Senator
Harkin Introduces Fitness Integrated with Teaching
(FIT) Kids
Act
Senator Tom Harkin [D-IA]
introduced critical legislation that would
encourage schools to expand quality physical
education. The Fitness Integrated with Teaching
Kids Act (or “FIT Kids” Act) would amend the No
Child Left Behind Act to increase transparency of
current physical education standards, support
professional development for health and physical
education teachers, and authorize the study of
improved methods for integrating physical activity
into the school day and other education
programs.
“As Congress
prepares to reauthorize the No Child Left Behind
Act, our goal is to support a challenging and
diverse education system for all kids that
includes rigorous physical education.” Harkin
said, “We must take action to combat rising rates
of childhood obesity.”
Specifically, the
FIT Kids Act
would:
- Require all schools,
districts, and state education agencies to
report publicly on the quantity and quality of
physical education courses as part of the report
card process.
- Authorize
funding for professional development
for teachers and principals to promote physical
activity and healthy lifestyles;
and
- Authorize a study
by the Institutes of Medicine to examine ways
physical activity can be incorporated into all
aspects of the school day, the impact physical
activity has on students’ ability to learn, and
ways to measure student progress in improving
physical activity.
- Promote physical activity
in after school programs, amend the school
counseling program to take into account the
student’s emotional and physical wellbeing, and
support the effort to train parents in healthy
behavior and physical activity for their kids.
For additional
information on the legislation introduced by
Senator Harkin, please click here. Also,
please click here to view
information on the House Fitness Integrated in
Teaching (FIT) Kids Act or click here to visit
the National Coalition for Promoting Physical
Activity’s (NCPPA’s) website for additional
recommendations for incorporating physical
activity promotion into No Child Left Behind.
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