There's good news out of Washington, D.C. for physical education! The U.S. Department of Education announced the recipients of the Carol M. White Physical Education for Progress (PEP) Program for school year 2003-2004. In all, $59 million is being distributed to record 256 school districts and other organizations around the country.

The top priority of SGMA’s legislative agenda, PEP grants provide funds directly to schools to purchase sports/fitness equipment and to train teachers to apply innovative physical education programs in their schools and communities.

“We are very pleased with the large number of grants awarded this year,” said SGMA’s Tom Cove, Vice-President of Government Affairs. “SGMA, along with PE4LIFE, decided several years ago to focus on revitalizing physical education in America, and the growth of the PEP program reflects how we are accomplishing our goal. These grants represent real money getting into schools and communities.”

This year’s grant awards range from $28,230 to $570,000. Communities across 45 states and territories received grants. PEP funding will be dedicated to purchase a wide array of sports products including pedometers, heart rate monitors, fitness assessment technology, inline skates, climbing walls, cross country skis, treadmills, and traditional sports equipment.

For the first time ever the Department of Education created a special category for “Novice” organizations. This “Novice” component focused on awarding grants to small public schools, private schools, faith-based organizations, and community-based organizations. More than 105 novice grants were awarded, all to organizations that had not previously secured federal funding.

“SGMA supports the novice component,” said Cove, “because it spreads the wealth and allows smaller communities to reap the benefits of an invigorated physical education program.”

The vast majority of PEP recipients are local school districts, but several YMCAs and Girls and Boys Clubs were also provided grant funding. These community-based organizations provide physical education in school districts with no P.E. teachers or facilities.

For more info on PEP and for a list of PEP winners visit the
Department of Education web-site for PEP.

SGMA International is currently lobbying Congress to secure additional monies for future PEP funding cycles. Congress is likely to finalize next year’s PEP appropriation within the next 60 days.