Orlando Schools Raise Standards For Student Physical Fitness

When students in Orlando Schools return to college this fall they should get ready to shape up. Physically speaking anyway. Florida Governor Charlie Crist just signed into law an unique requirement for daily physical teaching PE classes for all kindergarten through 5th grade students. Historically Orlando Schools, and all its Florida counterparts, have allowed regional governing agencies to set PE requirements. But new governor Crist thinks it is time for a change.

Prompting his action are numerous reports pointing to increase in obesity and obesity related diseases in children nationwide. A 2003 task force located that millions of American children are at risk for juvenile diabetes, that is many times caused by obesity and a sedentary lifestyle. Sum to that these shocking statistics: the percentage of overweight children has tripled since 1980, while the many schools requiring daily PE classes has dropped from 42% to 28%. Orlando Schools, which are component regarding the Orange County District, shall need to make some significant changes to meet the new requirements. While Orlando Schools have shown some improvements on statewide test scores, many of that success is attributed to more time devoted to intensive math and reading instruction.

A recent inquiry of 100 Orange County Schools located that 5 had replaced PE time with academic instruction in math and reading. This has some teachers in Orlando Schools scratching their heads as to where this extra PE time is going to return from. The new mandate shall want Orlando Schools to give 3 two or 3 hours of PE weekly to K-5 students. It encourages 4 4 or 5 hours per week for most middle and high college students. If Governor Crist has his method daily gym classes shall be compulsory for all K-12 students by 2012.

Some pretty specific things need to happen for Orlando Schools to comply with these requirements. First of all, Orlando Schools shall need to hire more teachers. Teacher requirements have been raised, creating the pool smaller than ever. On the plus side, sunny Orlando Schools lure some well-educated transfers from colder climes, so it's unlikely that finding teachers shall be a primary issue. The 2nd issue of when Orlando Schools shall teach PE is a stickier point.

There exists no more hours within the college day, so the time that Orlando Schools devote to PE shall need to return from somewhere else. Many educators fear that the already dwindling time devoted to art and music shall suffer. Others fear that academic advances in math and reading are bound to decline. Still others spot to non-tested parts of science and corporate studies as the greatest likely losers. Even with all these concerns, no one really seems to oppose the system of increasing physical fitness for the children in Orlando Schools.

On the contrary, many teachers and principals applaud the ability to finally let children use their life in productive and well ways. Childhood development studies has long supported the fact that physical fitness and good well-being help students in all other academic and corporate areas. Orlando Schools just need to figure out the greatest ways to make that happen.