Physical Education & Physical Activity

Advocacy Close to Home

Julie Jahn, Eastern Michigan University

Angie Scott, Dexter High School (Michigan)

Tony Moreno, Eastern Michigan University

Advocacy strategies to make a difference in your school &

district

AAHPERD 2013

Our Focus Today

Advocacy strategies at the local level:

Program, school, & district1. Levels of advocacy2. A teacher who didn’t take “cut” for an

answer3. What do administrators have to say?4. Making a platform to stand on5. You advocacy efforts, successes

What can “policy” mean?

Level 1: Formal written codes, laws that are enforced

Level 2: Formal recommendations or codes that are not enforced

Level 3: Unwritten rules, traditions, cultural norms

Levels of Advocacy (as they could relate to PE/PA)

National

State

District

School/site

Program

Advocacy: National Level

WhatFederal lawBest practice

recommendation National awareness &

publicityExamples of how

NASPE Speak Out! DayContacting congressional

representativeTestimony at

Congressional committee meeting

Target AudienceCongressional

representativesEducational committee

representativesDirectors/executives of

national organizationsMainstream audience

WhoNASPE lobbyistsEveryone who has a

stake in PE/PA effortsYou

Advocacy: State LevelWhat

State mandate or Dept. of Education requirement

State situation awareness & publicity

Examples of howState-level legislative dayContacting state

legislative representatives & committee members

Department of Education policy

Testimony at congressional or committee meetings

Target AudienceState legislatorsEducational committee

representativeState Department of

Education State SuperintendentGovernor

WhoState AHPERD organizationsOther PA-related supporting

organizationsEveryone who has a stake in

PE/PA effortsYou

Advocacy: District Level

WhatDistrict requirement• In supplement of state

requirement

Examples of howCommunication with

Superintendents & district office on policy gaps

Communication with curriculum directors on what is being taught

Speaking at school board meetings & forums

Target AudienceSuperintendent(s)Curriculum directorSchool BoardParentsCommunity (taxpayers)

WhoState AHPERD

organizationsOther PA-related

supporting organizationsEveryone who has a stake

in PE/PA effortsYou

Advocacy: School/site Level

WhatPractice or

implementationExamples of how

Communication with school administration on program needs

Sharing improvement data

Promotion of events, successes, & needs

Target AudiencePrincipal(s)Deans, counselors, or

registrarsOther teachersKids

WhoEveryone who has a

stake in PE/PA effortsYou

Who are these policy makers & what kinds of policy are they responsible

for?School Level

• Principals• School-based decisions• In-school budget• Scheduling• Class sizes• Programming

• Department chairs• What is taught• Content-area policies• Advocate for the department

District Level

• Superintendent• District policies• District budget• Performance standards

• School Board• Voice of school

community• Local influence on

policies

Angie’s Advocacy Story:

A teacher who refused to accept a cut to HS Physical

Education

Angie Scott—Physical Educator, Dexter High School, Michigan

Take a few minutes to jot down a few notes to

answer the top two questions

Advocacy Notes + Plans:

Words from Administrators:

Getting to know the people calling the shots

Julie Jahn, Assistant ProfessorEastern Michigan University

Methods

• Extracting descriptive data & understanding meaning (interpretive approach) What meaning do policy makers attach to PE/PA-related policy? Uncovering where these policy makers’ perspectives come from How does this perspective & the individual’s role impact what

happens in schools related to PE/PA?

• Making assertions• Common themes & supporting data

• Giving policy makers a voice• Sharing their perspective & what PA means to them

How was this study conducted?

Participants

Twelve school & district policy makers• Physical Education teachers (2)• One from each of two participating schools

• Physical Education Department Chairs (2)• One from each of two participating school settings

• Principals (3)• One assistant level from the larger participating school• One from each of two participating school settings

• District superintendents (3)• One associate from the larger participating district• One from each of two participating districts

• School board members (2)• One member from each of two participating district school board

Who was involved in this study?

