What is EPEC?
The Exemplary Physical Education Curriculum (EPEC) is a standards-based curriculum that promotes the teaching of knowledge, skills and attitudes that will enable children to be active for life. Unlike physical activity programs, EPEC is a true curriculum that provides step-by-step instruction enabling all students to be successful in the physical education classroom. Built around NASPE content standards and strong on assessment, EPEC is currently being used by thousands of teachers not only in Michigan, but across the country, to strengthen physical education, and its reputation, in their communities.
How did EPEC come about?
In the early 1990s, Michigan was identified as having one of the highest rates of preventable chronic disease among the 50 states. It became clear to the governor and the director of public health that increasing activity among Michigan citizens was an urgent public health priority. As a result, the Michigan Governor's Council on Physical Fitness, Health and Sports was founded in 1992 through an executive order of the governor to improve the health of, and increase physical activity among, Michigan residents. The Michigan Fitness Foundation was created in 1994 as a public charity nonprofit foundation to expedite Council policies and provide a funding base for Council programs and projects. Funding for the Foundation was provided by the Michigan legislature through the Michigan Department of Community Health.
The Council was charged with establishing a model physical education program. The result is Michigan's Exemplary Physical Education Curriculum (EPEC) project, a public-health initiative established as a long-term investment in the health of the citizens of Michigan. The mission of the EPEC team is to develop, test and disseminate materials and procedures that enable schools to achieve the public-health goal of promoting lifelong physical activity.
Is there a charge for EPEC?
Yes, there is a cost to obtain EPEC. When compared to the cost of curricula in other subject areas such as math, reading, etc., the cost of EPEC is very inexpensive. When compared to 'activity programs', the cost for EPEC is also low. Remember, EPEC is a true curriculum that is aligned with NASPE Standards, includes sound instruction, and provides assessment rubrics based on the objectives of the curriculum. When comparing EPEC to other programs, be sure to look deeper than the surface to see if they are true curricula with educational outcomes and that they provide a scope and sequence for mastering these objectives (versus merely running kids around).
The Michigan Fitness Foundation is a nonprofit entity with the goal of improving the health of citizens of Michigan and beyond. While the cost for EPEC is low, Michigan schools and teachers still receive additional discounts. Since EPEC is a nonprofit organization, no profits are distributed to stakeholders. All monies received through sales of EPEC are used to fund implementation, development and production costs. This ensures the project will survive the ups and downs of state funding.
What do teachers say about EPEC?
“EPEC has provided me with focus and direction in meeting the NASPE standards. It has brought credibility to the physical education program in my school. The newly revised K-5 materials are a result of the EPEC staff listening to feedback from those of us in the trenches and involving us in reviewing and writing additional activities and rubrics. The result is an awesome curriculum with user-friendly, graphically rich, instructional materials that work.”
Dan Hogg
Michigan Elementary Physical Education Teacher of the Year - 2000
Potterville Public Schools
“EPEC is simply ‘best practice' when it comes to Physical Education. This curriculum gives you great lessons with drills and activities to help students develop the physical skills necessary to maintain a healthy lifestyle. In addition, the assessment materials allow for statistical evaluation of the effectiveness of the program. A teacher, parent, administrator, and/or student can see proof of improvement on a skill or fitness level, or that they need to keep working on it. EPEC truly lives up to its name: Exemplary Physical Education Curriculum!”
Kirk Pedersen
Walled Lake Consolidated Schools
Michigan Elementary Physical Education Teacher of the Year – 2005
“I have been using the EPEC curriculum now for eight years. During this time, my students' knowledge, skills and fitness levels have greatly improved. The children want to participate in my classes because of the way the EPEC skills are taught – progressively so that every student can realize success. I am very proud of the fact that when they are practicing, they use the EPEC "cue words" to help each other learn the skills. The personal/social skills are a great help to all students and are even used by classroom teachers. EPEC has touched the lives of ALL students at our school and I highly recommend it.”
Patrice McAuliffe
Elementary Physical Education Teacher
Detroit Public Schools
“I attend trainings as soon as new EPEC modules are released. They are my measuring stick for addressing benchmarks with sound educational practice and knowledge. When I look at form, form and function, and game performance in EPEC, I know that experts have developed it and that I'm using best practice. Also, the assessments help me to document student progress and to keep the focus on what students are learning. Therefore, when I pre- and post-test, we see amazing gains in students knowledge, skill and fitness levels.”
Lisa Scott
Michigan Middle School Physical Education Teacher of the Year—2006
Concord Community Schools
“EPEC has had more impact on me as a physical educator than any other curriculum I've experienced. It is excellent for beginning teachers and includes sound curriculum, instruction and assessment materials. Experienced teachers can use it to add depth to their classes, easily align with state and national standards, and make better use of their time. Students are excited about their high levels of skill achievement and eagerly look forward to the next day's challenges. EPEC – nobody wants to reinvent this wheel – it's already perfect.”
Chris Lake
Michigan High School Physical Education Teacher of the Year – 2002
Western School District
“During my 20 years in education, most recently as a principal, I have observed a lot of ‘supervised recess' that masqueraded as physical education. It is hard to defend the necessity of a PE program where the "instructor" has students merely run around without purpose. The EPEC program has changed this perception of physical education. It is a well-sequenced, developmentally appropriate curriculum that makes physical education instruction purposeful, relevant, and defensible.”
“EPEC has a superbly conceived instruction sequence, well established benchmarks, and assessment that is both formative (informative) and summative. The EPEC curriculum is a comprehensive and integrated approach to physical education instruction that serves as a model for other disciplines. It is my pleasure to recommend it enthusiastically and without reservation!”
Charles Taylor, Principal
Immaculate Conception Elementary School
Traverse City, Michigan
Is there any research to support EPEC's effectiveness?
A two-year study of EPEC by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention completed in 2005 showed that students who were taught with EPEC increased their skills in the two targeted motor skills over students taught using other curricula. In addition, students taught with EPEC showed more knowledge of physical activity and greater motor-skill self-efficacy.
A 1999 study of EPEC found that students whose teachers used EPEC had significantly faster 600-yard run/walk times. A 2000 study of EPEC showed significant improvement in EPEC-taught students compared to non-EPEC-taught students on knowledge tests of the beneficial effects of activity, and performance tests for arm/shoulder strength.
In 2005, the Michigan Fitness Foundation (developer of EPEC) reported results of a study to the Michigan Nutrition Network as part of a grant-funding agreement. Average score on the overhand throw increased from 2.1 to 3.5 (on a four-point scale) among students trained using EPEC methods. In addition, despite high pretest scores on aerobic fitness (indicating that tests may not have been sufficiently challenging), EPEC students improved 7 to 13 percent.
During the 2004-2005 school year, EPEC Personal Conditioning was implemented in six Detroit middle schools as part of their healthy youth initiative. Over the course of the year, cardiorespiratory endurance scores increased an average of 41 percent among students in the initiative, and health-related fitness knowledge rose 9.4 percent.
EPEC received the 2002 award for achievement in chronic disease prevention by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the State Directors of Chronic Disease Prevention.
View citations for EPEC data collection and research here.
Please direct all questions to:
Glenna DeJong
gdejong@michiganfitness.org
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