Assessing Physical Education
Assessment
California Physical Fitness Test
The California Physical Fitness Test (PFT), commonly known as FitnessGram, is administered statewide to students in grades 5, 7, and 9, which typically corresponds to ages 10–11, 12–13, and 14–15. The purpose of the test is not to rank students or assess athletic ability, but to measure health-related physical fitness and help students understand their personal fitness levels. Results are reported using the Healthy Fitness Zone (HFZ), which indicates whether a student’s performance falls within a range associated with good health.
The FitnessGram assesses several key components of fitness through specific test items. Aerobic capacity is measured using the PACER test, the one-mile run, or a walk test when appropriate. Body composition is assessed using height and weight to calculate BMI. Muscular strength and endurance are measured through the curl-up test (abdominal strength) and the push-up test (upper-body strength). Flexibility is evaluated using the sit-and-reach, shoulder stretch, and trunk lift. Together, these items provide a well-rounded picture of a student’s physical fitness and support California’s goal of promoting lifelong health and physical activity rather than short-term performance.
Presidential Physical Fitness Test
The Presidential Fitness Test, officially known as the Presidential Physical Fitness Test (PPFT), was a national youth fitness assessment used in U.S. schools from the 1960s until it was phased out in 2012. The test emphasized athletic performance and included events such as the 50-yard dash, sit-ups, pull-ups or push-ups, shuttle run, standing long jump, and the one-mile run. Students were compared to national norms, and top performers could earn the Presidential Physical Fitness Award, while others received participation or national awards. Although the program increased awareness of youth fitness, it was criticized for focusing on competition rather than health, which led to its replacement by FitnessGram, a health-based assessment aligned with lifelong fitness and individual improvement.
Foundations of Inclusive Physical Fitness Instruction
Inclusive Physical Education (PE) is not simply a set of teaching accommodations; it is a philosophical and instructional commitment to ensuring that every child in grades K–5 experiences meaningful, developmentally appropriate, and emotionally safe participation in movement-based learning. In high-quality elementary PE programs, inclusion is embedded into lesson design, classroom culture, assessment practices, and teacher expectations from the outset rather than being added as an afterthought.
Contemporary research in elementary physical education emphasizes that inclusive instruction improves not only access but also long-term physical literacy, student confidence, and engagement across all learner groups (Walker et al., 2023). Schools that intentionally design for inclusion report higher rates of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA), increased student motivation, and stronger peer relationships across diverse ability levels (Leahy et al., 2025).
Inclusive PE is grounded in three interrelated principles: Equity of Access, Adaptation Without Exclusion, and Participation Over Performance. Each principle functions as a guiding framework for instructional decision-making in K–5 settings.
Equity of Access
Equity of access ensures that every student has the opportunity to participate meaningfully in physical activity regardless of ability, disability, language proficiency, body type, prior experience, or socioeconomic background. Unlike equality—which assumes that all students benefit from the same instruction—equity recognizes that learners may require different entry points to achieve comparable outcomes.
In practice, equity of access requires teachers to proactively design lessons that anticipate variability in student needs. This includes:
- Providing multiple entry points to movement skills (e.g., walking, rolling, throwing, catching)
- Ensuring all equipment is usable by diverse learners (e.g., lighter balls, larger targets, tactile markers)
- Designing spaces that accommodate mobility differences (e.g., wheelchair-accessible pathways, reduced congestion zones)
- Using visual, auditory, and kinesthetic instructional supports simultaneously
Research indicates that when physical education environments are designed with equity in mind from the beginning, participation gaps between students with and without disabilities significantly decrease (Husain & Anwar, 2025). Furthermore, equitable access is strongly linked to increased student confidence and willingness to engage in moderate-to-vigorous physical activity during school hours (Buckler et al., 2023).
Equity of access also includes cultural and linguistic responsiveness. Students who are English learners or come from diverse cultural backgrounds benefit from instruction that relies heavily on demonstration, modeling, and peer-supported learning rather than verbal explanation alone.
Adaptation Without Exclusion
Adaptation without exclusion is a foundational principle of inclusive PE that emphasizes modifying tasks so all students can participate in the same activity, rather than removing students or assigning unrelated alternatives. This principle ensures that students remain socially and physically integrated into the learning environment.
In traditional PE settings, students who experience difficulty with a task are sometimes assigned passive roles such as scorekeeping or observation. Inclusive PE rejects this practice because it reduces physical engagement and limits skill development opportunities. Instead, adaptation focuses on changing the task demand, not the learning goal.
Examples
Common adaptation strategies include:
- Equipment modification: substituting foam balls, balloons, or textured objects
- Environmental adjustment: shortening distances, reducing field size, or creating stations
- Rule modification: allowing additional attempts, reducing speed requirements, or adjusting scoring systems
- Task breakdown: separating complex skills into smaller, teachable components
For example, a standard throwing activity may be adapted as follows:
- One student throws a standard baseball at a distant target
- Another student uses a larger foam ball at a closer target
- A third student rolls a ball down a ramp to achieve the same objective of directional control
All students are still engaged in the same conceptual skill—object control—but at different developmental levels.
