K-12 Education: School-Based Physical Education and Sports Programs
Published: 2012-02-29T00:00:00

Fast Facts:

Highlights:
section_title: Why GAO Did This Study
paragraphs: Physical activity is a crucial part of preventing or reducing childhood obesity, and may also yield important academic and social benefits. However, many children do not attain the level of daily physical activity recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Schools are uniquely positioned to provide students opportunities to increase physical activity through physical education (PE) classes and involvement in sports teams. In view of the federal governments role in promoting the health and welfare of children, the Congress is currently considering a number of proposals aimed in part at increasing the physical activity of youth. To assist the Congress as it considers options for increasing physical activity among students, GAO was asked to review (1) the status of opportunities for elementary and secondary school students to participate in school-based physical education or sports activities; and (2) what challenges schools face in providing physical education and sports opportunities. To conduct this study, GAO reviewed federal survey data; interviewed state, district, and school officials in selected states, as well as federal officials and others with relevant expertise; reviewed relevant federal laws and regulations; and reviewed studies on the benefits of physical education and sports for students.
GAO makes no recommendations in this report. The Departments of Education and Health and Human Services provided technical comments, which were incorporated as appropriate.
section_title: What GAO Found
paragraphs: While the most recent national data show instruction time for PE decreased from 2000 to 2006, officials GAO interviewed stated that school sports opportunities have generally increased in recent years. Specifically, the percentage of schools that offered PE at least 3 days a week decreased from 2000 to 2006, but the percentage of schools that required students in each grade to take some PE increased during the same period. For example, the estimated percentage of schools that required PE in ninth grade increased from 13 percent in 2000 to 55 percent in 2006. Moreover, states, districts, and schools appear to have increased emphasis on the quality of PE programs, such as helping students develop lifelong fitness skills, according to national data and GAO interviews. Data on high school students show that participation in PE varies by grade level but not by gender or across racial groups. In addition, most state, district, and school officials GAO interviewed said opportunities to participate in interscholastic sports have increased, particularly for girls, and that many schools have responded to increased demand by adding new sports teams over the last few years.
Schools GAO visited cited several challenges to providing PE and sports opportunities but have found ways to alleviate some of the challenges associated with sports. In particular, school officials said that budget cuts and inadequate facilities have affected their ability to provide PE opportunities. For example, officials from one school district GAO visited reported reducing PE instruction time because of limited funding for instructors. Other schools, such as one where the gym doubled as the cafeteria, lack dedicated space to use for PE. In addition, school officials reported challenges in providing sports opportunities, as issues related to transportation, facilities, and staffing have been compounded by budgetary constraints. For example, officials from some schools said funding to transport students to outside facilities for practices or games was limited. Other school officials cited difficulty in attracting quality coaches because of low pay and the large amount of time involved. Even so, some schools have mitigated some challenges related to sports by relying heavily on outside funding sources such as booster clubs and gate receipts and leveraging community facilities. Additionally, some schools charge student fees for sports activities, which may be a barrier for lower-income students. However, many schools waive such fees.

section_title: Letter
paragraphs: In the past 30 years, the rate of childhood obesity has increased  considerably, almost tripling for children aged 6 to 11 years. Along with  this increase, the rate of childhood health problems commonly associated  with obesity, such as hypertension and type II diabetes, has also risen,  leading some policy makers to rank childhood obesity as a critical health  threat. In a 2005 report, we highlighted expert views that increasing  physical activity is the most important strategy in any program aimed at  preventing or reducing childhood obesity. In addition to its positive health  benefits, research on physical activity among children also suggests a  strong correlation between children’s fitness and their academic  performance, as measured by grades in core subjects and scores on  standardized tests. Moreover, some experts contend that physical activity  provides both personal and social benefits, including the development of  leadership skills and increased self-esteem. The Department of Health  and Human Services’ (HHS) Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans  state that children aged 6 to 17 years should get at least 60 minutes of  physical activity each day, but the agency acknowledges that most  children do not attain this recommended level.
Schools are uniquely positioned to be an access point for students to  engage in physical activity through physical education classes and sports  teams. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention  (CDC), quality physical education can serve as the cornerstone of a  comprehensive school-based physical activity program because it  provides a unique opportunity for students to obtain the knowledge and  skills needed to establish and maintain physically active lifestyles  throughout childhood and adolescence and into adulthood. Toward that  end, CDC promotes the National Association for Sports and Physical  Education’s (NASPE) guidelines for physical education, which  recommend that schools provide 150 minutes per week of physical  education instruction to elementary school students and 225 minutes per  week to middle and high school students. Other school-based physical  activities, such as interscholastic and intramural sports, should  complement rather than take the place of physical education by providing  opportunities to practice and apply the skills taught during physical  education, according to CDC.
