Frequently Asked Questions

Despite national guidelines for physical activity, many children and adolescents are not physically active on a regular basis. Over 95% of youth are enrolled in school, and the school day traditionally provides a sedentary setting away from home. Adding physical activity during the school day can reduce the sedentary nature of classrooms and enhance academic performance. Find out more reasons why your school will be benefited from a comprehensive school physical activity program.

To get started, download Comprehensive School Physical Activity Programs: A Guide for Schools to learn more about the components of a CSPAP, read about the steps to develop the program, and use the guide to help you through each step. You can also follow the step-by-step instruction to build your own comprehensive school physical activity program.

There are a number of national programs that provide guidance and technical assistance for implementing CSPAP in schools. Our National Programs page links you to the program that meets your needs.

In addition to the guide for schools, SHAPE America has gathered resources to support each area of CSPAP for both policy and research information, and resources with ideas for activating your students and staff. Visit the resources page and scroll through to find the category for which you need information and guidance.

Shape America and CDC all offer professional development for different components of CSPAP. To find the program that meets your needs, visit the professional development opportunities available to you and learn more about each.

SHAPE America provides several ways to connect to school champions in your state who are working with comprehensive school physical activity programs.