What is APENS?

The Adapted Physical Education National Standards (APENS) were developed by the National Consortium for Physical Education for Individuals with Disabilities (NCPEID) to define the essential knowledge and skills needed to provide high-quality adapted physical education services. To ensure professionals meet these standards, APENS includes an exam that evaluates understanding and application of this knowledge.

Practitioners who pass the APENS exam earn the designation of Certified Adapted Physical Education (CAPE), recognizing them as specialists in delivering effective physical education to students with disabilities.

Why Become a Certified Adapted Physical Educator (CAPE)? 

For Practitioners

Becoming a nationally Certified Adapted Physical Educator (CAPE) demonstrates your expertise in making meaningful decisions for children with disabilities in physical education settings. Research shows that CAPEs often experience:

• Reduced marginalization in their roles.
• Greater sense of mattering in their professional contributions (Wilson et al., 2020).
  

For Higher Education Professionals

For those in higher education, earning a CAPE certification establishes you as a leader in training future physical educators to effectively support students with disabilities. CAPEs in higher education:

• Enhance the quality of training programs for physical educators.
• Elevate the field of adapted physical education.
• Improve outcomes for students with disabilities.

Eligibility for CAPE Certification

Eligibility for CAPE Recertification