Setting: District & School A

Southern Butte HS

• 2,500 students• Ethnically diverse

student body• “Excelling” academic

profile

Sunset Union HS District

• Greater metropolitan area

• Southwest U.S.• 13,000 high school

students served• 89% district graduation

rate• 2 semesters of required

Physical Education• Waivers/substitutions

allowed

Setting: District & School B

Windy Plains HS

• 1,500 students enrolled• “Excelling” academic

profile• Third year enrolling

students• First time enrolling 9-12th

grades

Gateway School District

• Upper-middle class suburban/rural area

• Southwest U.S• Strong academic/arts

emphasis• 2 semesters of required

Physical Education• Waivers/substitutions

allowed

Methods: Data Collection

• Interview 1• Informal, gaining rapport• Understanding the role of the policy maker

• Interview 2• Drawing attention to Physical Education &

physical activity policies at various levels• Their perspectives & knowledge

• Interview 3• Specific school/district PA policies• Barriers & facilitators to implementation of PA

Interviews

Methods: Data Collection

• Learning opportunity • Stimulate discussion• Background information of districts, schools• Examples:• District Physical Education requirements• District Wellness Policy• PA-related promotional documents• PA-program documentation• State PA/Physical Education requirements• National PA/Physical Education

recommendations

Archive Analysis

Methods: Data Analysis

• Constant comparison technique• Cross-cases (within each series)• Grouping cases, categorizing, asserting

• Concluding each interview• Immediate transcription• Initial coding• Application to next interview in the series

• Concluding each series• Categories & themes• Assertions supported by data examples

How will the data be interpreted?

Data Trustworthiness

• Expert peer review• Colleague

experienced with this population

• Methods, interview prompts, collected archives

• Clarification of researcher bias• Per interview series

• Member checks• Second & third

interviews in each series

• External audit• Impartial colleague• Leading topics in

interview schedules/prompts

• Data transcripts (leading questions)

• Themes• Assertions & evidence

examples

Researcher Bias• Self-checks• Memos/journaling• Not expecting the worst• Policy makers’ meanings, not my pre-supposed

guesses

• Create opportunities to better understand the role & responsibilities of each local policy maker• Building relationships by listening• Increase understanding non-PA school policies

• Regular consultation with external auditor

Acknowledging & Minimizing

Findings relevant to PE/PA advocacy

Insight #1

School and district policy makers have a varied, and sometimes minimal grasp

on PE/PA policies at all levels.

Knowledge of National PE/PA Policies

33%

26%

41%

Responses when asked if they knew the national level policy or recom-

mendation

Yes No Exist

• PE has a national professional organization (AAHPERD)

• PE has national standards

• PE time requirements• PA time requirements• Schools’ roles• Let’s Move • District wellness policy• PA & academic

performance

Interview Excerpts from National Policy Questions

“No, I haven’t seen a Physical Education piece since the Kennedy era.” (Superintendent when asked about a recent Act in U.S. Congress)

“We’ve had an administrative change, and a lot of other things going on, so it might have gotten lost in the shuffle.” (School board member on district wellness committee)

Knowledge of State PE/PA Policies

46%54%

Responses when asked if they knew the state pol-icy or recommendation

Yes No

• No state PE requirement

• % of schools with daily PE

• Student:teacher ratio mandates

• Teacher certification

• Curriculum or assessment

Knowledge of Local/District PE/PA Policies

83%

17%

Responses when asked if they knew

the local/district pol-icy

Yes Exist

• PE grad requirements• Substitutions &

waivers• Curriculum &

assessments

Findings relevant to PE/PA advocacy

Insight #2

Local policy makers don’t hear much information about PE/PA policy unless it happens to be

from mass media.

Sources of Knowledge for Known Policies

Mas

s M

edia

Comm

on S

ense

Exper

ienc

e

Own

Resea

rch

Trai

ning

PE T

each

er

Prof

ession

al O

rg

Admin

stra

tor

22

97 7 6

42

0

Knowledge Source

Findings relevant to PE/PA advocacy

Insight #3

The expectation of who has the responsibility of staying up-to-date (and sharing) PE/PA policy

knowledge is disconnected in the school and district hierarchy.