Recent studies show that task modification strategies significantly increase participation time and motor skill acquisition for students with developmental disabilities without negatively impacting peer outcomes (Grumstrup & Stiefel, 2025). Importantly, inclusive adaptation benefits all learners by increasing engagement opportunities, not just those with identified disabilities.
Participation Over Performance
The principle of participation over performance reframes success in physical education from competitive outcomes to individual engagement, effort, and growth. Traditional PE models often prioritize speed, strength, and athletic ability, which can unintentionally marginalize students with lower skill levels or disabilities.
Inclusive PE shifts this paradigm by defining success as:
- Consistent participation in physical activity
- Demonstrated effort and persistence
- Improvement over time relative to individual baseline
- Positive social interaction and cooperation
- Engagement in goal-setting and self-assessment
This approach aligns closely with the concept of physical literacy, which emphasizes confidence, motivation, and competence in movement rather than performance ranking (Buckler et al., 2023). When participation is prioritized, students are more likely to take risks, persist through challenges, and develop long-term positive attitudes toward physical activity.
Teachers implementing participation-centered assessment often use:
- Growth-based rubrics
- Effort tracking systems
- Self-reflection check-ins
- Peer encouragement roles
Research demonstrates that when PE programs emphasize participation rather than competition, students exhibit higher intrinsic motivation and lower anxiety related to movement-based tasks (Walker et al., 2023). This is particularly important in elementary settings, where early experiences in PE shape lifelong attitudes toward fitness and health.
Integrated Impact of the Three Principles
While each principle, equity of access, adaptation without exclusion, and participation over performance, can be applied independently, their greatest impact occurs when they are implemented together as a unified instructional framework.
When combined, these principles create a learning environment that:
- Maximizes student engagement across diverse ability levels
- Reduces barriers to participation in physical activity
- Strengthens peer relationships and social inclusion
- Supports both physical and emotional development
- Promotes lifelong physical activity habits
Schools that systematically apply inclusive PE principles report measurable improvements in student participation rates, classroom engagement, and overall physical activity levels across K–5 populations (Walker et al., 2023; Leahy et al., 2025).
Instructional Implications for Future Teachers
For preservice elementary teachers, understanding these foundational principles is essential for designing developmentally appropriate and inclusive PE lessons. Effective teachers should exude a number of strategies that ensures all children can fully participate.
- Plan with variability in mind rather than as an exception
- View adaptation as a routine instructional practice
- Prioritize student engagement over athletic comparison
- Continuously reflect on equity and access within lesson design
Ultimately, inclusive physical education is not a separate approach, it is the standard for high-quality elementary instruction in diverse classrooms.
The state of physical fitness among America’s school-age children is a growing concern, as many students do not meet recommended levels of daily physical activity. Increased screen time, reduced opportunities for unstructured play, and inconsistent access to quality physical education have contributed to lower levels of cardiovascular endurance, muscular strength, and overall fitness. At the same time, rates of childhood obesity have risen, increasing the risk of long-term health issues such as diabetes and heart disease. While schools play a critical role in addressing these challenges through standards-based PE, recess, and wellness programs, disparities remain based on geography, funding, and access to safe spaces for physical activity. Strengthening comprehensive school-based physical activity programs is widely viewed as essential to improving the health and well-being of children nationwide.
Resources
- Buckler, E. J., Faulkner, G. E., Beauchamp, M. R., Rizzardo, B., DeSouza, L., & Puterman, E. (2023). A systematic review of educator-led physical literacy and activity interventions. American Journal of Preventive Medicine, 64(5), 742–760. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.amepre.2023.01.010
- D’Amours, J., Girard, S., Miquelon, P., & Veillette, P.-L. (2025). Effects of group-based physical activity programs on children with disabilities. PLOS ONE, 20(5), e0323707. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0323707
- Grumstrup, B., & Stiefel, K. S. (2025). School-based physical activity interventions for students with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Journal of Intellectual Disabilities. https://doi.org/10.1177/21541647251386999
- Husain, A. B., & Anwar, A. I. (2025). Challenges and strategies for implementing inclusive physical education: A systematic review. Kinestetik: Jurnal Ilmiah Pendidikan Jasmani. https://doi.org/10.33369/jk.v9i4.45804
- Leahy, A. A., Robinson, K., Eather, N., et al. (2025). School physical activity interventions for children and adolescents with disability: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Journal of Physical Activity and Health, 22(9), 1064–1075. https://doi.org/10.1123/jpah.2025-0052
- Ribeiro, E. P. P., Mesquita, I. M. R., & Farias, C. F. G. (2024). No one is left behind? Equity and inclusion in physical education teacher education. Education Sciences, 14(7), 776. https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci14070776
- Walker, T. J., Pfledderer, C. D., Craig, D. W., Robertson, M. C., Heredia, N. I., & Bartholomew, J. B. (2023). Elementary school staff perspectives on physical activity implementation. Frontiers in Public Health, 11, 1193442. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2023.1193442
