Lessons learned: A strategic alliance to improve elementary physical education in an urban school district

Abstract

Background: Physical education (PE) can help to achieve important public health goals, but is often under-prioritized and lacking in schools. Objectives: To detail the actions, impact, and successes of a strategic alliance formed by three collaborating organizations to improve PE in a large California school district. Methods: Semistructured interviews with alliance members, principals, and teachers in 20 elementary schools, 3 years after the alliance formation. Lessons Learned: Interviewees reported district-level increases in priority and funding for PE and attributed improvements to the alliance’s collection and dissemination of local data on the status of PE. Common goals, trust, and open communication within the alliance were seen as critical to the alliance’s success. However, changes in district- or school-level accountability measures for PE were not reported. Conclusions: This strategic alliance succeeded in promoting district-level priority and funding for PE. Ongoing alliance work will focus on increasing accountability measures for PE, which may take longer to implement.