In view of the federal government’s role in promoting the health and  welfare of children, the Congress is currently considering a number of  proposals aimed in part at increasing physical activity of youth. the Congress as it considers options for increasing physical activity for  students, we reviewed: (1) the status of opportunities for elementary and  secondary school students to participate in school-based physical  education or sports activities; and (2) what challenges schools face in  providing physical education and sports opportunities.
See, for example, H.R. 422, H.R. 1057, H.R. 1531, H.R. 2816, S. 174, S. 392, S. 576,  and S. 919. estimates from YRBS used in this report have margins of error at the 95  percent confidence level of plus or minus 4.3 percentage points or less,  unless otherwise noted. We also interviewed officials at the Department  of Education, the Department of Health and Human Services, state  educational agencies, state high school athletic associations, school  districts, and schools about opportunities for and barriers to participation  in physical education and sports. To obtain a more in-depth  understanding of issues related to school-based sports and physical  education, we conducted site visits to California, Illinois, New York, and  North Carolina. We selected these states based on geographic  dispersion, childhood obesity rate, and variation in state requirements for  physical education programs. Within each state, we selected a  nongeneralizable sample of districts and schools based on location (rural,  urban, and suburban), school level (elementary, middle, and high), and   We  the percentage of students eligible for free or reduced price lunch.also considered any known innovative practices in selecting schools.  Based on our sample selection, we interviewed officials from four state  educational agencies, four state high school athletic associations, seven  districts, and 13 schools. In addition, we interviewed others with relevant  expertise, including researchers and representatives of professional trade  associations to gain additional perspectives on these issues. We also  reviewed relevant federal laws and regulations, as well as studies on the  benefits of sports and physical education for students.
We conducted our work from March 2011 to February 2012 in  accordance with all sections of GAO’s Quality Assurance Framework that  are relevant to our objectives. The framework requires that we plan and  perform the engagement to meet our stated objectives and to discuss any  limitations in our work. We believe that the information and data obtained,  and the analysis conducted, provide a reasonable basis for any findings  and conclusions in this product.
subsections: section_title: Background
subsections: section_title: Prevalence and Consequences of Obesity among U.S. Children
paragraphs: According to CDC, approximately 12.5 million children aged 2 to 19 years  are obese. The prevalence of obesity among children and adolescents  has nearly tripled since 1980. Childhood obesity can cause a number of  harmful effects on health, including high blood pressure and cholesterol,  breathing problems and asthma, and increased risk of type II diabetes.  This rise in obesity-related health conditions also introduces added  economic costs. The annual direct costs of childhood obesity in the  United States are estimated at about $14.3 billion. Moreover, because  studies suggest that obese children are likely to become overweight or  obese adults—particularly if they are obese during adolescence—the  increase in the number of obese children may also contribute to additional  health care expenditures when they become adults. One study estimated  the medical costs of obesity to be as high as $147 billion per year in   Nearly half of all medical spending related to adult obesity is  2008.financed by the public sector, through Medicaid and Medicare.
section_title: Benefits of Participating in Physical Education and Sports
paragraphs: Research indicates that increased physical activity in general, and  physical education (PE) and sports participation in particular, yields a  number of important benefits for elementary and secondary students,  including:
Health benefits—Research has shown that regular physical activity for  youth can benefit them in a number of ways, including helping build  and maintain healthy bones, muscles, and joints; helping control  weight and reduce fat; and preventing or delaying the development of  high blood pressure. One study concluded that expanding PE  programs in schools may be an effective intervention for combating  obesity in the early years, especially among girls.
Academic benefits—A growing body of evidence indicates a  relationship between PE and sports and academic attainment and  attendance. A 2010 CDC report that examined 50 existing studies  found positive associations between academic performance and both  PE and school-based sports. Specifically, it concluded there is  substantial evidence that physical activity can help improve academic  achievement, including grades and standardized test scores. Further,  it suggested physical activity can affect cognitive skills, attitudes, and  academic behavior, including enhanced concentration, attention, and  improved classroom behavior, and concluded that increasing or  maintaining time dedicated to physical education might help academic  performance.
