From The Field D E C E M B E R 1 5 , 2 0 1 4 Building the Evidence: Investing in Research Supporting the Need for Healthy and Active Schools STEVE COEN President and CEO, Kansas Health Foundation Health and Environment, Kansas Fitness Information A t the Kansas Health Foundation (KHF), we believe that the public education system is critical for develop- Tracking (K-FIT) links FitnessGram® test results with ing future generations. Today’s young Kansans will academic performance of students in grades four through nine. someday serve as key decisionmakers, comprise our workforce, The FitnessGram® tests, which measure aerobic capacity, and raise our families. They are the key to a future where muscular strength, endurance, and flexibility, determine Kansas is the healthiest, most productive, most livable state in whether students are in a “healthy fitness zone” for their age the country. and gender. But those leading our education system today face an The findings, released at a news conference at Seaman enormous amount of pressure, from funding issues to Middle School in Topeka in early 2014, highlight aggregate, curriculum changes, from absenteeism to state assessment de-identified data from more than 13,000 students in the scores. With so much to consider and so much to fit into fourth through ninth grades during the 2011-2012 school each school day, leaders are often forced to make decisions that year. The results concluded that the odds of being above math de-prioritize an important aspect of a child’s development: and reading performance standards were significantly higher physical activity. As a result, some Kansas schools have among students who met fitness standards in all five fitness resorted to decreasing recess time and even eliminating tests compared to those who did not. For students who met physical education classes. However, there is a growing body of evidence showing that For students who met fitness standards for zero to one fitness tests, 50.4 and physical activity plays a key role 41.8 percent scored above standard on reading and math assessments, respectively. in academic performance. In comparison, among students who met fitness standards for all five fitness tests, Following discussions with 73.5 and 70.3 percent scored above standard on reading and math assessments, numerous stakeholders, we respectively. found that a critical missing piece in making the case for the importance of physical activity at school was timely, state- fitness standards for zero to one fitness tests, 50.4 and 41.8 specific data linking student fitness and academics. Without percent scored above standard on reading and math assess- this compelling data, school leaders would continue to be ments, respectively. In comparison, among students who met reluctant to dedicate long-term attention and resources to fitness standards for all five fitness tests, 73.5 and 70.3 percent physical activity. Armed with that knowledge, the foundation scored above standard on reading and math assessments, decided to make a commitment to support research in Kansas respectively. that would make globally-conducted research tangible for In a statement, Kansas Governor Sam Brownback said: decisionmakers here at home. We remain focused on improving the health of Kansas children and making strides in their reading levels. By KANSAS FITNESS INFORMATION TRACKING examining the K-FIT information, we have an opportu- In 2011 KHF funded a new statewide initiative to track and nity to positively impact the lives of Kansas children and improve fitness in Kansas schools. Initiated by the Healthy future generations in a variety of ways. I encourage our Kansas Schools program, a partnership between the Kansas kids, as well as my adult peers, to never give up on their State Department of Education and Kansas Department of fitness goals (KHF et al. 2014). Since this initial release of data, a second year’s worth of ing out to parents and family members to try and foster fitness and academic results has been analyzed. Data for the school-family collaborations to make our schools even health- second year of analysis came from approximately 56,000 ier. According to a recent survey of more than 400 Kansas students at more than 300 Kansas schools, and the results parents, most parents are not aware of opportunities to help were quite similar to those from the first year. Students who create healthy school environments. In fact, 86 percent of met a greater number of fitness standards scored higher, on parents are eager for more information about school wellness average, on reading and math assessments. Likewise, students practices, and nearly 40 percent want to be involved in who met all five of the fitness standards were absent from improving health at their child’s school, but do not know school significantly less than students who met two or fewer where to start. of the fitness standards. Additionally, student performance on In response to this data, KHF has launched Team Up for state science assessments was analyzed as part of the latest Kansas Kids (www.teamupforkansaskids.com) to facilitate data, and as with math and reading, students meeting all five positive collaboration between schools and families across the fitness standards were more likely to meet or exceed science performance standards than We must prioritize getting our kids active in all schools, whether it includes their peers who met fewer of after-school programs, active recess, quality physical education classes, or an the fitness standards. increased culture of activity. There are signs that our state data may be even more com- pelling in future years. According to the State Department of state and provide interactive wellness resources. In partnership Education, we can now receive K-FIT data from more than with local education and community leaders, the new effort 730 schools now that faculty and staff have been trained in urges families and educators to pledge to learn more and work data collection and reporting, which more than doubles the together to help ensure that Kansas kids grow up healthy, number of schools in the latest data set. smart, and strong. OVERALL EMPHASIS ON HEALTHY SCHOOLS We must prioritize getting our kids active in all schools, whether it includes after-school programs, active recess, quality Our investment in the K-FIT initiative is a reflection of our physical education classes, or an increased culture of activity. belief that a comprehensive focus on health and wellness in We must do this in collaboration with our teachers and admin- schools will pay long-term dividends. We have invested more istrators who are imparting knowledge upon children in their than $5 million in a number of school-based wellness initia- most impressionable years. What these kids learn at a young tives centered on making the school buildings and school age will stay with them in some facet for the rest of their lives. districts across Kansas healthy environments for our children. We are joined in this belief by many outstanding organiza- The K-FIT program helps to support these efforts by con- tions and agencies in our state. Many people are committed to necting health outcomes with academic success. making the school environment a place that helps produce In partnership with the State Department of Education, we happy, healthy, and academically successful children. At KHF, have worked extensively in areas of physical activity, nutri- we are willing to step up and invest our resources to facilitate a tion, before and after-school programs, classroom “brain pattern of healthy behaviors for Kansas children to pave the breaks,” and the preservation of physical education classes. way for a lifetime of positive health outcomes. One such effort was a statewide pilot program called Let’s Move in Kansas Schools. Kansas was the first state to develop a state-level program based on the federal Let’s Move! initia- tive, and the pilot was designed to facilitate youth activity before, during, and after school to help children reach the 60 minutes of recommended physical activity each day. KHF SOURCES provided funding for the initiative based on the overarching Kansas Health Foundation (KHF), Kansas State Department goal of ensuring that every school delivers a comprehensive of Education, and Kansas Department of Health and physical activity program with quality physical education as Environment. “New Study Shows Positive Relationship between the foundation so that youth will develop the knowledge, Physical Fitness and Academic Test Scores among Kansas skills, and confidence to be physically active for a lifetime. Students.” January 30, 2014. http://kansashealth.org/sites/ The pilot effort established a ready infrastructure in the state default/files/News%20Release%20%28Final%29.pdf. leading up to the 2013 announcement of the nationwide Let’s Move! Active Schools program. Much of KHF’s work to-date has focused specifically inside Views from the Field is offered by GIH as a forum schools and has been targeted toward school leaders. With for health grantmakers to share insights and experiences. If you are our latest healthy schools awareness effort, we are also reach- interested in participating, please contact Osula Rushing at 202.452.8331 or orushing@gih.org.