title: Public Disclosure to Improve Physical Education in an Urban School District: Results From a 2-Year Quasi-Experimental Study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Many elementary schools have policies requiring a minimum amount of physical education (PE). However, few schools comply with local/state PE policy and little is known about how to improve adherence. We evaluated changes in PE among fifth-grade classes, following participatory action research efforts to improve PE quantity and policy compliance that focused on publically disclosing PE data.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data were collected in 20 San Francisco public elementary schools in spring 2011 and 2013. PE schedules were collected and PE classes were directly observed (2011, N = 30 teachers; 2013, N = 33 teachers). Data on the proportion of schools meeting state PE mandates in 2011 were shared within the school district and disclosed to the general public in 2012.
  
  
  RESULTS
  From 2011 to 2013, PE increased by 11 minutes/week based on teachers' schedules (95% CI: 3.0, 19.6) and by 14 minutes/week (95% CI: 1.9, 26.0) based on observations. The proportion of schools meeting the state PE mandate increased from 20% to 30% (p = .27).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Positive changes in PE were seen over a 2-year period following the public disclosure of data that highlighted poor PE policy compliance. Public disclosure could be a method for ensuring greater PE policy adherence.
authors.affiliation: UC Berkeley, School of Public Health, 2115 Milvia Street, 3rd Floor, Berkeley, CA 94704-1157. ThompsonH@Berkeley.edu.
authors.forename: Hannah R
authors.initials: HR
authors.lastname: Thompson
authors.affiliation: UCSF, Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, 185 Berry Street West, San Francisco, CA 94143. Eric.Vittinghoff@ucsf.edu.
authors.forename: Eric
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Vittinghoff
authors.affiliation: UC Berkeley, School of Public Health, 291 University Hall, #7360, Berkeley, CA 94720. JLinchey@Berkeley.edu.
authors.forename: Jennifer K
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Linchey
authors.affiliation: Joint Medical Program & Public Health Nutrition, UC Berkeley, School of Public Health, 219 University Hall, #7360, Berkeley, CA 94720. madsenk@berkeley.edu.
authors.forename: Kristine A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Madsen
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D055812:Community-Based Participatory Research; D030881:Disclosure; D006801:Humans; D010806:Physical Education and Training / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000592:standards*; D058996:Quality Improvement / Q000458:organization & administration*; D012495:San Francisco; D012574:Schools / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000592:standards*; D014505:Urban Population
keywords: physical activity; physical education; policy compliance; public disclosure