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The Florida Department of Health works to protect, promote, and improve the health of all people in Florida through integrated state, county, and community efforts.

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Adapted Physical Activity

Contact the Disability and Health Program

The Comprehensive School Physical Activity Program (CSPAP) is a framework for schools to provide opportunities for students to be physically active for 60 minutes each day. Schools play a vital role in ensuring children and adolescents get the nationally recommended 60 minutes of daily physical activity. CSPAP reflects strong coordination and cooperation across all program components:

  1. Physical education as the foundation
  2. Physical activity before and after school
  3. Physical activity during school
  4. Staff involvement
  5. Family and community engagement

The five components of the CSPAP: staff involvement, physical activity before school, physical education, physical activity during and after school, family and community engagement equaling 60 minutes.

The Disability and Health Program (DHP) partners with each pilot site to assess and adapt the CSPAP specifically according to the individual needs of the school and students.

The seven schools are:

  • Cunningham Creek Elementary School
  • Gretchen Everhart School
  • Laurel Nokomis Elementary School
  • Maplewood Elementary School
  • Sidney Lanier Center
  • Royal Palm School
  • Veterans Park Academy of the Arts

Of the seven schools, three are Exceptional Student Education schools (ESE), which are schools dedicated to offering educational services to meet the specialized instruction needs of children with disabilities. The other 4 schools are mainstream schools, which are public schools that educate children with disabilities and without disabilities in the same classrooms. 

The schools completed the School Health Index (SHI) Self-Assessment and Planning Guide ,an online self-evaluation and planning tool built on the CDC’s research-based guidelines for school health programs to identify the policies and practices that will help reduce youth health risk behaviors. The CDC developed the SHI in partnership with educators, parents, and national organizations to:

  • Empower schools to identify strengths and weaknesses of health and safety policies and programs
  • Enable schools to develop an action plan to improve student health and increase physical activity
  • Engage teachers, parents, students, and communities in promoting health-enhancing behaviors and healthy lifestyles

Using data from the SHI and other school-based surveys, the DHP and each pilot site school developed an implementation plan tailored to each school’s needs.

 

Adapted CSPAP Pilot Sites 

FY 17-18

  • Sidney Lanier Center (ESE)—Alachua County
  • Gretchen Everhart School (ESE)—Leon County

FY 18-19

  • LaVoy Exceptional Center (ESE)—Hillsborough County
  • Maplewood Elementary School (Mainstream)—Marion County
  • Veterans Park Academy for the Arts (Mainstream)—Lee County

FY 19-20

  • Cunningham Creek Elementary (Mainstream) — John’s County
  • Laurel Nokomis Elementary (Mainstream)—Sarasota County

FY 20-21

  • Royal Palm School (ESE)—Palm Beach County 

Florida map of adapted school physical activity programs

Adapted CSPAP Success Stories 

Since 2018, the Disability and Health Program has provided funds to pilot site schools to implement the adapted CSPAP. Through these partnerships, these schools identified core gaps in their physical activity needs and purchased adapted equipment and inclusive fitness tools. As a result of this project, over 5,000  students have been reached, gaining an additional 500minutes collectively of physical activity per week. The items purchased included:

  • wheelchair-accessible swing sets
  • inclusive playground equipment
  • adapted tricycles
  • sensory kits 
  • take-home physical activity kits used during COVID-19 lockdown

“We are so excited and grateful to be able to share these items with our kids. They love being able to exercise and enjoy recess with their classmates.”

—Lauren Klein, Physical Education Coach, LaVoy Exceptional Center, June 2019  

“Veterans Park Academy for the Arts is proud to be the first traditional school in the state of Florida to implement an adaptive CSPAP. This program has allowed our school an inclusive opportunity to improve the health of our students, and bring awareness to the importance of physical fitness. Thank you for the opportunity, and we look forward to the sustainability of the program.”

—Helen Lundy, Assistant Principal, Veterans Park Academy for the Arts, June 2019

“I was able to furnish my Adaptive PE room with specially designed equipment that now keeps even the most challenged students more engaged in movement during the allotted PE time each day.”

—Mary Williams, P.E. Teacher, Maplewood Elementary School, June 2019