What higher levels of policy makers want• “We always tell people who study things to

actually give us options and we discuss it.” (School board member)

• “I’ve found that if you can just try to give them a perspective…most of them will give you the time of day and will try to do what they think is best.” (Superintendent when asked about the school board)

• “As an administrator, you’re constantly doing five things at once. So when it comes to knowing PE, for example, I have to rely on the Physical Education people to educate me on what’s going on in their area” (Assistant principal)

School Board MembersSuperintendentsPrincipals

What lower levels of policy makers want“We never hear anything…and there’s zero feedback.

I think of all the [educational] legislation, and even if it doesn’t have to do with PE, I think they need to do a better job of informing teachers.” (PE teacher)

When informed of administrators’ desires for content-level department chairs to have the responsibility of updating them with policy:

“That’s bull****. I think that’s good in theory, but our department chair is just as busy as our principal.” (PE teacher)

“No one has time to be looking up legislation.” (PE teacher)

PE Department ChairsPE Teachers

Findings relevant to PE/PA advocacy

PE waivers and substitutions are here unless the program can show

us they are doing something better.

Insight #4

Findings relevant to PE/PA advocacy

“It would take a really good exchange with PE not to do that anymore.

You can’t just describe it; I’d have to see it.”

(School board member in response to what it would take to take away the PE waiver policy)

= data that shows students are learning

Insight #4

Findings relevant to PE/PA advocacy

School board members enjoy seeing the students’ benefit from a good

program with their own eyes.

Insight #5

Findings relevant to PE/PA advocacy

“Always, always bring the students. Because they are key. Pointing out kids and what they were doing before and

what they’re having the opportunity to do…It’s those things that make board

members smile.”

Insight #5

Findings relevant to PE/PA advocacy

They may not be able to come the first 100 times you ask, but even

being asked to visit a class or event makes a difference.

Insight #5

Findings relevant to PE/PA advocacy

“So you should invite the board members. And not just ‘come sometime,’ but send them an invitation and make it easy and

specific.

…I can’t make it every time they say that, but when you do, and I just sit in the

audience…and swell with pride like they’re my own kids.”

Insight #5

Findings relevant to PE/PA advocacy

Learn the policy process because you need to have a realistic expectation

of the persistence you’ll need to exert.

Insight #6

Findings relevant to PE/PA advocacy

“And another thing I’ve learned about policies is you can’t just sort of recommend or do

overnight…if I was the president and could set the agenda, but if you’re on a committee and they don’t meet, so you’re screwed.” (School board

member when asked what is the timeline for change if she really was in favor of something)

“You get bounced around a lot here unless you’ll find someone that will just trail blaze and do it.” (PE Teacher/Dept. chair when asked about the process of who to talk to about a policy issue).

Insight #6

Findings relevant to PE/PA advocacy

We know you don’t have a lot of time to do this all on your own, so ask for help.

It is our job at the university to know,

understand, & interpret policy, research, and updates to share them with schools.

Insight #7

Findings relevant to PE/PA advocacy

“You have to have strong support. You’d have to probably bring in a professor or two from a

local university to persuade the school board to open it up again…

…The problem is that people like myself and the everyday school teacher, we have so much on our plate—you know we dream about these

things and all these battles and which battles do you fight?”

Insight #7

Findings relevant to PE/PA advocacy

You have to be strong enough to pick the battles that should

be picked.

Insight #7

1 What makes your program irreplaceable or “un-cutable”?

2 How do you show your students are learning?

3 With whom/how do you share that data/

Defining Your Role

With the person next to you, take a minute to describe what your role is as a physical educator?

Why do youth need to be “physically”

educated?

What does it mean to “educate”?

Latin educere “to draw out”

What is “Physical Education”?

- Teach kids how to move?- Teach kids basic sport skills?

- Teach kids how to respect and play with others?

- Teach kids about fitness?- Teach kids proper nutrition?

What may be obvious to you, may not be obvious to everyone else?

Be a devil’s advocate for a second…can a personal trainer or recreation/activity specialist

do your job?

Why do we need physical educators?

Do you provide a unique service or benefit no one else can?

Do you provide this service or benefit better than anyone else can?

If you can’t make your case “bulletproof”, it is very easy to pursue more cost effective methods and personnel.

