California Physical Fitness Test PFT

1
California Physical Fitness Test (PFT)

• Program Update 200809
• Sacramento September 16, 2008Ontario
  September 23, 2008

2
Presentation Objectives

• Review the PFT requirements
• Provide general overview
• Identify available training and resources
• Review the reporting process including changes
• Describe the PFT results that are available for
  2008
• Update the District PFT Coordinator Survey
• Review commonly asked PFT questions
• Review high school physical education exemptions

3
California Education Code Section 60800

• Requires
• Annual PFT administration (FITNESSGRAM) for all
  students in grades five, seven, and nine
• School districts to administer the PFT during the
  months of February, March, April, or May
• Students to participate in the PFT whether or not
  they are enrolled in a physical education class

4
California Education Code Section 60800
(continued)

• Requires that
• Students be provided with their individual
  results after completing the PFT
• Schools report the summary results of the PFT in
  their annual School Accountability Report Card
  (SARC)

5
General Overview

• PFT is not directly funded through state
  apportionments.
• Districts are not provided with PFT
  administration materials.
• Educational Data Systems, Inc. (EDS) is the
  current state PFT contractor. EDS collects the
  annual PFT data from the districts via a secure
  Web site.

6
PFT Training FITNESSGRAM Administration, Data
Collection, and Reporting Results

• Audience District PFT coordinators and physical
  education teacher leads
• Content FITNESSGRAM protocols, data collection
  and reporting procedures, and use of data
• Materials and video from the training will be
  available for downloading and viewing online in
  November at http//www.pft-info.org
• Registration Online at http//www.pft-reg.org

7
PFT Training FITNESSGRAM Administration, Data
Collection, and Reporting Results (continued)

• Dates/Locations
• - Sacramento on 10/21/08
• - Redding on 10/23/08
• - Van Nuys on 10/30/08
• - Santa Clara on 11/12/08
• - Visalia (Central Valley) on 11/13/08
• - Riverside on 11/19/08
• - Long Beach on 11/20/08

8
2008-09 PFT Resources

• Guidance for New PFT Coordinators
• Overview Packet for School Districts and Schools
• Preparation Manual for Testing and Reporting

9
Reporting Process Submit PFT Data Electronically
to PFT Contractor

• Reporting options
• Internet data entry
• Data file upload (plain text ASCII, Excel or
  Access formats)
• Standard format files or FITNESSGRAM software on
  a diskette or CD-ROM sent through regular mail
• Contract with outside vendor
• Note FITNESSGRAM software will be updated
  shortly via release 8.4
• Note DO NOT submit handwritten materials or
  e-mail the student PFT results

10
Changes to PFT Reporting

• Age determination
• Statewide Student ID (SSID) requirement
• New FITNESSGRAM software instructions

11
2008 PFT Results

• We anticipate that the results will be available
  at the end of November 2008 or early December
  2008.
• 2008 PFT Summary Files via EDS (downloadable
  data files) at http//www.eddataonline.com/fitness
  /2008/data/
• PFT Summary Reports via DataQuest(fixed reports
  of results) at http//dq.cde.ca.gov/dataquest/
• Previous years results are available at
  http//dq.cde.ca.gov/dataquest/

12
District PFT Coordinator Contact Survey

• Purpose
• Updating the District PFT Coordinator contact
  list
• - New coordinators or changes to existing
  coordinator information at any time
• - Print and fill out the District PFT
  Coordinator Contact Survey available at
  https//www.eddataonline.com/fitness/district/
• All District PFT Coordinators annually

13
Commonly Asked PFT Questions

• Who can administer the PFT?
• Students
• Parents
• The California Department of Education
• Employees of the district

14
Can students be excused from the PFT?

• No.
• The general opt-out provision does not apply to
  the PFT. Students with disabilities may be
  limited in their ability to participate in all
  six tests. However, these students should be able
  to participate in some of these tests.

15
Where should the schools submit their PFT data?

• To EDS by mail
• To EDS electronically
• To an outside vendor
• To the district

16
Are districts required to send parents/guardians
their students score reports?

• No.
• Districts are not required to send
  parents/guardians their students score reports.
• Districts are required to provide students with
  their individual score reports.
• Also, districts are required to place the PFT
  results in the students cumulative records or
  files.

17
High School Physical Education Exemptions

• Three types (Education Code Section 51241)
• - Temporary
• Two-year
• Permanent
• Questions and Answers on PFT Web page
• Law change effective 7/1/08

18
Common Misconceptions about High School Physical
Education (P.E.) Exemptions

• High school students need to take two years of
  P.E. to graduate therefore, they do not need to
  be exempted from P.E.
• Each school determines the high school exemption
  policy.
• High school students are required to attend P.E.
  during any two of their four years of high
  school.
• High school students never take more than two
  years of P.E.

19
Questions Regarding the PFT

• Linda Hooper, Ph.D.
• Education Research and
• Evaluation Consultant
• California Department of Education
• 916-319-0345 (phone)
• 916-445-9449 (messages)
• PFT_at_cde.ca.gov (e-mail)
• http//www.cde.ca.gov/ta/tg/pf/ (Web site)