The Alaska Presidential Physical Fitness Testing Education Award is an Education Award to Alaska School Districts to provide Presidential Physical Fitness Testing (APPFT). By completing this application your district agrees to implement the APPFT in your schools.  This funding opportunity may be renewed for up to five years based on participation and completion of required activities.

This award is designed to support districts and schools to implement an APPFT program which will provide students with clear, age-appropriate benchmarks that encourage them to build strength, endurance, and healthy habits while striving for personal improvement. Districts will use the standards found here to assess students’ progress at least twice per year.

Each district will receive up to $50,000 per district for the coordination of APPFT activities and $5,000 per school participating. Districts/schools may use funding for the provision of testing, such as professional development for staff to administer the test, planning the testing events across the district, advertising events, purchasing equipment, certificates/awards, and motivational items and activities.  Funding may also be used for supporting growth of skills and fitness throughout the year in school and community sponsored activities that align with APPFT goals.  Districts are encouraged to use funding to make achieving better health aligned with their local community activities and practices.

Each district will designate one staff member as the APPFT Coordinator to manage and support the program. They will also be responsible for collecting and reporting all APPFT data. Data collections may include documenting outcomes, activities/events, and aggregate scores and growth in the two testing periods.  Each district’s APPFT coordinator or designated staff will participate in monthly communities of practice to share information about activities and receive professional development on topics related to improving students’ health in alignment with the goals.

The first year (2026-2027) will be used to refine the APPFT with district input to make it successful in Alaska’s different settings.