PEP receives $73 million

Source: Healthcare Digital

Date :6/27/2007 8:56:06 AM

New PEP funds will promote quality P.E. for America's youth

The U.S. Department of Education has recently awarded $44.5 million for 146 new Carol M. White Physical Education Program (PEP) grants to schools and community based organizations in 39 states. The balance of the PEP grant funds – roughly $28.5 million – is being distributed to existing multi-year PEP grant recipients which were first awarded in 2005 and 2006.

PEP is a competitive grant program managed by the U.S. Department of Education. PEP grants are awarded to schools and community based organizations that provide quality P.E. and physical activity programs for America's youth. This funding is a top priority in SGMA’s commitment to provide quality physical education for America’s youth through schools and community based organizations.

For the third consecutive year, Congress rebuffed the President’s desire to eliminate PEP and provided level funding of $73 million at a time when the Department of Education’s budget was targeted for cuts.

"The PEP program is a federally funded initiative that has worked since day one and continues to reap health care ‘dividends’ for children in the United States,” says SGMA President Tom Cove. “As our childhood and adult obesity rates continue to climb, programs like PEP need to be implemented to help reverse those trends. Right now, it’s important that we inspire the younger generation to be active and be more health conscious. If we fail, this country will face a huge health care crisis in the not too distant future.”

Looking forward, members of the House and Senate members have formally requested $73 million in PEP funding for 2008, while the President’s 2008 budget included no funding for PEP.

Since the initial PEP grants in 2001, more than $400 million in PEP grants have been awarded to school districts and community based organizations. PEP funds have successfully enhanced K-12 physical education and community-based organizations’ physical activity programs across the country. PEP grants are used for training in state-of-the-art health and wellness-based physical educations methods; the addition of new technology such as heart-rate monitors and pedometers; and the acquisition of innovative P.E. equipment such as elliptical machines, treadmills, rock climbing walls and stationary bikes.

The integration of new thinking, new products, and new technology form the platform on which today’s quality PE programs are built.

The main base of support for PEP is generated by National Health-through-Fitness Day which takes place in early March in Washington, D.C. SGMA organizes this day-long lobbying effort which features well known athletes, sporting goods manufacturers, sports retailers, health care leaders, concerned citizens, association leaders, P.E. teachers and other physical education advocates. The goal of this initiative is for SGMA members and PE partners to have one-on-one discussions with members of Congress and their legislative aides about this national youth fitness issue. SGMA’s key supporters in pushing for passage of PEP include PE4life, NASPE, Outdoor Industry Association, IHRSA, NSGA, National Coalition to Promote Physical Activity, and the National Recreation and Parks Association.

“For the future of this country, it’s imperative that we invest in improved fitness today or risk a tremendous health care burden in the years to come,” says Bill Sells, SGMA’s director of government relations. “If we ignore the obesity problem, the Center for Disease Control projects healthcare spending in the U.S. will rise to $4 trillion by 2015 (20% of GDP). As a nation, we cannot afford to spend one of every five dollars on health care expenses. If we continue to support initiatives like PEP, it will help America avoid that negative scenario."