EPEC — Evidence of Effectiveness

Quality physical education programs do much more than merely keep students active.  While physical activity (PA) is a behavior that is important to a healthy lifestyle, physical education (PE) is a curricular area that promotes development of the knowledge, skills, fitness levels, competence and confidence needed to lead physically active, and therefore healthful lives, now and in the future.

Many chronic health problems experienced by today's adults and young people are due to physical inactivity.  There is a strong correlation between skilled performance of fundamental motor skills – a basic tenet of physical education – and participation in physical activity.

People who are not skilled in fundamental motor skills tend to avoid physical activity.  People who are capable of performing the basic skills necessary for participation in physical activities are more likely to enjoy participating in those activities, and thus will be more motivated to participate.  The Exemplary Physical Education Curriculum (EPEC) was designed to give students not only the knowledge and skills they need to be active for life, but the feelings of competence and confidence necessary to enjoy physical activities.

According to a recent study from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), EPEC students performed better than non-EPEC students in motor skill development, self-efficacy, and daily physical activity.

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