When was the last time you seriously considered the physical education program in your school system?

I walked into a middle school gym last week and saw something that stopped me in my tracks. Instead of the usual scene - a few kids dominating a basketball game while others stood around talking and trying to hide from the class- every single student was fully engaged in purposeful movement. No sidelines. No downtime. No kids trying to disappear into the bleachers. And the teacher had accounted for a range of physical abilities. It was fully accessible.

This wasn't just PE reimagined for better participation.

This was neuroscience in action.

The Science Behind the Movement

In Naperville, Illinois, Paul Zientarski asked a question that would transform not just physical education, but our understanding of how movement and learning connect: What if PE could prime students' brains for learning?

Not theoretically. Not someday. But right now, with measurable results that would make any educator's heart leap:

• Students gaining half a year more growth in reading compared to peers
• Algebra readiness improving by 90%
• Reading gains tripling over nine months

The science behind this is clear - aerobic exercise increases BDNF, (Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor - read more here), essentially fertilizing our brains for learning. We've known this for years. And yet most of our schools still treat PE as an afterthought, something separate from "real" learning. Take a look at the results before you dive into the program pieces (P.E. Case Study Illinois)

And here’s the summary on the work and findings from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.

From Status Quo to Student Success

Take a moment and picture your school's current PE program. Not what's written in the curriculum guides, minutes on the schedule or what's posted on the website, but what actually happens day to day. Are kids moving with purpose? Are they discovering what their bodies can do? Or are we still stuck in the same patterns we experienced decades ago - where athletes thrive and everyone else endures? Where we don't fund and focus on physical education in a doable way? Where just expect someone to engage 60 teenagers for 52 minutes?

Zientarski saw this reality too. But instead of accepting it, he dared to redesign PE from the ground up. No more traditional sports-focused classes where half the kids stand around waiting for their turn. Instead, he created a program where every student - regardless of athletic ability - maintains optimal heart rates for brain development. Think 4v4 soccer games without goalkeepers. Small-sided volleyball matches. Activities where everyone moves, everyone engages, everyone grows.

The Data That Changed Minds

The results were undeniable. MRI scans showed higher-fit students' brains literally "lighting up" more during cognitive tasks. This wasn't just about feeling good after exercise - this was measurable brain change supporting actual learning.

Of course, there was pushback. There always is when we challenge the status quo. Parents questioned taking time from "academic" subjects. Staff wondered if this was just another passing fad. But Zientarski did something brilliant - he let the data tell the story. When struggling readers started showing dramatic improvements, when math scores began climbing, when achievement gaps started closing - the conversation shifted from "why are we doing this?" to "how can we do more of this?"

Beyond Better PE

What strikes me most about Naperville's transformation isn't just the impressive data. It's the profound shift in how students viewed themselves as learners. The old "dumb jock" stereotype crumbled as cross-country runners topped honor rolls. Students who had always seen themselves as "bad at math" discovered their capacity for algebra after morning movement sessions.

This isn't just about better PE. This is about creating the conditions where every student can access their potential.

Starting Your Movement Revolution

Ready to reimagine what's possible in your school? Start here:

• Look at your master schedule. When do students have PE in relation to their most challenging academic classes?
• Watch a PE class. Count how many minutes each student spends in actual movement.
• Talk with your students. What would make them excited to move more during the school day?

The path forward is never about having a perfect plan or waiting for perfect conditions. It's about taking that first step toward aligning what we know about learning with what we do in our schools. It's setting a course aligned to a vision and moving (pun intended).

What's holding your school back from reimagining PE? What small change could you make tomorrow to start this transformation?

Want to learn even more about this program design and impact? Check out this video interview on "Transforming Students Using Physical Education and Neuroscience" on YouTube. 

#PhysicalEducation #StudentSuccess #SchoolLeadership #EducationalInnovation #BrainScience