Personal and social benefits—A number of studies provide some  support for the premise that physical activity, and sports in particular,  can positively affect aspects of personal development among young  people, such as self-esteem, goal-setting, and leadership. However,  evidence indicates that the quality of coaching is a key factor in  maximizing positive effects.
section_title: Federal, State, and Local Roles
paragraphs: The federal government supports efforts to increase the amount of time  children spend being physically active, including within the school context.  For example:
CDC funds 22 states and 1 tribal government to help schools develop  a systematic approach to school health, including physical education,  through its promotion of a coordinated school health strategy. It also  publishes the Physical Education Curriculum Analysis Tool, which is  designed to help school districts develop or enhance physical  education curricula.
The Department of Education administers the Carol M. White Physical  Education Program, which awards grants to districts and community- based organizations to initiate or enhance physical education  programs. In fiscal year 2011, the program had a budget of nearly $79  million, and funded 76 new awards and 152 continuation awards.
The President’s Council on Fitness, Sports and Nutrition includes the  President’s Challenge program, which assists schools in assessing  student fitness levels, motivating and awarding student physical  activity participation, and awarding model school PE programs.
In 2010, the President launched the White House Task Force on  Childhood Obesity, in conjunction with the First Lady’s Let’s Move!  initiative aimed at increasing physical activity.
The Department of Agriculture runs the HealthierUS School  Challenge, an initiative to recognize schools that have created  healthier school environments through the promotion of nutrition and  physical activity.
At the state and district levels, various parties may be involved in  providing students with opportunities in PE or sports. For example, many  states have requirements regarding schools’ provision of PE, according to  CDC. However, policies may vary by state or district, such as the required  grades in which PE should be offered, the number of minutes students  should be in class, or the specific content and curriculum areas that  should be taught. For extracurricular athletics, the National Federation of  State High School Associations provides leadership for the administration  of most high school interscholastic sports—the main form of  extracurricular athletic competition in schools, which includes varsity and  junior varsity level teams. In turn, each state has its own state high school  athletic association that is a voluntary member of the federation.
section_title: While PE Instruction Time Has Decreased, Officials Said School Sports Opportunities Have Generally Increased
subsections: section_title: PE Instruction Time Has Decreased, but Schools Increasingly Require Some PE in Each Grade
subsections: section_title: Opportunities
paragraphs: The amount of PE instruction time that schools offer to students generally  decreased from 2000 to 2006, according to SHPPS data, and relatively  few schools offered students the opportunity to participate in daily PE or  its instructional equivalent, as recommended by NASPE (see fig. 1).  National data show that a higher percentage of middle schools offered  daily PE than did elementary or high schools. Schools we visited differed  widely in the amount of PE instruction time offered to their students. For  example, only 3 out of 13 schools we visited offered daily PE or its  instructional equivalent. These 3 schools had longer school days, which  officials said made it easier to fit PE into the daily schedule. Among the 4  elementary schools we visited, 1 provided all students a daily 60-minute  PE class, while another provided students just one 30-minute PE class  per week.
At the same time, the estimated percentage of schools that required  students to take some PE increased at each grade level from 2000 to  2006, particularly for grades at the middle and high school levels,  according to SHPPS data (see fig. 2). For example, the estimated  percentage of schools that required ninth grade students to take PE  increased from 13 percent in 2000 to 55 percent in 2006.
Although the amount of PE instruction time has decreased, emphasis on  the quality of PE programs appears to have increased, according to  SHPPS data and comments from officials we interviewed. The  percentage of states that required or encouraged districts or schools to  follow NASPE-based PE standards—such as competency in motor skills  and promotion of responsible personal and social behavior—increased  from 59 percent in 2000 to 76 percent in 2006. In 2006, an estimated 65  percent of schools adopted such standards. District and school officials  with whom we spoke said PE curricula now focus less on traditional  sports in favor of helping students develop lifelong skills. For instance,  three schools we visited offered outdoor adventure-based activities that  helped students develop problem solving and teamwork skills. At one  middle school we visited, PE staff members taught students how to  measure their body mass index and other indicators of fitness. In addition,  some school and district officials we interviewed said offering students  options may increase student participation in PE. For example, officials at  one high school we visited said that each semester students could select  two to three different sports or fitness activities from a range of options— such as flag football, tennis, or soccer—to fulfill their PE requirement.  School officials noted that students were more engaged in PE because  the options were designed to motivate students across a range of athletic  abilities and interests. Moreover, several school officials we interviewed  said they design their PE curriculum to encourage students to move as  much as possible during PE class.
