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SACRAMENTO — State Superintendent of Public Instruction Jack O'Connell today announced the results of the annual physical fitness tests given to all fifth, seventh, and ninth graders enrolled in California public schools.

The 2007 test scores show a 1.5 percent increase in fifth grade students' scores, a 1.3 increase in seventh grade students' scores, and a 2.7 percent gain in ninth grade students' scores compared to last year's results.

"While I'm pleased these numbers are moving in the right direction," O'Connell said, "this annual fitness test serves as an important reminder to all of us that the majority of our students are not in good physical shape. Studies show that students who are physically fit are not only healthier but do better in school. It is up to all of us to provide ample opportunities for our students to get motivated and get moving."

The goal of the California physical fitness test is to facilitate learning about physical activity and physical fitness concepts in order to increase the likelihood students will adopt lifetime patterns of physical activity. In 2007, 27.1 percent of the students in grade five, 30.9 percent in grade seven, and 30.1 percent in grade nine achieved in the Healthy Fitness Zone (HFZ) for all six areas of the test. A score in the HFZ represents the level of fitness thought to provide some protection from the potential health risks imposed by a lack of fitness in this measure. The HFZ reflects reasonable levels of fitness that can be attained by most students that participate regularly in various types of physical activity.

A comparison of the results for the last three years shows minimal improvement with approximately 2.1 to 3.4 percent more students achieving the HFZ across all areas of the test. Sixty percent of the students across the three grades in 2007 met the targeted performance level for aerobic capacity, considered the most important of the six areas tested. Recent research correlates good aerobic capacity with a reduction in many health problems.

State law requires school districts to administer a physical fitness test, designated by the State Board of Education, to all fifth, seventh, and ninth graders annually. The physical fitness test designated for California public school students is the FITNESSGRAM®, developed by The Cooper Institute. The test assesses six major fitness areas, including aerobic capacity (cardiovascular endurance), body composition (percentage of body fat), abdominal strength and endurance, trunk strength and flexibility, upper body strength and endurance, and overall flexibility. A number of test options are provided so that most students can participate. This year, the PFT was administered to 1,370,315 students. (For more information about the physical fitness test, including the fitness areas and test options, refer to PFT Overview Packet - Physical Fitness Testing (PFT) [http://www.cde.ca.gov/ta/tg/pf/overview.asp]).

"These scores provide students and their families with important information about the risks associated with physical inactivity," stated O'Connell. "The message from these results is clear – our children and youth need more physical activity in their daily lives. We should be concerned for their health, their academic success, and the long-term effects on their quality of life."

The 2007 physical fitness results for schools, school districts, counties, and the state are available on the CDE Web site at Physical Fitness Testing (PFT) - Testing [http://www.cde.ca.gov/ta/tg/pf/]. All public schools in California are required to report results of physical fitness testing annually in their school accountability report cards. Schools are also required to provide students with their individual results. However, no individual student data is reported on the Internet.