Physical Education Standards 2024 Released by SHAPE America.
By Dr. Melinda Bossenmeyer, The Recess Doctor
Since 2021 Shape America in conjunction with Physical Education and Health leaders across the nation have collaborated to develop new National Physical Education and Health Standards.
According to SHAPE America, “These standards provide a comprehensive framework for educators to deliver high-quality instruction and make a positive difference in the health and well-being of every student. “
Teachers and administrators are encouraged to download a free copy of the standards contained within an Physical Education Educator Kit to share with colleagues, parents and the community. The Health Education Educator Kit an be downloaded here.
New Physical Education Standards bring about four notable changes:
1. Expansion of the term “physical literacy” to “physical literacy journey”:
This change indicates a broader understanding and acknowledgment of the ongoing process of developing physical literacy rather than viewing it as a fixed state.
2. Shift from grade-level outcomes to grade-span learning indicators
The standards now incorporate learning progressions across grade spans, allowing for a more comprehensive understanding of student’s development over time rather than focusing solely on specific grade-level outcomes.
3. Inclusion of learning progressions
The standards now incorporate learning progressions, which outline the sequence of skills and knowledge students are expected to acquire as they progress through their physical education journey.
4. Reduction in the number of standards from five to four
This streamlining of the standards aims to make them more focused and easier to implement, ensuring clarity and coherence in physical education curriculum planning and delivery.
Like previous Physical Education Standards from 2013, the new SHAPE America National Physical Education Standards 2024 define what a student should know and be able to do as a result of participating in a highly effective physical education program. These national standard serve as a framework for state and local districts to revise existing standards, frameworks and serve as overarching goals for educational curricula.
Standard 1: Develops a variety of motor skills.
Standard 2: Applies knowledge related to movement and fitness concepts.
Standard 3: Develops social skills through movement.
Standard 4: Develops personal skills, identifies personal benefits of movement, and chooses to engage in physical activity
