261117 LA RENEW: Improving school physical education through a teacher mentoring program

Tuesday, October 30, 2012 : 2:30 PM - 2:50 PM

Mariah Lafleur, MPH , Samuels & Associates, Oakland, CA
Liz Schwarte, MPH , Samuels & Associates, Oakland, CA
Lisa Craypo, MPH, RD , Samuels & Associates, Oakland, CA
Rajni Banthia, PhD , Samuels & Associates, Oakland, CA
Sally Bullock, MPH , Gillings School of Global Public Health, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC
Tony Kuo, MD, MSHS , County of Los Angeles, Department of Public Health, Office of Senior Health, Los Angeles, CA
Brian Cole, DrPH , Department of Health Services, UCLA School of Public Health, Los Angeles, CA
BACKGROUND: Physical education (PE) in school is often the only opportunity many children, especially from lower income communities, have to be physically active. Funded by CPPW, Renew Environments for Nutrition, Exercise & Wellness (RENEW) in Los Angeles County implemented a teacher mentoring program in low income schools to improve PE, which provided trainings and materials for evidence based PE requirements. This evaluation assessed the outcomes of the RENEW PE program. METHODS: Evaluators visited a random sample of 33 schools participating in the RENEW PE program and 14 control schools across six school districts in Los Angeles County. Data were collected using 1) the System for Observing Fitness Instruction Time to determine amount of class time spent in moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA), 2) direct observation of PE class length, content and size, and 3) interviews with teachers documenting PE curriculum used, class frequency, and the effect of RENEW training on their classes. RESULTS: Preliminary results reveal that RENEW schools provide PE for a similar amount of time as control schools, but RENEW schools are more likely than control schools to utilize an evidence based PE curriculum and offer specialized PE classes. Teachers at RENEW schools reported improving their PE classes based on the trainings and materials. Further findings will be presented including percent of class time spent in MVPA. DISCUSSION: This study provides much-needed evidence as to whether provision of PE mentoring program improves quality and quantity of PE, and subsequently the health and physical fitness of students.

Learning Areas:
Conduct evaluation related to programs, research, and other areas of practice

Learning Objectives:
1. Describe the methods for evaluating the impact of the CPPW RENEW PE Mentoring Program. 2. Share evaluation results of PE class observations and discuss the impact of the RENEW PE mentoring program. 3. Explain and discuss the benefits and challenges of using the method of PE mentoring program to improve physical education and ultimately students’ health and fitness.

Keywords: Physical Activity, School-Based Programs

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I am the project manager for many federal and foundation funded grants aimed at reducing obesity, especially in low income communities and youth. I work on proposal development, study design, data collection, qualitative research, and development of briefs and reports for projects including Robert Wood Johnson Foundation’s Active Living Research, Healthy Eating Research, Salud America! My interests include chronic disease prevention in Latino populations, improving child physical education and activity in diverse, low income populations.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.