These YRBS estimates have a margin of error at the 95 percent confidence level of plus  or minus 9.6 percentage points or less. officials told us the PE curriculum is designed to engage as many  students as possible.
As previously stated, national data show that many schools have PE  requirements. However, some schools allow exemptions for a range of  reasons. According to 2006 SHPPS data, state, district, and school  policies most commonly allowed student exemptions due to long-term  physical or medical disability. Our previous work has shown that students  with disabilities generally attend PE class about the same amount of time  as students without disabilities. In addition, according to 2006 SHPPS  data, most states required schools to implement measures to meet the  PE needs of students with long-term disabilities. Officials from most  schools and districts we interviewed said that exemptions from PE  requirements are rare, and schools generally offer students with long- term disabilities the opportunity to participate in adapted PE or general  PE classes.
section_title: Most Officials Reported Increased Opportunities to Participate in School Sports
subsections: section_title: Opportunities
paragraphs: School sports programs offer another opportunity for students to engage  in school-based physical activity. According to 2006 SHPPS data, an  estimated 77 percent of middle schools and 91 percent of high schools  offered students opportunities to participate in interscholastic sports   Most  programs such as basketball, soccer, or softball (see app. I).national, state, district, and school officials we interviewed said that  opportunities to participate in school sports have generally increased, in  part because many schools have added new interscholastic sports teams  over the last few years. For example, several schools we visited have  added lacrosse and badminton programs as student interest in these  sports has increased. Furthermore, officials from each of the four states  we visited said they had added new sports programs to their statewide  interscholastic competition schedules in response to increased demand.  In particular, many officials we interviewed said opportunities for girls to  participate in school sports have increased over time, due primarily to the  addition of new interscholastic sports teams for girls. For example, one  state official we interviewed noted that while only 49 high schools in the  state offered girls’ soccer in 1986, about 300 high schools offered it in  2010. In addition to interscholastic sports, SHPPS data show that an  estimated 50 percent of elementary schools, 49 percent of middle  schools, and 45 percent of high schools offered intramural or physical  activity clubs in 2006. However, several officials said that such programs,  which are relatively small compared to interscholastic programs, have  decreased in middle and high schools. Moreover, only a few schools we  visited offered intramural programs.
No-cut policies—in which schools do not limit the number of students who  can participate on a sports team—have also contributed to increased  opportunities for students to participate in school sports programs,  according to many officials we interviewed. For example, in one district  we visited, the middle school interscholastic teams adopted no-cut  policies, which officials said provided interested students ample  opportunities to participate in sports programs and gain exposure to new  sports. Similarly, an official at another high school we visited said the  school offers at least one no-cut interscholastic team per season so that  students who want to participate in school sports always have at least  one option.
National data show that high school students’ participation in at least one  school or community sports team remained about the same from 2005 to  2009. Over one-half of high school students reported participating in at  least one school or community sports team in 2009, according to YRBS  data. Several middle school and high school officials we interviewed  reported similar student participation rates. The overall number of  students who participate in school sports programs has generally  increased over the years, according to most officials we interviewed. High  school boys reported a higher rate of participation in school or community  sports teams than high school girls in both 2005 and 2009, according to  YRBS data. However, according to the officials we interviewed, the  number of female athletes has increased over the years, in part due to  the addition of new sports programs for girls. While participation did not  vary significantly overall by race for white, black, and Hispanic high  school students, white high school girls were more likely to report that  they participate in at least one sports team than their black or Hispanic  counterparts.
section_title: Schools Cited Resource Challenges to Providing PE and Sports Opportunities but Have Mitigated Some of Them
subsections: section_title: Officials Said PE Opportunities Have Been Affected by Budget Cuts and Inadequate Facilities
paragraphs: Most officials we spoke with cited budget cuts and inadequate facilities as  major challenges for schools to provide physical education opportunities  for students. Specifically, officials from several of the districts and schools  we visited said budget cuts have affected their ability to hire PE teachers,  maintain appropriate class sizes, and purchase sufficient equipment. In  one district we visited, officials told us that many PE teachers have been  laid off, and some schools in the district have been forced to share a part- time PE instructor. As a result, elementary school PE instruction in the  district has been reduced to as little as 30 minutes every 2-3 weeks, and  a district official told us most elementary and middle schools in the district  are not meeting state requirements for PE instruction. At two elementary  schools we visited, PE instructors expressed a desire to conduct PE  instruction on a daily basis, but cited limited funding as a barrier. Some  schools have also seen increased class sizes as a result of budget cuts.  In some cases, budget cuts have affected the availability and quality of  equipment as well. A PE teacher at one school has stopped including  several sports, such as golf, in her PE classes because the supply of  equipment no longer matches the class size. In the context of limited  funding, some state, district, and school officials expressed the belief that  the greater emphasis on assessments for reading and math, as required   has shifted priorities away  under the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001,from PE. In one district we visited, an official said this focus on academic  assessments had led his district to reduce the amount of PE it offers  students.
