The Many Challenges Facing 50 Million Strong by 2029

(Publisher’s Note: This article is based on a presentation made by the author as part of the 50 Million Strong by 2029 Forum held at the 2017 SHAPE America National Convention.)

 The physical education profession has faced numerous challenges in recent decades. A few of these challenges include declining contact days and hours in K-12 health and physical education, declining membership within the national and state organizations, and a declining professional reputation due to inappropriate teaching.  Given the current state of our profession, what needs to occur in order to repair and improve our professional reputation?

The announcement of 50 Million Strong by 2029 at the 2015 National PETE & HETE Conference appeared to place a wedge in our professional organization.  This initial rollout was heavily centered around physical activity with little to no reference to physical education.  Significantly however, recent discussion about 50 Million Strong has focused on physical education assuming a more prominent role.  Let’s be honest, physical education must be the main focus of 50 Million Strong.  Are we to believe 50 Million Strong has a flexible definition?  Will 50 Million Strong morph as new SHAPE America Presidents assume their elected posts?  A unified and consistent vision is essential if this new professional commitment is to succeed.

The title of this commitment – 50 Million Strong by 2029 – highlights the wisdom in the old saying “the devil is in the details.”  How will SHAPE America determine if the goals of 50 Million Strong are being met?  Currently, there is not a finalized assessment plan to provide evidence of “50 million students being empowered to lead healthy and active lives through effective health and physical education programs.”  While some discussion has ensued regarding the assessment of this initiative, SHAPE America has not yet provided any assessments.  Today, almost 2 years into the initial rollout of 50 Million Strong we still have no formal assessment plan in place.

Further complications are inherent the current definition of 50 Million Strong.  First, the word empowered raises several questions when assessing the effectiveness of 50 Million Strong.  How will the “empowered” portion of the definition be assessed?  Will the psychomotor, cognitive, and/or affective aspects of “empowered” be included in the assessment plan?  Presently, the word “empowered” seems ambiguous and thus difficult to assess. Second, how we will operationally define the phrase “effective health and physical education programs?”  Are we clear on what constitutes an effective health and/or physical education program?  Will this be a combination of teacher behaviors and student behaviors? Perhaps more focus on student behaviors and less on teacher behaviors or vice versa?  What will it mean if you have a teacher meeting some established criteria while his or her students aren’t meeting the criteria for being empowered?  There are several pending challenges regarding the definition of what it means to be 50 Million Strong.  And direction and clarity are urgently needed on the assessment of 50 Million Strong.

If 50 Million Strong by 2029 is a success it clearly has the potential to positively influence the health and physical education professions. But all teachers need to think about and discuss the impact of what they are doing and how it is supporting 50 Million Strong.  All of us are familiar with current professionals who have lost touch with their craft. They’ve lost interest in improving their teaching effectiveness, lack ambition to stay current with trends in the profession, are unwilling to abandon inappropriate past practices, and aren’t committed to educating their students.  How 50 Million Strong will help to remedy these issues is unclear.

Many practicing professionals who are dedicated to their craft are already doing what 50 Million Strong proposes.  Effective physical and health educators implement developmentally appropriate instruction, educate and prepare students for a lifetime of movement, encourage out-of-class physical activity, and often assign homework to encourage further skill practice and additional physical activity engagement.  It’s unclear how 50 Million Strong will work to connect with all professionals within the health and physical education professions. How will 50 Million Strong achieve buy-in with out-of-touch professionals?  Serious consideration must take place to reach out to all professionals to help reform our profession.  As 50 Million Strong currently stands, this is not addressed.  If we are to improve our profession, we must start encouraging all out-of-touch professionals to reengage in professional development.

Without a doubt, 50 Million Strong has the potential to impact our profession.  Whether this impact is positive or negative is yet to be determined.  If this commitment is to be successful, it is imperative SHAPE America leadership critically examine the strengths and challenges presently inherent in our organization and plan ways to strengthen our field as a whole.  As currently presented, 50 Million Strong by 2029 appears structured to engage a percentage of professionals but not the masses.  Increasing teaching effectiveness, increasing membership and conference attendance, engaging building principals and school board members, and reaching out to parents across the country informing them of what good teaching practices look like should be included in future SHAPE America planning. Can 50 Million Strong help to deliver on these?  We will have to wait and see!