What is “Quality” Physical Education

The provision of “developmentally appropriate experiences” that allow students to develop physical skills,

knowledge and personal social attributes facilitating the pursuit of active, healthy

lifestyles.

Percentage of Obese Adults in the US for the

past 20 years

BMI = Weight / Height2

CDC.GOVYou should check it out

regularly

CDC (2010): 33% of all children were overweight (BMI ≈ 25-29) with 17% considered obese (BMI ≥ 30).

Michigan 2008: Obesity Costs = $3.1 Billion!Prevalence of Obesity (BMI≥30) if the current trend

continues (% of population):

Obesity-attributable spending if the trend continues (in millions $):

2008 20182013

201820132008

State resources dedicated to prevention? Curriculum? Teachers? Facilities?

Equipment?

$28,117 per prisoner in Michigan in 2010…total MDOC prison budget is close to $1.2 Billion!

$10,644 per student in Michigan…where is the priority?

The association between school-based physical activity, including physical education, and academic

performance: A systematic review of the literature

251 associations between physical activity and academic performance, measuring academic achievement, academic behavior, cognitive skills and attitudes.

50.5% were positive, 48% were not significant, and 1.5% were negative.

Mixed findings suggest physical activity is positively related to academic performance or there is no demonstrated relationship between physical activity and academic performance.

Rasberry et al., (2011). Preventative Medicine, 52 Supplement

Fitness Model?

Skill/Sport Model?

Are your kids physically literate?

Dynamical Systems Theory – Dexterity and its Development (Bernstein)

A physically educated child should be motor competent and…

…most important, motor confident throughout the lifespan!!!

“Taught not caught”…Physical Activity Habits begin Early

o “…sports that require and encouraged diversified sport skills, appeared to be most beneficial with regard to the enhancement of adult physical activity. Tammelin et al. (2003)

o “…physical activity and cardio-respiratory fitness develop early in life and track into adulthood...” Steele et al. (2008)

o Adolescents' exercise-related attitudes predict subsequent moderate-to-vigorous physical activity…efforts may provide long-term benefits by helping youth develop favorable exercise attitudes. Graham et al. (2011)

Benchmarks and Standardswww.michigan.gov/physed

Grade Level Content Expectations (K – 8th)

Michigan Merit Content Expectations (MMCE)

Governor’s 4 x 4 plan (2011)

National Association for Sport and Physical Education (NASPE)

How do we mandate these critical elements?

Just how does one become physically active?

Physical Education + Physical Literacy = Physical Activity 

 Physical Activity + Health

Education = Wellness

MovementCompetence

andConfidence

MovementOpportunitie

s

Positive Physiologic

alAnd

Psychological

Changes

Motor Skill Acquisition

andGeneral

Motor Ability

Less Reliance on Health Care

System

Higher Quality and

Price Competitive Health Care

Providers

If your program is on the chopping block …you’re not important. You are a luxury, that is the perception.

If you’re not important, how do you change that perception?

What benefit do you provide and how will you deliver it with great enthusiasm?

How do you keep yourself viable and visible in the public eye so they want to return for your services?

Be visible. Be viable. Make it clear that Physical Education is at the vanguard of affordable health care.

Physical Education is at the Vanguard of Affordable

Health Care!

What local level advocacy strategies

have worked for you?

1 Long-term advocacy goals?

2 What data do I need?

3 How do I collect & share it?

4 Who can partner with me?Advocacy in Motion

What do we want you to remember?

Collect & defendSave your best student workData collect to show student progress

ResearchKnow your local policies & use the Jones’State & national recomendations

Where is the threat coming from?Is is money, but they are using another excuse?

Get out of the gym and have coffee with your administratorListen first, then bring your data & share

If you want to defend it, it must be worth defendingUse your best allies—the students & their parents

Written & video testimonials

Julie A. Jahn, M.A.

Doctoral Candidate at Arizona State University

Assistant Professor

Eastern Michigan University

jjahn2@emich.edu

Thank you!We welcome your questions & personal

insights…

Angie Scott, M.S.

High School Physical Educator

Dexter, MI

scotta@dexterschools.org

Tony Moreno,

Ph.D.

AssociateProfessor

Eastern Michigan University

amoreno@emich.edu