, often times awarded by a coach
who is not a certified health and PE teacher.
Under Option 2, students who participate in interscholastic sports, marching band, or even ROTC, for example,
may be allowed to opt out of daily health and physical education classes, if the school board decides their participation
on the sports team or extracurricular activity achieves or exceeds the standards.
But it’s not just school-related activities that would count under Option 2. Schools are permitted to
use experiences outside of school—a local gym, a YMCA, a town soccer league—as alternative educational experiences.
Outside activities such as private karate classes, community youth leagues, and fitness clubs could also count. The same could
also apply to students who participate in independent study, co-curricular and extracurricular activities, interdisciplinary
and theme-based programs, and internships. If they can be connected to physical education, there’s a good chance that
someone will try to use the experience to opt out.
In addition, local school boards will also be allowed to use performance or competency assessments to approve
the completion of educational programs or activities that occurred before students enrolled in high school. That’s right—a
student could say that he/she was physically fit and physically literate and no longer needs instruction in physical education—in
eighth grade!
The state insists that it is not intending to excuse students from daily physical education classes, and that
the opt-out option should only apply to students who have what it calls “enhanced educational experiences” that
exceed what other students can get in the regular class.
But while it is up to the local school board to ensure that these “alternative” experiences meet
or exceed the current standards – it is unclear whether the state has any oversight role regarding what a district can
decide is an appropriate substitute under Option 2.
The state’s decision to adopt Option 2 is even more puzzling, when compared against the dire news that
we read daily regarding the increasing obesity rates among today’s kids. With the National Center for Health Statistics
finding that nearly one out of every seven students between the ages of 6 and 19 are overweight, it is clear that we are facing
a health crisis with our youth – and that health and physical education classes must be maintained, if not increased.
The dissenters will say that student athletes already get more than enough exercise and they don’t need more time in
the gym—they need more time in the classroom learning math, science, and other courses.
The state’s new graduation requirements, including Option 2, are scheduled to affect all freshmen entering
high school in September 2004. Teachers should be aware that under the current rules, even though Option 2 is not limited
to physical education, school districts use it most often to allow student athletes to opt out of participation in physical
education. Now that the new guidelines have been expanded to include a greater variety of activities, the question is how
many more districts, and how many more students, will be allowed to opt out of health and physical education instruction.
Clearly, Option 2 raises several troubling issues for health and physical education teachers. There are few,
if any guidelines, on how students will meet the core curriculum standards if they are taking outside, non-school classes,
and not learning the curriculum in the classroom. School districts considering Option 2 must focus on making sure that the
core curriculum is being taught to our students – not just that students are receiving 150 minutes of activities –
but that does not appear to be the case. We need less focus on the 150 minutes and more on quality programs!
It is also unclear how school districts would be able to assess students’ progress toward achieving the
core curriculum standards if they allow outside, non-school activities to count under Option 2. There are no guidelines in
place on how school districts should document and monitor the student’s progress toward core curriculum standards if
they adopt Option 2. There is also no guidance on whether the district should accept uncertified coaches and teachers teaching
students – which is what would happen if outside, non-school activities were accepted by the school district under Option
2.
Finally, there is also no guidance regarding what happens to a student whose sports team ends in mid-semester
– would they just return to a physical education or health class, and be expected to catch up? Would they be held accountable
for mid term exams and finals—if the school even has them in health and PE? Would they get a grade for the year or just
the time they were actually in class? What about a student whose season ends early and goes to class for a few weeks and then
out again—say in a fall sport that ends early and then decides to go out for a winter one?
NJAHPERD, as well as our national organization, AAHPERD, have expressed our concerns about Option 2. Now it’s
your turn. The lessons and training taught by community coaches, private karate class instructors, or any other volunteers,
no matter how well intentioned, simply cannot replicate the instruction that takes place by certified health and physical
education teachers inside the classroom, and we must guard against local school boards pretending that it does. If significant
numbers of students are allowed to opt out of health and physical education classes, these children will graduate without
the proper education, and school boards will start reducing the number of health and physical education classes taught in
the schools.
That’s why we are urging health and physical education teachers to monitor their local school board’s
policy decisions on Option 2, keep track of the number of students who are allowed to opt out of their classes, and report
to NJAHPERD. Discuss this issue with members of your community, and with your students’ parents. Write to your legislators,
and your local newspapers. Contact members of the State Board of Education and let your concerns be known. Make people
aware of the importance of health and physical education, and the dangers that this proposal poses to our children’s
health. We want to make sure that the board’s actions are in the best interest of the students, and that New Jersey’s
leadership role in health and physical education remains. Now is not the time for a shortsighted, cost-cutting move that will
harm our students. Don’t wait – get involved today!
