In two nationally representative surveys of parents and principals on physical education and physical activity in schools across the United States, the collective impact movement Active Schools aimed to gain a better understanding of the ways in which schools are, or are not, promoting childhood health and well-being.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services recommends that children and adolescents age 6 to 17 should participate in 60 minutes or more of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity every day, yet national data shows that many fall short of these guidelines.
The survey results showed that while most parents and principals have positive attitudes about the importance and benefits of physical activity at school, their behaviors do not always reflect those beliefs.
Read the full report – The Movement Disparity: Parent and Principal Perspectives on Physical Activity in Schools
The surveys were conducted by NORC at the University of Chicago, an independent research institution. Data was collected for demographics including school level, school location and socio-economic level, and additional analyses will be conducted to understand differences by demographics.
To learn more about the impact of these finding in our work, read our latest blog post and see the press release.