Inherent in the current school reform movement is an assumption that good schools are effective schools (Cuban, 1998). Effectiveness is usually defined narrowly in terms of academic achievement. Other purposes of schools related to social justice, developing student social skills, student health, or the personal development of students has not been considered criteria important enough from a policy perspective to warrant assessment. The narrow interpretation of school effectiveness has had an impact on physical education programs. At the national level, the importance of health and physical education has received support (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services [DHHS], 1996). At the state education level, the concern for student health or the development of a physically active lifestyle for students and adults has been treated mostly as a distraction from an academic agenda. In this article, the authors discuss their efforts to remedy the situation by developing statewide standards and assessment for physical education in South Carolina. (Contains 2 tables.)