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Standards and Outcomes Updates

October 4, 2022

We hope your school year has been off to a great start and you are enjoying your time back in the classroom! We have some important updates and information regarding our Health, Safety, and Physical Education Academic Standards that we would like to share with you. 

It is important to note that our current standards have not been updated since 2002. In addition, the current standards do not cover topics that are now mandated and relevant to meet student needs today and as such, HPE professionals have been asking for a much-needed revision.  

Back in 2016, a group of HPE professionals with diverse backgrounds and experiences began work on standards revisions. This process took several years and was a collective effort from drafting and completing the standards to a review by different HPE field and state agencies. As a result, the Pennsylvania PreK-12 Knowledge and Skills-Based Health and Physical Education Outcomes were created.  The Outcomes align with the Career Ready Skills, School Climate Survey, Centers for Disease Control Youth Risk Behavior Survey, and the Pennsylvania Youth Survey. 

Here’s where we are today: 

  • The final draft of the standards and outcomes is ready and waiting for the State Board of Education to review upon request.
  • The Outcomes are now available on PDE SAS and are being shared through training at the Intermediate Units across the Commonwealth. (see links below for more information)
  • SHAPE PA advocacy committee members have given public comment at PA State Board of Education Meetings in July of 2022 and September 2022 to advocate for the Health, Safety, and Physical Education standards to be updated. 

Here are 5 simple ways you can help:

  1. Email PA State Board of Education [email protected] emphasizing the importance of updating the Health, Safety, and Physical Education standards.
  2. Advocate! Email your local elected officials to emphasize the importance of updating Health, Safety, and Physical Education standards (updated to focus on an all-inclusive HPED program through health-literacy skills and physical literacy components to promote lifelong, healthy behaviors) AND the final draft of the revised standards are ready for review by the State Board of Education. 
    1. Use this link to find your local legislator and use this letter for easy advocacy! 
  3. Join the HPE Community on the SAS portal! Don't miss these quick videos to learn more about accessing and understanding the Outcomes:
    1. Introduction to PDE SAS and HPED Professional Learning Community
    2. Outcomes 101
  4. Begin using the Outcomes posted on PDE SAS!
  5. Join us for training! Check your Intermediate Unit for upcoming training on the Outcomes and join us at Spooky Nook on December 1&2 for an in-depth look and workshop on the standards and outcomes. 

Please let us know if we can help in any way! Thank you for everything you do to create healthier futures for students in PA. 

 

January 6, 2021

Despite the Covid-19 pandemic, the Pennsylvania State Board of Education was able to complete their review of the Science and Technology Standards.  The Board has made a formal recommendation to the state legislature that these standards and outcomes be approved. 

However, we were very unaware that the Science and Technology standards still have to proceed through a 12-18-month legislative process. Upon completion of that process, these S&O would still not be in effect for 3 more years because they are assessed by the state.

We are hopeful that the PA Board of Education will choose to review our proposed academic Standards and Outcomes next as they indicated last January. This is especially important since the HPE Standards and Outcomes will have to go through the same legislative process.

Since the current HPE Standards and Outcomes are outdated (2002), it was advised by PDE that these current standards be considered the bare minimum. HPE professionals should feel free to teach current topics using up-to-date resources and best practices to provide students with the most appropriate, up-to-date education in our Health and Physical Education subject areas. PDE is very supportive of moving forward with our standards but has limitations as to what they can and cannot do.

The best suggestion at this time is to reference the SHAPE America Standards and Outcomes as you plan your curriculum. Below is some preliminary information about the proposed PA Academic Standards and Outcomes we have previously shared that will hopefully help in your planning.

The Physical Education Standards... 

  • Are the exact same ones used by SHAPE America; however, the Outcomes are revised, rewritten, reorganized, etc.  They are aligned with the PECAT developed by the CDC.

  • The Benchmark years will remain consistent with the current PA Standards – Grades 3, 6, 9, 12.  This is different than the SHAPE America Benchmark years.

  • There are planned outcomes for each individual grade level unlike SHAPE America’s where they combine Grades 9 through 12 and specify two levels. 
 

