Dive Brief:

• Because educators need more time to plan for the Common Core, California schools are turning to physical education during these prep periods. 
• The strategy has led not only to an uptick in the number of gym teachers hired, particularly professionals trained in teaching sports and encouraging physical activity. 
• The state's physical education programming has been criticized in the past. In April, 37 California districts agreed to a settlement in a lawsuit that alleged they were ignoring the California Education Code by not providing the minimum number of physical education hours. 

Dive Insight:

According to California's education code, K-12 students must have 200 minutes of P.E. instruction every 10 days. This does not include recess or lunch time. The lawsuit settled in April not only forced districts to produce lesson plans and assess if they are sticking to this guideline, but also asks the general public to question why this may not be happening.

While the Common Core might not be answering the why question, it's certainly helping to rectify the situation. In many ways, it's a win-win: Students get more physical activity, and teachers get time to collaborate and better understand the new standards.