Healthy, Active Children (US)

October 5, 2010

The U.S. Department of Education today announced it has awarded 77 grants totaling more than $36.8 million to public schools and community-based organizations to initiate, expand and improve physical education programs for students in grades K-12.

"Healthy students are ready to learn," U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan said. "These grants will provide schools with the resources they need to help students become healthier and more active."

The grants are awarded from the Carol M. White Physical Education Program. Recipients must implement programs that help students make progress toward meeting their state standards for physical education. In addition, recipients may provide equipment and support for students to participate actively in physical education activities, as well as for staff and teacher training and education. Since the program began in 2001, the Department has awarded more than $591 million in grants.

The grant program is managed by the Department’s Office of Safe and Drug-Free Schools, which supports efforts to create safe schools, ensure the health and well being of students, teach stude nts good citizenship and character, respond to crisis, and prevent drug and alcohol abuse. For additional information on the PEP grant program, visit http://www2.ed.gov/programs/whitephysed/index.html.