Officials at 9 of the 13 schools we visited told us that a lack of adequate  facilities is also a major challenge in providing physical education. For  example, because some schools do not have adequate indoor space,  they may conduct several PE classes in the gymnasium simultaneously,  or use alternative space for their activities. According to SHPPS data, an  estimated 54.9 percent of elementary schools, 37.8 percent of middle  schools, and 25.3 percent of high schools used a cafeteria, auditorium, or  other multipurpose room for indoor physical education in 2006. During our  site visits, we observed several PE classes sharing space and saw  multipurpose facilities being used as gymnasiums. For example, at one  school we visited, the gymnasium also served as the cafeteria. The time it  takes to prepare for, serve, and clean up from lunch limits the school’s  ability to schedule PE classes.
Several school officials told us they have worked hard to stretch the  limited funding they receive for PE instruction. Some schools partially rely  on federal grant money to help maintain and augment PE opportunities.  For example, two school districts we visited were able to purchase  equipment, such as fitness center equipment and kick balls, for their PE  programs as a result of Carol M. White grants from the Department of  Education.
section_title: Schools Also Face Budget and Other Challenges in Providing Sports Opportunities but Have Partially Mitigated Them
paragraphs: Although sports opportunities have generally increased, most officials we  spoke with cited budget constraints as a key challenge to providing  opportunities. In particular, budget cuts have affected transportation and  facilities. Some schools have also struggled to find coaches for their  school sports teams.
Because interscholastic sports games may involve travel and some  teams practice off-site, schools often need to provide transportation for  athletes. Many school and district officials we spoke with stated that,  because of budget constraints, they had a difficult time providing  transportation to facilitate student participation in after-school sports  activities. According to SHPPS data, an estimated 29 percent of the  schools that offered interscholastic sports in 2006 also provided  transportation home for participating students, up from 21 percent in  2000. For schools that offered intramural activities, an estimated 31  percent of middle schools and 28 percent of high schools provided  transportation home for students. Some school officials told us that  transportation costs, including costs associated with maintenance and  fuel, are a large part of their school’s athletic budget. To help reduce  transportation costs, some schools charge students a fee for  transportation, enlisting parents to provide carpools, or sharing buses with  other athletic teams to transport students to and from athletic events.
Several school officials we spoke with stated that budget cuts and space  constraints have affected their ability to provide adequate facilities and  equipment for sports opportunities. Some smaller schools do not have  access to baseball or football fields or other facilities for team sports. In  addition, some schools use off-site locations for practices and events due  to the lack of space or adequate facilities. Furthermore, some schools,  particularly schools in densely populated communities, lack the necessary  space to expand their facilities. Moreover, officials at one school we  visited said they were prohibited from building new athletic fields or  expanding because of land use restrictions. To mitigate some of these  challenges, several schools we visited have developed partnerships with  local businesses, colleges, nonprofits, or community recreational centers  to use their facilities for various sports programs. For example, several  schools have agreements to use community athletic fields and other  facilities for baseball, football, soccer, and swimming programs. In  addition to space constraints, some school officials cited aging or  insufficient equipment as a challenge to providing sports opportunities.  For example, an official from one school told us the school had to  implement a selection policy for the football program, in which some  students were cut from the team, because demand exceeded the number  of uniforms and helmets available for players. School officials also cited  the upkeep and maintenance of fields as a challenge given budget  constraints.
Some state, district, and other officials cited finding quality coaches as a  challenge to providing sports opportunities. Specifically, some officials  told us that fewer faculty members have been coaching sports teams in  recent years. Officials attribute this decline to the low pay and increased  time commitments that are often required to coach a sport. In one state  we visited, an official said over 60 percent of the coaches in the state  were considered “walk-on coaches” who were not otherwise a part of the  school community. Some officials said that non-faculty coaches may be  less accessible to students. In addition, some schools may have a difficult  time finding coaches for specific sports. For example, one school official  reported difficulty finding cheerleading coaches given the specialized  training needed to coach a cheerleading squad.
