A Pragmatic Evaluation of the Riding for Focus Middle School Bicycling Program Using the RE-AIM Framework

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Adolescent Health
• Physical Activity Interventions

Background:

• Adolescent participation in bicycling has declined in the US.
• School-based programs are a promising avenue for promoting youth physical activity.
• Comprehensive evaluations of such programs are limited.

Purpose of the Study:

• To pragmatically evaluate the Outride's Riding for Focus middle school bicycling program using the RE-AIM framework.
• To assess the program's reach, adoption, implementation, maintenance, and potential effectiveness.
• To identify factors influencing program sustainability and student engagement.

Main Methods:

• The RE-AIM (Reach, Effectiveness, Adoption, Implementation, Maintenance) framework guided the evaluation.
• Data were collected via student surveys, teacher implementation surveys, and national program data.
• The study included 117 public middle schools onboarded between 2020 and 2022.

Main Results:

• The program reached a diverse student population with high reported enjoyment, cycling confidence, and safety knowledge.
• Student well-being and helmet use increased, but cycling frequency and other health behaviors remained unchanged.
• The program demonstrated wide adoption across diverse school settings, including low-income communities, with high implementation fidelity.

Conclusions:

• The Riding for Focus program shows potential as a scalable, school-based intervention promoting physical activity and student well-being.
• High student enjoyment and program sustainability, even during the COVID-19 pandemic, were observed.
• Further research is recommended to examine long-term program maintenance and refinement for sustained impact.