A Survey of the Status of the Public Schools in the State of Wisconsin in Meeting the Mandates of P.L. 94-142 as it Applies to Physical Education

Abstract

The status of Adapted Physical Education in the State of Wisconsin was determined by a questionnaire. The following questions were posed: Are the handicapped children provided Physical Education in the least restrictive environment? Also, who is doing the assessment, evaluation, and instruction and what is the educational background of the instructors? The majority of the state school systems responding, for each disability and at every grade level, do not provide Adapted Physical Education programs. The majority of EEN children at all levels were integrated into regular Physical Education classes. A large percentage of school systems responding do evaluate the student's fitness level and motor development prior to Integration of EEN children into regular or Adapted Physical Education classes. The people doing the evaluation were Physical Education teachers. Physical Education teachers at the elementary and junior high-middle school level had only course work in Adapted Physical Education. High school Physical Education teachers had no Adapted Physical Education background. It was indicated that the majority of the school systems responding meet the mandates of P.L. 94-142 minimally. It seems the interpretation of the law is minimized in its effectiveness by not providing competency based programs. Having less than qualified personnel in the dual role of Physical Educator and Special Educator affect these programs.