Stockton Unified School District

In 1976, Physical Fitness Testing was first approved in California. The legislation lead to the adoption of FITNESSGRAM in 1996 as the assessment for the PFT. The FITNESSGRAM outlines tests to be administered to measure physical fitness. (You can find more information by visiting http://www.cooperinstitute.org/fitnessgram.)

FITNESSGRAM outlines a comprehensive, health-related, physical fitness battery of tests in these 5 fitness zones:

• Aerobic Capacity
• Abdominal Strength and Endurance
• Trunk Extensor Strength and Flexibility
• Upper Body Strength and Endurance
• Flexibility

For each fitness area, there are up to 3 different tests approved. Our district administers these:

• Mile Run (Aerobic Capacity)
• Curl Ups (Abdominal Strength)
• Trunk Lift (Trunk Extensor)
• Push Ups (Upper Body Strength)
• Shoulder Stretch (Flexibility)

Students in grades 5, 7, and 9 are required to be tested. Typically, in 5th grade, their homeroom teacher and in 7th and 9th grade, their PE teachers administer the tests.

The Physical Fitness Test is required to be administered between February and May every year. Once the tests are administered, each student is given their "raw scores". For example, your student will be told the total number of curl ups they completed (number of push ups completed, time run in the mile, etc.).

In addition, the teacher must document if your student participated in that exercise or not. This information is aggregated together to form a participation rate for the exercise and grade level. Starting with the 2021-2022 School Accountability Report Card (SARC), PFT participation is included (you can find your school's SARC here: School Accountability Report Card).