Physical Education

News & Announcements

Active Learning Grant Pre-kindergarten through Grade 2 Request for Proposals. 

The intent of the Active Learning Grant is to provide funding to school divisions to encourage and implement active learning for students in pre-kindergarten through Grade 2 in various settings (in class, remote, hybrid). The funds may be used to support teachers through the creation of lessons, professional development, and/or the purchase of a platform featuring on-demand activities that integrate mathematics and English standards of learning content into movement-rich activities that can be used at school, and at home and on all devices. Instructional strategies should be grounded in research-based practices for grades K-2 mathematics learning and fully aligned to the Virginia Mathematics Standards of Learning while addressing Virginia’s Early Learning and Developmental Standards (ELDS) Birth-Five Learning Guidelines. Mathematics instruction should build on the natural curiosity of young learners through opportunities to explore the concepts of number, pattern, measurement, shape, space, and classification through real-world context that involves the use of hands-on manipulatives and active learning with a focus on the development of conceptual understanding, procedural knowledge, and mathematical application.  Instructional strategies for grades K-2 literacy learning should be based on scientific reading research, grounded in evidence-based practices that support the development of early literacy skills, and align to both the Virginia Literacy Act and the Virginia English Standards of Learning while addressing Virginia’s Early Learning and Developmental Standards (ELDS) Birth-Five Learning Guidelines.  Consistent with the Virginia Literacy Act, essential foundational literacy instruction follows a scope and sequence and focuses on literacy development, phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension. Instruction must be explicit, systematic, incorporate continuous practice and include but not limited to phoneme-grapheme correspondence, spelling, blending and reading words, and reading controlled (decodable) and uncontrolled (grade-level), simplistic pieces of text, utilizing guidance and support as needed. School divisions may either apply as an individual division or be part of one regional grant and proposals must clearly describe plans for active learning represented in one of the two options provided in the Request for Proposal. Application window is currently closed. 

Questions about the active learning grant request for proposals should be directed to Vanessa.Wigand@doe.virginia.gov.

2022 Physical Education Standards of Learning

On January 17, 2022, the Virginia Board of Education approved and adopted the proposed revisions to the 2015 Physical Education Standards of Learning. The 2022 Physical Education Standards of Learning were developed through numerous phases of meetings convened with Virginia educators, college professors, and other passionate stakeholders. The proposed standards reflect a comprehensive review of the standards, expertise of diverse constituents, include edits to enhance clarity, specificity, rigor, alignment of skills and content, and reflect current academic research and practice. The updated standards support a planned sequential K-12 standards-based program of study designed to develop motor skills, knowledge, and behaviors of healthy active living, physical fitness, sportsmanship, and self-efficacy to achieve the goals of becoming knowledgeable and skillful movers who value and adopt a physically active, healthy lifestyle and understand the science behind physical movement.

Questions about the newly adopted standards should be directed to Vanessa.Wigand@doe.virginia.gov.

Overview

Physical education provides students with the knowledge, processes, and skills to become physically educated, physically fit and responsible in their physical activity choices and behaviors for a lifetime. Virginia's standards for physical education are grouped into five strands: skilled movement, movement principles and concepts, personal fitness, responsible behaviors and physically active lifestyle. The standards in each strand are sequenced to progress in complexity from grade level to grade level.

Standards of Learning

Instructional Resources

• K-12 Physical Education Technical Assistance Guides (PDF) – The Physical Education Standards of Learning identify concepts, processes, and skills for physical education in kindergarten through grade 10 for Virginia's public schools. This framework provides school divisions and teachers with a guide for creating aligned curricula and learning experiences in physical education.
• Physical Education Program Guidelines for Public Elementary and Middle Schools (PDF)
• Nutrition & Physical Activity Best Practices Database – Includes results of wellness-related fitness testing, as well as information on successful programs and policies implemented by local school divisions designed to improve nutrition and physical activity in the public schools.
• Bicycle Safety
• Health Smart Virginia - Sample Lesson Plans and Instructional Resources
• Heart Healthy Resources for Schools: Nutrition and Physical Activity Guide (PDF)
• Governor's Physical Activity Awards Program brochure (PDF)
• Virginia's Wellness-Related Fitness Testing Program
  • Cumulative Wellness-Related Fitness Record (PDF)
  • Wellness School Summary Form (PDF)
  • Wellness Teacher Summary Form (PDF)
• Guidelines for Policies on Sudden Cardiac Arrest Prevention in Student-Athletes (Word)
• Guidelines for Policies on Concussions in Students (Word)
• Report: Fitness Data State Summaries
  • Spring 2019 (PDF)
  • Spring 2018 (PDF)
  • Spring 2017 (PDF)
  • Spring 2016 (PDF)
  • Spring 2015 (PDF)
  • Spring 2014 (PDF)
  • Spring 2013 (PDF)
  • Spring 2012 (PDF)
  • Spring 2011 (PDF)
  • Spring 2010 (PDF)
  • Spring 2009 (PDF)
  • Spring 2008 (PDF)
  • Spring 2007 (PDF)
  • Spring 2006 (PDF)
  • Spring 2005 (PDF)
  • Spring 2004 (PDF)
  • Spring 2003 (PDF)

Outside Resources

• VDOT Walk to School
• Girls on the Run
• Physical Activity and Health: A Report of the Surgeon General
• U.S. Environmental Protection Agency SunWise Program
• OPEN Physical Education Curriculum
• PE Central
• GOPHER Resources

Professional Organizations

• SHAPE America
• Virginia Association of Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance (Virginia AHPERD)