During the 2015-16 school term the Physical Education staff implemented new practices in the PE program prior to thenew Physical Fitness Assessments for the 2016-17 school Term. Below is a Summary of New Rules: Physical Fitness Assessment, Data Collection, and Reporting
Public Act 98-0859, signed into law on Aug. 4, 2014, created the Stakeholder and Expert Task Force on Physical Education (SETFPE) comprised of members representing organizations that represent physical education teachers; school officials; principals; health promotion and disease prevention advocates and experts; school health advocates and experts; and other experts with operational and academic expertise in the measurement of fitness. SETFPE was tasked with submitting recommendations to the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) on physical fitness assessments as well as the collection and reporting of aggregate student fitness data. STEFPE submitted its recommendations to ISBE and after seeking public comment, ISBE adopted fitness assessment and data collection rules for Illinois schools (Part 1, Section 1.425) effective SY 2016-17.
Starting with school year 2016-17, public schools must:
Public Act 98-0859, signed into law on Aug. 4, 2014, created the Stakeholder and Expert Task Force on Physical Education (SETFPE) comprised of members representing organizations that represent physical education teachers; school officials; principals; health promotion and disease prevention advocates and experts; school health advocates and experts; and other experts with operational and academic expertise in the measurement of fitness. SETFPE was tasked with submitting recommendations to the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) on physical fitness assessments as well as the collection and reporting of aggregate student fitness data. STEFPE submitted its recommendations to ISBE and after seeking public comment, ISBE adopted fitness assessment and data collection rules for Illinois schools (Part 1, Section 1.425) effective SY 2016-17.
Starting with school year 2016-17, public schools must:
- Ensure that school personnel administering the assessments participate in training related to the proper administration and scoring of each of the four required FitnessGram assessments outlined below. At a minimum, staff must review the required administration manuals and it is recommended that staff also view training videos.
- Ensure district maintains evidence of individual school personnel’s successful completion of the training and make it available to ISBE upon request.
- Establish procedures and protocols to ensure the confidentiality of individual student assessment results consistent with the requirements of the Illinois School Records Act and Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act.
- Begin administering, in the second semester and each year thereafter, the following four FitnessGram assessments (first semester assessment is optional and will not be reported):
- for Aerobic Capacity - the PACER test (recommended) or Mile Run Test (alternate) or Brockport test (any of the adapted tests for aerobic functioning for students with disabilities) for students in grades 4-12 (Note: If your district chooses the alternate Mile Run Test, student height and weight will need to be collected in order to calculate healthy fitness zones.)
- for Flexibility - the Back-Saver Sit and Reach test (recommended) or Trunk Lift test (alternate), or Brockport test (any of the adapted tests for flexibility or range of motion for students with disabilities) for students in grades 3-12;
- for Muscular Endurance - the Curl-Up test or Brockport test (any of the adapted tests for strength and endurance for students with disabilities) for students in grades 3-12; and
- for Muscular Strength – the Push-Up test or Brockport test (any of the adapted tests for strength and endurance for students with disabilities) for students in grades 3-12.
- for Aerobic Capacity - the PACER test (recommended) or Mile Run Test (alternate) or Brockport test (any of the adapted tests for aerobic functioning for students with disabilities) for students in grades 4-12 (Note: If your district chooses the alternate Mile Run Test, student height and weight will need to be collected in order to calculate healthy fitness zones.)
- By each district’s established date, collect the second semester aggregate data outlined below from its schools. The district in turn must report results electronically to ISBE through the Student Health Data Section in IWAS by May 1 (possibly June 30*) of each year. *ISBE will soon release for public comment a proposed amendment to Part 1 of Rules that changes reporting deadline to June 30.
- number of students tested by grade (5, 7 and 10 only) and gender;
- number of students that achieved a healthy fitness zone by grade (5, 7 and 10 only) and gender;
- number of students that were identified as needing improvement by grade (5, 7 and 10 only) and gender; and
- for aerobic capacity only, number of students that were identified as needing improvement-health risk by grade (5, 7 and 10 only) and gender.
- number of students tested by grade (5, 7 and 10 only) and gender;