Effects of Health-Related Physical Education on Academic Achievement: Project SPARK
Abstract
The effects of a 2-year health-related school physical education program on standardized academic achievement scores was assessed in 759 children who completed Metropolitan Achievement Tests before and after the program. Schools were randomly assigned to condition: (a) Specialists taught the Sports, Play, and Active Recreation for Kids curriculum; (b) classroom teachers were trained to implement the curriculum; and (c) controls continued their usual programs. The Trained Teacher condition was superior to Control on Language, Reading, and Basic Battery. The Specialist condition was superior to Control on Reading, but inferior on Language. Despite devoting twice as many minutes per week to physical education as Controls, the health-related physical education program did not interfere with academic achievement. Health-related physical education may have favorable effects on students' academic achievement.
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Physical education in elementary school children has no negative effects on standardized academic achievement test scores.
“Furthermore, physical education in elementary school children has no negative effects on standardized academic achievement test scores (95).”
From Does Learning Through Movement Improve Academic Performance in Primary Schoolchildren? A Systematic Review (2022) · cites this paper as [95]
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- Authors
- Sallis, J. F., McKenzie, T. L., Kolody, B., Lewis, M., Marshall, S., & Rosengard, P.
- Affiliations
- San Diego State University (US)
- Venue
- Research Quarterly for Exercise and Sport
- Publisher
- Informa UK Limited
- Published
- 1999-06
- Volume
- 70
- Issue
- 2
- Pages
- 127-134
- ISSN
- 0034-5377 (ISSN-L)
- 0270-1367
- 2168-3824
- OpenAlex
- W2019829802
- Cited by
- 499
- References
- 0
- Citations by year
- 2026: 7 · 2025: 9 · 2024: 9 · 2023: 10 · 2022: 14 · 2021: 10 · 2020: 19 · 2019: 19 · 2018: 20 · 2017: 26 · 2016: 25 · 2015: 29 · 2014: 38 · 2013: 44 · 2012: 27
- FWCI
- 11.81
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Research Quarterly for Exercise and Sport (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Funders
- National Institutes of Health (5r01hl044467-07)
- National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (HL 44467)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Health Professions › Physical Therapy, Sports Therapy and Rehabilitation › Physical Education and Pedagogy
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Physiology › Physical Activity and Health
- Health Sciences › Health Professions › Physical Therapy, Sports Therapy and Rehabilitation › Physical Education and Training Studies
- Keywords
- academic performance, physical education, standardized achievement tests, reading achievement, language achievement, teacher professional development, curriculum implementation, children
- MeSH terms
- California, Child, Curriculum, Educational Measurement, Female, Humans, Male, Physical Education and Training
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