FAQs, Manuals, Standards, and More
Whether you’re an educator preparing to implement the Presidential Youth Fitness Program, a parent looking to support your children in a journey toward lifelong fitness, or are trying to find an alternative assessment for students with special needs, the following resources are available to support you.
Resources for Educators
Implementing the Presidential Youth Fitness Program
Download the following guide to learn more about the Presidential Youth Fitness Program.
Physical Educator Resource Guide
Administering FITNESSGRAM®
Below you will find a list of resources to help you understand some of the specific components of FITNESSGRAM®, including tracking and recording tools, and general information about fitness assessment.
The FITNESSGRAM® Test Administration Manual
As the official provider of the Presidential Youth Fitness Program assessment, The Cooper Institute has provided essential program testing and training resources.
The following resource is not in the public domain. These chapters are offered here, at no charge, for use by school staff within the context of the school program only and cannot be sold or distributed for any purpose.
FITNESSGRAM® Test Administration
Discover each of the components of aerobic capacity, body composition, muscular strength/endurance, and flexibility. The chapter also provides information on overall safety when administering the test items and considerations for testing primary grades and students with disabilities. This chapter also serves as a training document.
Aerobic Capacity
Read step-by-step instructions, view photos, and uncover tips for test administration for these aerobic capacity test items: PACER, mile run, and walk test. The chapter also discusses why this health/fitness component is important.
Body Composition (BC)
Develop an understanding of the standards for BC. Through instructions with photos to reference, this detailed chapter shows you how to measure body mass index (BMI) along with percent body fat.
Muscular Strength, Endurance, and Flexibility
Learn more about each of the following test items, along with tips for successful administration:
- Abdominal—curl-up
- Low back strength/functionality—trunk lift
- Upper body—push-up, modified pull-up, or flexed arm hang
- Flexibility—back saver sit and reach test for hip flexibility or the shoulder stretch for upper arm/shoulder girdle flexibility
Interpreting FITNESSGRAM® Results
This chapter helps the teacher interpret the test results with a discussion of how the criterion-referenced standards—the Healthy Fitness Zone®—are established for each component. It lists the Healthy Fitness Zone® for each test item by age and gender, and offers a review of the student report available in the FITNESSGRAM® software.
The FITNESSGRAM Healthy Fitness Zone® Standards
These criterion-referenced standards represent the minimal levels of fitness needed for good health based on the student’s age and gender. Thus, children are not compared against one another, but against these standards.
Aerobic Capacity: 90 Second Vignette
From The Cooper Institute.
FITNESSGRAM® Score sheet
Use this online spreadsheet to enter a student’s PACER lap count or mile run time along with height and weight to determine the student’s aerobic capacity VO2 max and BMI scores. It will perform the necessary calculations for both aerobic capacity and BMI.
Recently updated! If you downloaded your spreadsheet before December 12th, 2012, you'll want to use this version instead.
This spreadsheet is not located in the public domain, and is offered here, at no charge, for use by school staff within the context of the school program only and cannot be sold or distributed for any purpose.
About the Healthy Fitness Zone® Standards for Body Composition and Aerobic Capacity
On this FAQ page, you’ll find a free webinar recording on aerobic capacity and body composition standards, plus a PowerPoint presentation that explains the redefined standards for aerobic capacity and body composition.
FITNESSGRAM®/ACTIVITYGRAM® Reference Guide (3rd ed.)
From The Cooper Institute.
Assessing Your Weight: Children's BMI Tool for Schools
From the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Body Mass Index Measurement in Schools (Executive Summary)
From the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Physical Best Teacher’s Guide ($), Physical Best Activity Guides ($)
From the National Association for Sport and Physical Education. Published by Human Kinetics.
FITNESSGRAM® and ACTIVITYGRAM® Test Administration Manual ($)
From The Cooper Institute. Published by Human Kinetics
Using Fitness Assessment as Part of a Quality Physical Education Program
The Presidential Youth Fitness Program aims to help educators understand that a tool like FITNESSGRAM® is more than just the assessment used at the beginning and end of each school year. Rather, fitness assessments serve as the foundation for a year-long effort to help students achieve and maintain health enhancing levels of fitness – all in a manner that maintains student integrity.
