The Society of Health and Physical Educators, working under the name SHAPE America, is an American organization providing support to professionals specializing in health, physical education, recreation and dance. It has had six previous names, most recently the American Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance (AAHPERD), and previously the Association for Health, Physical Education and recreation.
AAHPERD’s mission is to promote and support leadership, research, education, and best practices in the professions that support creative, healthy, and active lifestyles.
AAHPERD's national associations have the following purposes:
- To develop and disseminate professional guidelines, standards, and ethics
- To enhance professional practice by providing opportunities for professional growth and development
- To advance the body of knowledge in the fields of study and in the professional practice of the fields by initiating, facilitating, and disseminating research
- To facilitate and nurture communication and activities with other associations and other related professional groups
- To serve as their own spokespersons
- To promote public understanding and improve government relations in their fields of study
- To engage in future planning
- To establish and fulfill other purposes which are consistent with the purposes of the Alliance
AAHPERD envisions a society in which all individuals enjoy an optimal quality of life through appreciation of and participation in an active and creative, health-promoting lifestyle. Members of AAHPERD and its national, district, and state associations are recognized as dynamic role models in the realization of this desired future. Members and staff are fully committed to accepting responsibility for continued determination of this future.
American Association for Health, Physical Education, and Recreation (AAHPER)
American Association for Health, Physical Education, Recreation, Dance and Sport (AAHPERDS)
American Association for Physical Activity and Recreation (AAPAR)
American Association for Health Education (AAHE)
National Association for Girls and Women in Sport (NAGWS)
National Association for Sport and Physical Education (NASPE)
National Dance Association (NDA)
The alliance at the September 2009 Board of Governor's meeting voted to move forward on motions for the exit of the American Association for Health Education and the restructuring of the National Association for Girls and Women in Sport.
National standards
The associations of AAHPERD are developing and promoting national standards.
Physical education: The National Association for Sport and Physical Education publishes standards for K-12 physical education, for sport coaches, and for beginning physical education teachers.
Moving into the Future: National Standards for Physical Education, 2nd Edition: Voluntary national standards for K-12 physical education reflect current thinking on what students should know and be able to do as a result of a quality physical education program.
Quality Coaches, Quality Sports: National Standards for Sport Coaches: Fundamental competencies that athletic coaches from beginning coach to master coach should possess to ensure the safety and quality of athletic programs.
National Standards for Beginning Physical Education Teachers, 2nd Edition: Knowledge, skills, and dispositions that the beginning teacher of physical education should possess upon entering the teaching ranks. Serve as the basis for teacher certification and program development for preparation of physical education teachers.
National Standards & Guidelines for Physical Education Teacher Education, 3rd Edition: This publication provides the knowledge, skills, and dispositions that the beginning teacher of physical education should possess upon entering the teaching ranks. It serves as the basis for teacher certification and program development for preparation of physical education teachers.
Health education: The American Association for Health Education publishes standards critical to the healthy development of children and youth.
Health Education Standards, Second Edition: National Health Education Standards improve student learning across the nation by providing a foundation for curriculum development, instruction, and assessment of student performance. National Health Education Standards provide a guide for enhancing preparation and continuing education of teachers.
Dance education: The National Dance Association standards were completed as part of a project developed by the Consortium of National Arts Education Associations and prepared under a grant from the U.S. Department of Education, the National Endowment for the Arts, and the National Endowment for the Humanities.
The National Standards for Dance Education: The dance standards guide content and achievement at grades K-4, 5-8, and 9-12. The standards help ensure that the study of dance is disciplined and well focused and that dance instruction has a point of reference for assessing its results.
Districts and states
AAHPERD is broken into districts encompassing various states.
Central: Colorado, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, Wyoming
Eastern: Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virgin Islands
Midwest: Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, West Virginia, Wisconsin
Northwest: Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, Washington
Southern: Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia
Southwest: Arizona, California, Guam, Hawaii, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah
Each state has a separate association to promote healthy lifestyles.
Information of the 1885-1950 and 1982-2008 was shared via email from the conference staff at AAHPERD.
Information of the 1950-1982 taken from conference programs collected by Lynn W. McCraw of the University of Texas at Austin
Information of the 2008–present conventions was found online through the AAHPERD website.
Let's Move in School The goal of Let's Move in School is to ensure that every school provides a comprehensive school physical activity program with quality physical education as the foundation so that youth will develop the knowledge, skills, and confidence to be physically active for a lifetime. Let's Move in School is urging physical educators, parents, school administrators and policymakers to get involved in bringing quality physical education and physical activity to schools through a comprehensive school physical activity program.
