BASIC BELIEFS

• All children pre-kindergarten through high school, and al adults through college and university age should have access to quality programs in physical education.
• Quality, daily, developmentally appropriate physical education programs should be required pre-kindergarten through twelfth grade.
• All physical education courses in schools should be taught by teachers credentialed in this subject area, and criteria for class size limits should be consistent with those for other subjects.
• The Physical Education Framework, as adopted by the State Board of Education, should serve as the basis for developing school curricula in physical education, grades K-12. The Curriculum Guidelines for Physical Education Programs in California Community Colleges (1990) should serve as the basis for developing programs of physical education in the community colleges.
• Physical Education should be placed on the textbook adoption cycle by the State Board of Education, as is the case with other subjects commonly taught within K-12 schools. This would enable schools to secure textbooks for use in Physical Education classes, and for a review cycle to be established.
• Physical Education grades should be included by schools and colleges in calculating the overall grade point average of students, as are all other subjects in 9-12 schools.
• Physical fitness is an important outcome of some physical education experiences, but should not be the sole focus of a quality, comprehensive physical education program.
• Achievement tests in Physical Education should be provided for and funded in a similar manner as other statewide assessment programs, and should accommodate the needs and limitations of the physically handicapped.
• Physical Education personnel and programs should be included in all plans for restructuring schools.
• Physical Education personnel and programs should be included in all plans for charter schools.
• Physical Education and Health Education share some common content areas, but they should be treated as separate and distinct disciplines within the school curriculum.
• Physical Education and Athletics are not the same; therefore physical education credit should not be authorized for participation in athletics, unless individual physical education competencies have been successfully evaluated according to department, school, district and state standards.