IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jijerp/v20y2023i3p1791-d1040254.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

A Novel Policy Alignment and Enhancement Process to Improve Sustainment of School-Based Physical Activity Programming

Author

Listed:
  • Penelope J. Friday

    (School of Kinesiology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA)

  • Lexie R. Beemer

    (School of Kinesiology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA)

  • Diane Martindale

    (Birch Run Area Schools, Birch Run, MI 48415, USA)

  • Amy Wassmann

    (Saginaw Intermediate School District, Saginaw, MI 48603, USA)

  • Andria B. Eisman

    (Division of Kinesiology, Health and Sport Studies, College of Education, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI 48202, USA
    Center for Health and Community Impact, College of Education, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI 48202, USA)

  • Thomas Templin

    (School of Kinesiology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA)

  • Ronald F. Zernicke

    (School of Kinesiology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
    Departments of Orthopaedic Surgery and Biomedical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA)

  • Lynn Malinoff

    (Institute for the Study of Children, Families, and Communities, Eastern Michigan University, Ypsilanti, MI 48197, USA)

  • Anna Schwartz

    (School of Kinesiology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA)

  • Tiwaloluwa A. Ajibewa

    (School of Kinesiology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA)

  • Michele W. Marenus

    (School of Kinesiology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA)

  • Rebecca E. Hasson

    (School of Kinesiology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA)

Abstract

The purpose of the current study was twofold: (1) to evaluate the strength and comprehensiveness of district wellness policies in one central Michigan intermediate school district (ISD; 16 districts), and (2) to pilot a novel policy alignment and enhancement process in one district within the ISD to improve sustainment of district-wide physical activity (PA) programming. Policy evaluation and alignment were determined using WellSAT 3.0. The Exploration, Preparation, Implementation, Sustainment (EPIS) framework was used to guide a seven-step policy alignment and enhancement process. Initial evaluation of the PA policy for the ISD revealed a strength score of 19/100 (i.e., included weak and non-specific language) and 31/100 for comprehensiveness (i.e., mentioned few components of the Comprehensive School Physical Activity Program). For the pilot school district, initial strength scores were 19/100 and 38/100 for comprehensiveness (exploration). An alignment of the tailored PA policy with current practices resulted in a 100% increase in strength (score of 38/100), and 132% increase in comprehensiveness (score of 88/100; preparation). However, district administrators encountered barriers to adopting the tailored policy and subsequently integrated the PA requirements into their curriculum guide and school improvement plan (implementation and sustainment). Future research should examine the effectiveness of our EPIS-informed policy evaluation, alignment, and enhancement process to promote widespread increases in student PA.

Suggested Citation

  • Penelope J. Friday & Lexie R. Beemer & Diane Martindale & Amy Wassmann & Andria B. Eisman & Thomas Templin & Ronald F. Zernicke & Lynn Malinoff & Anna Schwartz & Tiwaloluwa A. Ajibewa & Michele W. Mar, 2023. "A Novel Policy Alignment and Enhancement Process to Improve Sustainment of School-Based Physical Activity Programming," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(3), pages 1-16, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:20:y:2023:i:3:p:1791-:d:1040254
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/20/3/1791/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/20/3/1791/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:20:y:2023:i:3:p:1791-:d:1040254. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    We have no bibliographic references for this item. You can help adding them by using this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.