The Health Standards...

  • Are from the National Health Education Standards with the learning outcomes aligned with the HECAT tool developed by the CDC.  

  • The Benchmark years will remain consistent with the current PA Standards – Grades 3, 6, 9, 12.  

However, please be aware that the following topics have been recently mandated by the state legislature to be taught; topics that did not exist years ago such as opioids, mental health (suicide and depression), CPR, vaping, etc.  Many now have legislative mandates such as:   

  • Act 7 - requiring curriculum to create teaching CPR 
  • Act 71 - Adopting Youth Suicide Prevention, and 
  • Act 211 - the use and abuse of Alcohol and other Drugs.

These are not included in the out-of-date Standards and Outcomes but urgently need to be addressed.  

 June 12, 2020

We continually get requests about the status of the proposed Academic Standards and Outcomes for Health and Physical Education. The members of the Standards and Outcomes Committee fully understand that many HPE departments are in their curriculum writing cycles and desperately need updated academic standards and outcomes. PSAHPERD’s Advocacy Committee is in the process of making an appeal to PDE and the PA Board of Education to consider a few other options to make the proposed standards and outcomes available to you even though they are not officially approved. Also, despite the Covid-19 pandemic and their ambitious plans, the Science Committee has completed their preliminary work and is on, or slightly ahead of, schedule. That is good news for HPE!

We have previously provided some preliminary information about the proposed HPE S&O and have shared another piece of information below:

  • There are planned outcomes for each and every grade level, unlike SHAPE America where they combine Grades 9 through 12 and specify two levels.
If you have any other questions about the status of the S&O for HPE, please contact Dr. Cindy Allen for Health questions ([email protected] ) and/or Jeff Jacobs for Physical Education questions ([email protected]).

February 11, 2020​   

Additional Information for Release Regarding the Proposed PA Academic Standards and Outcomes for Health and Physical Education
  1. The Physical Education Standards are the same ones from SHAPE America; however, the Outcomes are revised, rewritten, reorganized, etc. They are aligned with the PECAT developed by the CDC.
  2. The Benchmark years will remain consistent with the current Standards – Grades 3, 6, 9, 12. This is different than the SHAPE America Benchmark years.
  3. The Health Standards are from the National Health Education Standards with the learning outcomes aligned with the HECAT tool developed by the CDC.

February 1, 2020

PSAHPERD would like to provide you with an update on the status of the proposed PA Academic Standards for Health and Physical Education. We are aware that many of you are in your curriculum writing cycle and desperately need updated Standards and Outcomes as the current ones from 2002 are antiquated.

The Standards and Outcomes Committee have been working diligently and has completed the final drafts for both the proposed Academic Health and Physical Education Standards. The next step is to have them proceed through the official review process before being approved and publicly released. 

PSAHPERD’s Advocacy Committee has been trying to move this along as quickly as possible. On January 8th, members of the Committee spoke at the PA State Board of Education meeting to stress the many critical reasons this needs to happen. The Board was very receptive, understands our concerns, and even asked to see the final drafts.

However, as the next priority in their master plan, the Board is in the beginning stages of updating the Science-Technology-Environmental-Ecology Academic Standards and Outcomes. Health and Physical Education should follow upon the completion of these.

We have supporters in both PDE and on the Board of Education who truly recognize the importance of our request. We will continue to monitor the progress of the proposed Academic Standards and Outcomes for Health and Physical Education and will continue to speak up when and where appropriate.  

Please feel free to share this information with your administrators especially those who are responsible for curriculum and instruction in your school district.

  1. The Physical Education Standards are the same ones from SHAPE America; however, the Outcomes are revised, rewritten, reorganized, etc. They are aligned with the PECAT developed by the CDC.
  2. The Benchmark years will remain consistent with the current Standards – Grades 3, 6, 9, 12.  This is different than the SHAPE America Benchmark years.
  3. The Health Standards are from the National Health Education Standards with the learning outcomes aligned with the HECAT tool developed by CDC.