Schools have mitigated some of the budgetary challenges related to  providing sports opportunities by relying heavily on outside funding  sources or charging fees for certain sports activities. Some school  officials we interviewed said their athletics funding depended primarily on  community support or the tax base of their district, both of which fluctuate  with the economy. For example, one district we visited had strong  community support and a high economic tax base. During our site visit,  we observed that schools in this district had numerous and high-quality  facilities and one official mentioned that even the district’s middle schools  had swimming pools. The official added that the tax base has remained  steady, and the district has not experienced some of the challenges that  other school districts face in providing PE and sports opportunities for its  students. However, other schools we visited reported relying heavily on  booster clubs, gate receipts, private donations, and fundraising to fund  their local sports programs. For example, one school official told us that  the school relies heavily on ticket sales from sporting events that may  total as much as $60,000 a year to maintain and fund its sports programs.  Also, some schools with very strong community support benefit from  community fundraising efforts.
In addition, some school districts have implemented “pay-to-play”  arrangements, in which students are charged a fee to participate in  school sports activities. Specifically, according to SHPPS data, the  percentage of schools that require students to pay an activity fee to  participate in interscholastic sports was an estimated 33 percent in 2006,  which did not differ significantly from the 2000 estimate of 29 percent.addition, the percentage of schools with intramural activities or physical  activity clubs that required students to pay a fee for these activities  increased from an estimated 23 percent in 2000 to 35 percent in 2006.  However, in two states we visited, officials told us that pay-to-play  arrangements are prohibited in their states. Some officials expressed  concern that pay-to-play arrangements may negatively impact student  participation by serving as a barrier to lower-income students. However,  according to 2006 SHPPS data, an estimated 86 percent of schools that  charge a fee to participate in sports activities waived the fee for students  who could not afford to pay.
section_title: Concluding Observations
paragraphs: The federal government has an interest in seeing that school-aged  children benefit from the positive effects regular physical activity can have  on health and overall well-being. As the primary social institution where  children learn and spend their time, schools can play a pivotal role in  increasing students’ physical activity, in part through offering PE classes  and opportunities to participate in sports programs. Although it appears  schools increasingly acknowledge the benefits of PE by requiring  students to take classes, they have reduced the amount of time spent on  PE instruction. Opportunities to play school sports, however, appear to be  on the rise. While such a trend is encouraging, school-based sports  should augment, rather than replace, the experiences and skills acquired  in PE, which reaches beyond student athletes to the general student  population. A number of challenges inhibit further expansion of school- based PE and sports. At a time when states and districts are operating  under severe fiscal constraints, acquiring resources to provide additional  opportunities is difficult. Although some districts and schools have  developed approaches to partially offset the challenges associated with  providing sports opportunities, challenges associated with providing PE  remain unresolved. Identifying practical ways to increase students’  physical activity may be difficult, but the need to address childhood  obesity—and the opportunity to shore up such efforts in the school  context—serves as a compelling starting point for addressing obesity- related health issues and their associated costs.
section_title: Agency Comments and Our Evaluation
paragraphs: We provided a draft of the report to the Departments of Education and  Health and Human Services for review and comment. Both agencies  provided technical comments, which we incorporated as appropriate.
As arranged with your offices, unless you publicly announce its contents  earlier, we plan no further distribution of this report until 30 days from its  issue date. At that time, we will send copies of this report to relevant  congressional committees, the Secretary of Education, the Secretary of  Health and Human Services, and other interested parties. In addition, the  report is available at no charge on the GAO website at  http://www.gao.gov.
If you or your staff have any questions about this report, please contact  me at (206) 287-4809 or calboml@gao.gov. Contact points for our Offices  of Congressional Relations and Public Affairs may be found on the last  page of this report. GAO staff who made key contributions to this report  are listed in appendix II.
section_title: Appendix I: Estimated Percentage of All Middle and High Schools That Offered Interscholastic Sports in 2006, by School Level
section_title: Appendix II: GAO Contact and Staff Acknowledgments
subsections: section_title: Staff Acknowledgments
paragraphs: Debra Prescott (Assistant Director) and Rebecca Woiwode (Analyst-in- Charge) managed this assignment. Vernette Shaw and Michelle Wong  made significant contributions in all facets of the work. In addition, Dana  Hopings helped with site visits; Jean McSween and Dae Park provided  methodological support; Alex Galuten provided legal assistance; David  Chrisinger provided writing assistance; and James Bennett provided  graphics for the report.