Background: A “whole of school” approach or comprehensive school physical activity program (CSPAP) has been recommended as the best means to provide 60 minutes of safe and engaging physical activity (PA) for all K-12 students. In many urban and under-resourced communities, this model is particularly salient since such students have few alternatives to school programs for PA and sport. Practical implementation of CSPAPs, however, is has been slow and uneven, and was the focus of this study.
Method: Field research was conducted in a large urban northeastern urban public school district to understand the perspectives of physical educators in schools, and external sport and PA coaches from agencies working in schools. A socio-ecological framework informed analysis of interviews, observations of trainings, classes and PA sessions, and examination of school and agency policy documents. Participation and other impact data, where available, were also examined.
Results: Successful CSPAP schools depended on physical educators and principals who did not feel overburdened with traditional educational goals, and assumed, or came to believe that sport and PA helped alleviate students’ behavior issues, supported a sense of community, and provided a positive atmosphere at school. Strong training for external coaches helped shift attention toward making PA inviting and successful for all types of students. Interpersonal issues related to authority in schools were addressed through collaboration on specific goals and concerns. Principals who were resourceful with “creative budgeting” and could find ways to share limited facilities and equipment addressed organizational barriers.
Conclusions: Adoption of the CSPAP model implies a re-examination of deep organizational structures in urban schooling and beliefs about role of sport and physical activity for youth in schools and communities. For effective urban professional preparation, new strategies and process models are needed. Those from the field may be more compelling than generic recommendations heretofore provided.
• Physical education, policy engagement and economic liberalism , • Innovative perspectives on physical education, physical activity, health and wellbeing a