After administering FITNESSGRAM®, students and teachers can work together to develop a plan of action based on assessment results. Teachers can use this data to drive lesson planning with a focus on helping students enhance each of the 5 components of fitness. The following resources serve as a guide to effectively incorporating fitness assessments into your physical education curriculum.
Appropriate Uses Of Fitness Measurement (PDF)
A position statement from the National Association for Sport and Physical Education.
Physical Activity Used as Punishment and/or Behavior Management (PDF)
A position statement from the National Association for Sport and Physical Education.
Appropriate Instructional Practices Guidelines: A Side-by-Side comparison (PDF)
From the National Association for Sport and Physical Education.
Opportunities to Learn: Guidelines for PE, A Side-by-Side Comparison (PDF)
From the National Association for Sport and Physical Education.
Instructional Framework for Fitness Education
From the National Association for Sport and Physical Education.
Physical Best Teacher’s Guide ($), Physical Best Activity Guides ($)
Use these guides and sample activities to help implement FITNESSGRAM® in your physical education classes. From the National Association for Sport and Physical Education. Published by Human Kinetics.
Physical Best & FITNESSGRAM® Workshops ($)
From the National Association for Sport and Physical Education.
E-Learning Series on “Documenting Teaching Effectiveness” ($)
From the National Association for Sport and Physical Education.
Effective Ways to Use Fitness Assessment Results
Once students have completed the FITNESSGRAM® assessment, teachers should share the results with students and parents/guardians. Parents, teachers, and students can all be involved in the goal setting process so that the concepts and behaviors are reinforced at home as well as in school.
When multiple assessments have been completed, students can compare individual results time after time. Teachers can use aggregate data to drive lesson plans that focus on improving each of the five components as part of a comprehensive fitness education plan.
If you are using the FITNESSGRAM® software program (available for purchase at www.fitnessgram.net), you will have the capability to distribute student reports. These reports highlight the areas where students have achieved the “Healthy Fitness Zone®” as well as the areas that are in need of improvement.
Appropriate Uses of Fitness Measurement (PDF)
A position statement from the National Association for Sport and Physical Education.
NASPE National Standards for Physical Education
From the National Association for Sport and Physical Education.
NASPE Teaching Tools
From the National Association for Sport and Physical Education.
Assessing Your Weight: Children's BMI Tool for Schools
From the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Physical Best & FITNESSGRAM workshops ($)
From the National Association for Sport and Physical Education.
Sharing the Benefits of Youth Fitness Assessment
Communicating information about fitness assessment is an important step in helping students, parents, colleagues, and administrators understand the relevance and importance in physical education today.
Advocacy Toolkit
From the American Alliance for Health, Physical Activity, Recreation, and Dance, these tools can help you communicate information about the assessment process and its importance with everyone involved.
Making the Case for Adopting the PYFP
We've provided this document to help staff and administrators in your school understand the benefits of adopting the Presidential Youth Fitness Program—and to make the case for applying for funding for the program.
Resources for Assessing Students with Disabilities
When it comes to conducting fitness assessments on students with disabilities, there is no "one-size fits all" approach. Rather, the unique needs of each of these students must be considered. The following resource will help you get started on finding the right assessment tools for your students with disabilities.
Guidance for Using the Brockport Physical Fitness Test
Resources for Parents
The Parent Resource Guide
Find additional information on the components of the new youth fitness program, as well as tips on how to create an active lifestyle for your family.
Parent FAQs
Find answers to common questions from parents, such as: “Why do fitness testing? What are the Healthy Fitness Zone® standards? Why is body composition testing important?” These FAQs are available in English and Spanish. Keep in mind that the FAQs include answers to questions about portions of the Presidential Youth Fitness Program that your school may not be using, such as ACTIVITYGRAM® or the parent reports.