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Strengthen the Evidence for Maternal and Child Health Programs

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Evidence Tools
MCHbest. Physical Activity.

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Strategy. Open Gym Time

Approach. Fund projects that allow availability to student gyms

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Overview. Open gym time is offered during the school day to schoolchildren, typically during the lunch period when the gym or multipurpose room is not in use. Joint use agreements can expand open gym opportunities to include community members after school hours and on weekends.

Evidence. Expert Opinion. Strategies backed by expert opinion are recommended by professionals and are aligned with established frameworks. These approaches are consistent with field observations and national guidelines, but lack formal validation. Implement with robust evaluation to confirm impact.

Access the peer-reviewed evidence through the MCH Digital Library or related evidence source.

Potential Data Sources. Data to support this strategy can be accessed through:

  • Gym usage and attendance logs
  • Student self-reported physical activity levels
  • School climate/student well-being surveys

Outcome Components. This strategy has shown to have impact on the following outcomes (Read more about these categories):

  • Environmental Health. This strategy improves the impact of physical, chemical, and biological factors in the environment on health.
  • Health and Health Behaviors/Behavior Change. This strategy improves individuals' physical and mental health and their adoption of healthy behaviors (e.g., healthy eating, physical activity).

Detailed Outcomes. For specific outcomes related to each study supporting this strategy, access the peer-reviewed evidence and read the Intervention Results for each study.

Intervention Type. Community Organizing (Read more about intervention types and levels as defined by the Public Health Intervention Wheel).

Intervention Level. Community-Focused

Examples from the Field. Access descriptions of ESMs that use this strategy or aligned components.

Sample ESMs. Here are sample ESMs to use as models for your own measures using the RBA framework (see The Role of Title V in Adapting Strategies).

Quadrant 1:
Measuring Quantity of Effort (“What/how much did we do?”)

  • Number of schools offering open gym time during lunch periods. (Assesses adoption of strategy)
  • Number of joint use agreements established for after-school and weekend gym access. (Measures community access expansion)

Quadrant 2:
Measuring Quality of Effort (“How well did we do it?”)

  • Percent of open gym sessions supervised by trained staff for volunteers. (Measures safety and quality control)
  • Percent of open gym time offering structured and unstructured activity options. (Assesses program flexibility)

Quadrant 3:
Measuring Quantity of Effect (“Is anyone better off?”)

  • Number of student-led initiatives for clubs utilizing open gym time. (Shows student leadership development)
  • Number of partnerships formed with local organizations to provide programming during open gym hours. (Assesses community collaboration)
  • Number of students showing improved classroom behavior on days they participate in open gym time. (Quantifies academic benefits)
  • Number of families reporting increased physical activity due to access to school facilities. (Assesses broader community impact)

Quadrant 4:
Measuring Quality of Effect (“How are they better off?”)

  • Percent of open gym resources allocated to schools in areas with limited community recreation spaces. (Measures resource distribution)
  • Percent of open gym evaluations that analyze participation across different student and community subgroups. (Ensures impact assessment)
  • Percent reduction in gaps in physical activity levels between different student subgroups. (Measures improvements in health outcomes)
  • Percent increase in physical activity levels among students and community members with previously low activity levels. (Evaluates impact on groups facing higher health risks)

Note. When looking at your ESMs, SPMs, or other strategies:

  1. Move from measuring quantity to quality.
  2. Move from measuring effort to effect.
  3. Quadrant 1 strategies should be used sparingly, when no other data exists.
  4. The most effective measurement combines strategies in all levels, with most in Quadrants 2 and 4.

Learn More. Read how to create stronger ESMs and how to measure ESM impact more meaningfully through Results-Based Accountability.

This project is supported by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) under grant number U02MC31613, MCH Advanced Education Policy, $3.5 M. This information or content and conclusions are those of the author and should not be construed as the official position or policy of, nor should any endorsements be inferred by HRSA, HHS or the U.S. Government.