California school kids are apparently doing more to stay healthy these days.
They scored a little higher on the state’s annual Physical Fitness Test, but officials say a lot of kids are still out of shape.
Capital Public Radio's Steve Shadley reports...
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Students in the fifth, seventh and ninth grades did a little better than last year in most of the six test
categories. They include flexibility, upper body strength and aerobics.
But, Superintendent of Public Instruction Jack O’Connell says state budget cuts for schools could be a setback...
O’connell: “I’m concerned with larger class sizes in physical education where often times where if you have stations students have to wait and cannot remain engaged on some of the physical fitness equipment...”
Despite the better scores, fewer than half of the students tested met the fitness standard in all six
areas. O’Connell says a lot of kids in California are still overweight and need more exercise and to eat healthier
meals. National studies show that teenagers today are three times more likely to be out of shape than they were
20 years ago.