CalEd Facts, Physical Fitness Testing - CalEdFacts

Since 1996, California Education Code (EC) Section 60800 has mandated that all fifth, seventh, and ninth-grade students must take the physical fitness test (PFT) designated by the California State Board of Education (SBE). The local educational agencies (LEAs) responsible for these grades are required to administer the test to each student between February and May. Fitnessgram®, developed by The Cooper Institute, has been designated by the SBE as the test for this purpose. The program sets criterion-referenced standards to evaluate fitness, which represent the minimum levels of physical health and protection against diseases caused by physical inactivity. Students' fitness standards are determined by whether they score in the Healthy Fitness Zone (HFZ) for each of the six fitness areas, reflecting satisfactory minimum achievement levels. However, per Senate Bill 820, the California Department of Education (CDE) has removed HFZs and the Body Composition component from the PFT until further guidance from the SBE.

As per Senate Bill 896, Ch 1066, Stats. 1998, the CDE has a mandate to gather and disseminate the outcomes of the PFT to the Governor and Legislature on an annual basis, by December 31. Currently, schools include PFT results in the School Accountability Report Card (SARC) and provide students with their results at the time of testing, as required by law. Previously results were electronically gathered across the state and submitted by schools, LEAs, counties, and the state. The CDE PFT webpage offers access to these reports, which are conveniently categorized by grade, gender, and ethnicity, with information on all six fitness areas.

For more information regarding the physical fitness test, please contact the Proficiency, Equivalency, and Fitness Testing Office by phone at 916-445-2766 or by e-mail at pft@cde.ca.gov. Information is also available on the CDE PFT web page.