The Paw Print

By Elena Whitford

How would you describe the uniquely American experience that is the FitnessGram PACER test? Whether the thought of it exhilarates you or, like me, you shudder at the thought of that dreaded beeping sound, most can agree that it is a quintessential aspect of public school life. 

Physical Education and Health teacher Ms. Annunzio says the tests are not meant to be unpleasant. “I view it more as a fitness assessment to provide the students and teachers with information. The scores allow students and teachers to focus on fitness activities that will enhance a person’s fitness levels, therefore improving their health.”

While the ultimate goal is to help students improve their personal performance, the grading system of FitnessGram tests are a source of unnecessary stress and foster a competitive environment by making participants feel  like they must outperform everyone else to be successful.

Each test is scored out of 10 points, with a score of 10 if a student surpasses the standard (set by an average of previous data based on gender and age group) and 0 points given if the student does not meet the standard — and as everyone who has taken a PACER can tell you, these standards are hard to meet. 

Students are required to run laps of 20 meters with no time to rest. While the standards vary by age and gender, many students must run upwards of 35 laps to pass. By that point, almost everyone has already dropped out from exhaustion.

While failing the fitness test does not significantly lower students’ grades, there is clear evidence that the tests cause stress among students. Aniyah Coleman ‘27 attests, “Many students are negatively impacted by getting scores on standardized tests that disappoint them and cause them to think that’s all they’re capable of.” 

The root of the problem is that students see FitnessGram tests not as a chance for exercise and improvement, but as a source of stress when they are already stressed enough about high school.

Kelly Simonton, a researcher at Louisiana State University, added to this point when she said, “School fitness tests are rarely used to educate students about fitness and they’re often implemented poorly, so we cannot help but think that class time would be better spent in equipping students with knowledge and skills that more closely support the PE curriculum.” As this suggests, these tests are a systemic problem with public schools across the US.

Specifically at Payton, there is a limited amount of time in student schedules. Standard PE classes are only taught for a total of five quarters — one semester in freshman year and three quarters in sophomore year. Students participate in the FitnessGram tests at least twice over the course of each PE class, adding up to several weeks of testing. This leads us to wonder if the time could be better used.

Not everyone has a negative experience with fitness tests. Madisyn Bridges ‘27 is an example of this. “I’m trying to use it to get better at fitness and improve myself as a person so I won’t be as stressed out about it when it comes around,” she said.

Adrian Hoag ‘27 is largely indifferent, and doesn’t believe change is necessary. “Being graded on physical performance is okay because PE is just another class.” 

Still, even if some do not dislike testing, many of us can agree that there’s room for improvement. How, then, do we increase overall satisfaction in PE while providing students with meaningful life lessons?

In other subjects, some teachers work to limit the amount of time used for standardized testing. When assigned a state-mandated assessment, these teachers tend to rush their students through the exam, often in less than a class period’s time, and do not grade them based on their work. This ensures class time is used to cover more relevant material.

Perhaps PE teachers could consider a similar approach. For example, students could complete the tests quickly, then take more time to discuss what they learned about themselves, create plans on how they could improve, and set goals for their future in fitness.

Simply put, fitness tests are a required part of the school curriculum. But if we want PE to be a source of fun, education, and stress release rather than just another grade, we need to rethink the way these tests are used. With a slight change of emphasis and implementation, fitness tests could become a way to measure improvement and inspire a lasting love of fitness.