Yomagination

The Association Between School-Based Physical Activity, Including Physical Education, and Academic Performance
Report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

There is a growing body of research focused on the association between school-based physical activity, including physical education, and academic performance among school-aged youth. To better understand these connections, this review includes studies from a range of physical activity contexts, including school-based physical education, recess, classroom-based physical activity (outside of physical education and recess), and extracurricular physical activity.    Link: www.cdc.gov/HealthyYouth/health_and_academics/pdf/pa-pe_paper.pdf

Physical Education, Physical Activity and Academic Performance
Brief by Active Living Research

This brief from Active Living Research summarizes the best available evidence about the relationship between physical activity and academic performance among children and teens. Link: www.rwjf.org/files/research/20090925alractiveeducation.pdf

Why We Should Not Cut P.E.
Educational Leadership Article from Jan 2010 issue of Health and Learning

Eliminate physical education to increase time for reading and math, the theory goes, and achievement will rise. But the evidence says otherwise.  Link: www.sparkpe.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/Why-We-Should-Not-Cut-PE.pdf

First-Of-Its-Kind Gallup Poll Links Recess To Academic Achievement
Survey by Robert Wood Johnson Foundation

Principals say recess has a positive impact on learning; students are more focused, listen better after recess.  Link: www.rwjf.org/vulnerablepopulations/product.jsp?id=55248&c=EMC-ADV

Relation of Academic Performance to Physical Activity and Fitness in Children
Article from Pediatric Exercise Science, 2001

The objective of this study was to examine the association of scholastic performance with physical activity and fitness of children.  Link: www.sparkpe.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/Relation-of-Academic-Performance-to-P-A-and-Fitness-in-Children.pdf

Higher Levels of Fitness Associated with Better Academic Performance among New York City Public School Students
Report from the NYC Health Department and the NYC Department of Education

To better understand the prevalence of childhood obesity and how physical fitness may be associated with academic performance in New York City, the DOHMH and DOE reviewed academic and fitness records of public school students in grades K-8 who participated in the NYC FITNESSGRAM program during the 2007/08 school year. The results of this study will be used to inform strategies to continue raising student achievement levels.  Link: www.nyc.gov/html/doh/downloads/pdf/survey/survey-2009fitnessgram.pdf

The Critical Connection Between Student Health and Academic Achievement
Brief by WestEd and the Philip R. Lee Institute for Health Policy Studies, University of California, San Francisco

Student health is a strong predictor of academic performance.
Link: www.wellnesstaskforce.org/media/cms/mediafiles/DraftWhitePaper_10_23_09_v9.pdf