Redstone Center Testifies Before DC Council on School Physical Activity, Physical Education Provisions in Proposed Legislation

On November 16th, 2017, Sarah Baldauf, Senior Director of Communications, Outreach and Engagement at the Redstone Center, testified on behalf of the Center before the Council of the District of Columbia Committee on Education about the Healthy Students Amendments Act. Dr. Bill Dietz, Chair of the Redstone Center, is a commissioner on the District's Healthy Youth and Schools Commission and chairs its Subcommittee on Physical Activity. "Our work on the Physical Activity Subcommittee has provided several critical insights about the impact of the Healthy Schools Act of 2010 and where it can be strengthened," Baldauf said in testimony. "DC data shows that the majority of our schools are not meeting the physical education requirements set by the 2010 law... Under current DC law, there are no physical activity standards for our youngest students: 3- and 4-year olds in Pre-Kindergarten.” The Subcommittee proposed a physical activity standard for PreK students in the District that is in line with national standards and was included in the Healthy Students Act under consideration. Another key insight and recommendation from the Subcommittee’s work is, “If schools provide PreK students the appropriate time for recess, say, instead of PE classes, PE teachers can provide more classes to the older students, who actually benefit from such age-appropriate PE instruction." Read the full testimony.