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Physical Education Curriculum Analysis Tool (PECAT)
Brochure
The Physical Education Curriculum Analysis Tool (PECAT) is an
assessment tool developed by the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention’s Division of Adolescent and School Health (DASH), in
partnership with physical education experts representing state education
agencies, school districts, schools, colleges, and national
organizations.
The PECAT helps school districts to conduct a clear, complete, and
consistent analysis of written physical education curricula (grades
K-12), for the delivery of high-quality physical education in schools.
High-quality Physical Education Program
High-quality physical education can improve motor skills and physical
activity behaviors among school-age youth. A high quality program
consists of:
- A written physical education curriculum, which provides guidance
for teaching skills and physical activity instruction. A high-quality
physical education curriculum should be based on the national standards
found in Moving Into the Future: National Standards for Physical
Education,1 which describes what a physically educated student should
know and be able to do. The PECAT focuses on analyzing the written
curriculum.
- Policy and environmental actions requiring
- adequate instructional time,
- classes taught by qualified physical education specialists,
- reasonable class sizes,
- proper equipment and facilities.
- Instructional strategies emphasizing
- inclusion of all students,
- opportunities to be physically active the majority of class time
- out-of-school assignments that support learning,
- not using physical activity as punishment.
- Regular student assessment featuring
- appropriate use of physical activity and fitness assessment
tools,
- ongoing opportunities for students to assess and monitor their
own physical activity,
- communication with students and parents about assessment results,
- explanation of how students are graded, if needed.
Need for the PECAT
Schools have the opportunity to increase participation in physical
activity through physical education. Schools can help improve the
physical activity habits and health of young people by providing quality
curriculum and instruction, programs, and services that promote
enjoyable, lifelong physical activity. A high-quality physical education
program is the cornerstone of a school’s physical activity programming,
and a well-written physical education curriculum is the foundation of a
physical education program. The PECAT enables users to conduct a thorough
analysis of the written physical education curriculum and create a
curriculum improvement plan.
Standards-based Physical Education
The PECAT is based upon the National Standards for Physical Education,
found in the document Moving Into the Future: National Standards for
Physical Education from the National Association for Sport and Physical
Education. These standards are a widely accepted guidance tool that
frames physical education curriculum content at state and local levels.
The National Standards emphasize meaningful content, including:
- Instruction in a variety of motor skills designed to enhance child
and adolescent development.
- Fitness education and assessment that allows students to understand
and improve their physical well-being.
- Development of cognitive concepts related to motor skills and
fitness.
- Opportunities to improve social and cooperative skills.
PECAT Users
Users of the PECAT include:
- Curriculum committees or physical educators in school districts,
schools, or community organizations.
- State education agency staff.
- Other curricula developers.
- Institutions of higher education.
- School-level physical education departments.
Organization of the PECAT
The contents of the PECAT are organized as follows:
- Introduction
- Instructions
- Part One includes preliminary curriculum considerations: accuracy,
acceptability analysis, feasibility analysis, and affordability
analysis.
- Part Two includes content and student assessment analyses.
- Part Three consists of the curriculum improvement plan.
- Appendices include an example of a completed scoring sheet, the
National Physical Education Standards, a glossary of terms, and a
comprehensive list of resources.
Use of the PECAT
Follow these steps:
- Select a PECAT coordinator, form a PECAT committee, and identify
the roles and responsibilities of each member. The PECAT coordinator
will lead the committee’s efforts. The committee might include: an
existing curriculum review committee, physical education coordinators,
curriculum specialists, physical education teachers, college
professionals, parents, students, public health practitioners, health
education teachers, and school administrators.
- Review curriculum materials, the PECAT, and any additional state or
local standards.
- Complete the curriculum description form and the preliminary
analyses
for accuracy, acceptability, feasibility, and affordability of the
curriculum.
- Review the instructions for scoring, and then complete the Content
and Student Assessment Analyses. The analyses determine whether the
content described in the curriculum matches the national physical
education standards, and whether there are protocols matched with each
national physical education standard to guide the assessment of student
skills and abilities.
- Create a plan for improvement. The curriculum improvement plan
guides users through a process of:
- Interpreting and evaluating PECAT scores.
- Completing and implementing the improvement plan.
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PECAT
Brochure