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PEP – Carol M. White Physical Education Program

Quality physical education programs are one of the best ways to help fight the obesity crisis in America. Physical education programs can increase activity levels of our youth, provide school children with a positive physical education experience and they also produce other favorable results such as: 

• More active and fit students exhibit higher academic achievement in the classroom

• California testing of more than 3 million students has shown a direct correlation between fitness and performance on standardized tests … “a healthier body = a healthier mind” 

• Introduction of a quality PE program has led to a reduction in of absenteeism, disciplinary issues & out of school suspension days

The Carol White Physical Education Program (PEP) is designed to jumpstart innovative physical education programs in America’s schools and community based organizations. PEP is a highly competitive grant program administered by the Department of Education and these PEP grants are the only federal funds dedicated exclusively to Physical Education. Since 2001 PEP has provided over a half a billion dollars in physical education grants to schools & community-based organizations for the creation and expansion of quality PE programs.

School districts awarded PEP grants use these critical funds to:  

• Implement new and improved PE programs to enable all students to participate in healthy physical activity

• Fund community-based PE programs 

• Provide new PE equipment including sports equipment: heart rate monitors, treadmills, elliptical machines, steppers, weight machines, mountain bikes, in-line skates, climbing walls as well as traditional SG equipment 

• Train physical education teachers, school staff and administrators

Annually funding for PEP continues to rise. Just in 2009 PEP received $78 million, its highest funding ever, but only 900 school districts have received grants in the past 6 years. In 2007, just 10% of the school districts that applied for PEP grants received funds. Click here to read more on the 2009 PEP Grants recipients.