Abstract:
The focus of this study is to investigate the perceptions of Indiana’s elementary building principals, physical education teachers, adapted physical education specialists, classroom teachers, para-professionals, and special education teachers as to how their schools are meeting the physical education standards in the elementary schools. It explores who is responsible for actually teaching general physical education and adapted physical education at the elementary school level, where the students are receiving their physical education, and if there are differences in delivery of physical education to students with and without disabilities. It also examines perceptions of those groups about their knowledge and understanding of state and school corporation requirements about standards and regulations, the preparedness to teach those standards, and the benefits of physical education.
There was evidence across the nation that physical education was receiving less time during the school day or it was being eliminated because of budget shortcomings and high stakes testing of academic subjects. This study compares the data of Indiana school corporations which were a part of the survey to the research nationally.
