UW Kinesiology and Health Faculty Research Cited in White House Health Report

A groundbreaking study led by Ben Kern, an associate professor in the Division of Kinesiology and Health at the University of Wyoming, has been cited in the White House’s Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) report released this month.

The study, titled “Physical Education Access in U.S. Public Schools: A Multistate, Multiregion Study,” was published in the Journal of Teaching in Physical Education and originates from the U.S. Physical Education and Physical Activity Policy (US-PEPAP) Project. Co-authors of the paper included fellow Kinesiology and Health faculty members Kelly Simonton and Tristan Wallhead, assistant professor and professor, respectively.

The MAHA report underscores the critical role of physical education in student health and highlights the ongoing national shortfall in meeting recommended physical education minutes for students. Citing Kern’s study, the report states: “In 2025, U.S. public school PE minutes fell short of SHAPE America’s targets, for all age groups, with elementary and middle schools offering about an hour less PE than recommended.”

This citation reflects the growing impact of the US-PEPAP project, which gathers first-of-its-kind data directly from public school physical education teachers to evaluate policy implementation and student access to physical education across U.S. states. The project has included analysis of responses from over 7,000 teachers across all 50 states and revealed widespread gaps between state policies and actual physical education access in schools.

The data from the US-PEPAP project are openly available through an interactive public dashboard developed in collaboration with the Wyoming Geographic Information Science Center. The dashboard, accessible at https://uspepap.wygisc.org, was made possible through a grant from the Wyoming Innovation Partnership made available through the UW School of Computing, and provides valuable tools for researchers, advocates and policymakers working to improve student access to physical activity and education.

“This national recognition reaffirms the importance of documenting how physical education policies are actually implemented in schools,” Kern says. “We’re proud to see the University of Wyoming contributing to a healthier future for America’s students.”

“We are incredibly proud of the achievements made by our faculty,” adds Qin “Arthur” Zhu, director of the UW Division of Kinesiology and Health. “This White House citation highlights the significant national impact of their research and the excellent work in promoting physical education and physical activity. It’s a fantastic achievement for our faculty and the University of Wyoming.”

“I am proud to congratulate Dr. Ben Kern and his colleagues, Dr. Kelly Simonton and Dr. Tristan Wallhead, on their research being cited in the White House’s Make America Healthy Again report -- an achievement that reflects the national impact of their work and the excellence of our faculty,” says Patrick Hardigan, dean of the College of Health Sciences. “Their leadership on the US-PEPAP project highlights the University of Wyoming’s role in advancing evidence-based policy to improve student health through physical education. This recognition also showcases the power of interdisciplinary collaboration within our institution and underscores the College of Health Sciences’ commitment to public health, innovation and community impact.”

For more information, visit the US-PEPAP Dashboard or email Kern at bkern2@uwyo.edu.

About UW’s College of Health Sciences

UW’s College of Health Sciences trains health and wellness professionals and researchers in a wide variety of disciplines, including medicine, nursing, pharmacy, speech-language pathology, social work, kinesiology, public health, health administration and disability studies. The college also oversees residency and fellowship programs in Casper and Cheyenne, as well as operating a speech/hearing clinic in Laramie and primary care clinics in Laramie, Casper and Cheyenne.

With more than 1,600 undergraduate, graduate and professional students, the college is dedicated to training the health and wellness workforce of Wyoming and conducting high-quality research and community engagement, with a particular focus on rural and frontier populations.