After School Physical Activity Guidelines in California

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In 2006, California SB 6385 introduced a number of changes to the After School Education and Safety (ASES) program. Along with doubling the number of state-funded after school programs, the legislation mandated that healthy snacks provided through these programs are consistent with California’s school nutrition standards (SB 12), and that the California Department of Education (CDE) develop voluntary physical activity guidelines for ASES programs. In 2009, the After School Programs Office of the California Department of Education (CDE) developed voluntary standards called CASPA guidelines to guide physical activity in after school programs. Because after school staff have the power to make daily physical activity accessible and engaging for children, it is important that these leaders understand the need to meet certain standards when delivering programs.

The CASPA Guidelines were developed as a result of Education Code Section 8484.8, which required the California Department of Education (CDE) to develop voluntary after school physical activity guidelines for CDE-funded after school programs. The CASPA guidelines are divided into 10 sections,

1. Create an after school physical activity culture that fosters youth development;
2. Develop and implement after school physical activity policies
3. Plan and evaluate after school physical activity;
4. Build and maintain a strong infrastructure for after school physical activity;
5. Ensure that all directors and staff support and promote after school physical activity programs
6. Develop and maintain high-quality and after school physical activity;
7. Ensure that all students achieve the appropriate amounts of physical activity after school
8. Ensure that all students are included in after school physical activity;
9. Connect after school physical activity with the regular school day;
10. Build partnerships with the community to support after school physical activity.

The physical activity matrix provided in chart two of this report demonstrates examples of successful strategies for implementing the California After School Physical Activity (CASPA) guidelines, along a continuum of best practices.