Guidance Documents
SHAPE America’s guidance documents provide evidence-based recommendations and practical frameworks to help educators, administrators, and policymakers make informed decisions about physical education, physical activity, and school-based health education programs.
These documents are typically developed by members of SHAPE America’s program councils and/or task forces.
Recent Guidance Documents
New! Released: 2026
Essential Components of Physical Education
This guidance document — updated to align with the new SHAPE America National Physical Education Standards — delineates the essential components that provide the structure for a physical education program, while also identifying physical education as a key element of a well-rounded education for all students.
New! Released: 2026
Physical Education Program Checklist
This guidance document is designed to help school administrators, principals, teachers and parents review their schools’ physical education programs to ensure they are addressing what SHAPE America has identified as the “essential components” of physical education.
Released: 2025
Answering Frequently Asked Questions About Adapted Physical Education
This guidance document answers common questions about providing physical education services for students with disabilities. The document was developed as a resource for physical educators, adapted physical educators, school district administrators, and parents as they work to provide consistent adapted physical education (APE) services for students with disabilities.
Released: 2025
Inclusive Practices in Health Education
This SHAPE America guidance document includes recommended actions and skills-based standards examples for creating an inclusive learning environment in health education. Educators will find information for these six key areas: Cultural Competency and Responsiveness, Accessibility, Language Considerations, Safe Environments, Community Connections, and Advocacy.
Released: 2024
Appropriate Practices in School-Based Health Education
This SHAPE America guidance document articulates best practices in school-based health education that support the implementation of effective health education as a critical component of any school system. It can be used by health educators, physical educators, school nurses, principals, teacher evaluators, community members, and higher education faculty to evaluate current practices, identify areas for improvement, and make positive changes leading to stronger school-based health education programs.
Released: 2023
Appropriate Use of Technology in Physical Education
SHAPE America believes that technology can be an effective tool for supplementing instruction in physical education when used appropriately. This document provides guidelines for using technology to help students achieve SHAPE America’s National Physical Education Standards.
Released: 2022
Best Practices in PETE/HETE
SHAPE America believes that technology can be an effective tool for supplementing instruction in physical education when used appropriately. This document provides guidelines for using technology to help students achieve SHAPE America’s National Physical Education Standards.
Released: 2022
Social Justice in PETE/HETE
Provides foundational information for PETE/HETE faculty to better understand why social justice is essential in the promotion of equitable health and physical education outcomes for all students. The document includes actionable items/practical examples at the program, instructor, student, and policy levels.
Released: 2022
Guidelines for Facilities, Equipment, Instructional Materials & Technology in K-12 Physical Education
This document guides K-12 physical educators during the program planning and curriculum adoption process — and when working with administration to advocate for and address program needs.
Released: 2021
Appropriate Instructional Practice Guidelines for Higher Education Physical Activity Programs
This document guides administrators, coordinators/directors, and faculty to offer developmentally appropriate and inclusive instructional physical activity programming at the college and university level. The purpose is to aid in developing programs that best meet the general college or university student body’s needs.
