Colorado has new academic standards for students including updated physical education standards and, for the first time, comprehensive health standards.

These standards are important because healthy, active students achieve more in school and in life. They concentrate better, make better decisions about their behavior and feel better about themselves.

Teaching the comprehensive health and physical education standards in every Colorado school means that students will have more opportunities from preschool through high school to learn to practice behaviors that make a positive difference in their daily lives at school and at home.

Comprehensive health and physical education standards reinforce other subjects, too. For example, health education enhances understanding of science when students learn how the body’s immune system fights disease. Physical education reinforces math when students learn to dribble balls in patterns.

Implementing all of Colorado’s new academic standards might feel daunting at first, but educators and students can have fun with new comprehensive health and physical education standards.

The Colorado Legacy Foundation believes that increased student achievement for all Colorado students requires effective leaders in every school, effective educators in every classroom, and healthy and engaged students who come to school ready to learn.