The test assesses six fitness areas including aerobic capacity, percentage of body fat, abdominal strength and endurance, trunk strength, flexibility and upper body strength. The test is given to fifth graders, seventh graders and ninth graders. While the goal is to have all children pass each test, only about one in four tested at that capacity statewide. Countywide the numbers fare a little better with one in three children passing all the standards.

The goal of this year’s test was to eat right and exercise more, but while there was a 3 percent to 4 percent increase in the overall performance in students since last year students aren’t making the cut.

San Mateo County fared better all around. Statewide 24.5 percent of fifth graders passed all six standards compared to 30.1 in the county. Of sixth graders, 28.8 percentage of seventh graders statewide passed the tests while 33 percent passed countywide. Statewide 26.7 percent of ninth graders passed all six standards compared to 35.7 in the county.

“The importance of this test doesn’t have the same sort of weight as the academic testing does for most people,” said Christine Baumgardner, supervisor of assessment and research for the South San Francisco Unified School District.

These tests are not attached to any funding requirements for the schools, therefore there is less incentive to focus on the requirements. Once the results are included in a school’s Academic Performance Index scores it will start to matter, Baumgardner said.

South San Francisco Unified School District is the only district representing all three groups of students tested in San Mateo County. Only 14.8 percent of fifth graders, 18.8 percent of seventh graders and 24.1 percent of ninth graders passed all six fitness standards. While the numbers are low, Baumgardner said they have raised a little each year.

Instead of focusing on the overall numbers, the district looks at which test was the most difficult for students to complete. The children tested are classified into one of two categories “in the healthy fitness zone” and “needs improvement.” South City focuses on the number of children who are not in the “Healthy Fitness Zone.”

The biggest challenge is that the information being distributed isn’t easy to understand by the parents, Baumgardner said. Therefore it’s difficult to stress the importance, she said. For example, obesity is a buzz word but body mass index might not be as familiar to people.

The district does work with Stanford University to put on a dance program that also teaches nutrition and cooking to parents, however there just isn’t enough money to provide that education to everyone, said Baumgardner.

School boards are taking notice and starting to make changes like not offering sodas or junk food in school. Requirements were changed in the San Mateo Union High School District so students could only get physical education classes by taking a physical education class. Before this year, athletes, for example, could practice during the last period of the day and receive physical education credit for the course. Now sports are all after-school activities integrating some of the better athletes into the P.E. classes added a competitive element to the classes, said Gregory Quigley, the administration liaison to the physical education curriculum council.

For example, Quigley said in one class, swimmers were used as examples or models for the other students.

The high school district is also trying to prep the students for the test in a proactive manner so students know what to expect when the testing comes around in April or May. Students will test in the beginning and end of each semester to track their progress, Quigley said.

“There’s a lot of work, not only knowing the content but helping the students learn how to take the test and what’s expected of them when they take it,” he said.

In the bigger picture, school officials said the healthy habits need to be encouraged at home to be successful.

“Our hope is to not only create some activity in the classroom but a sense of urgency of being active during after school hours,” Quigley said. “Physical education doesn’t stop at the end of the period but it needs to continue throughout the rest of the day and on breaks and on weekends and in the summer.”

Results can be viewed online by state, county, district or school at the California Department of education Web site. For more information visit www.cde.ca.gov.

Heather Murtagh can be reached by e-mail: heather@smdailyjournal.com or by phone: (650) 344-5200 ext. 105. What do you think of this story? Send a letter to the editor: letters@smdailyjournal.com.