PHYSICAL EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS

House Bill 5196

Sponsor:  Rep. Matt Lori

Committee:  Education

Complete to 3-17-14

A SUMMARY OF HOUSE BILL 5196 AS INTRODUCED 12-12-13

House Bill 5196 would amend the Revised School Code (MCL 380.1502) to require 30 minutes of physical education in grades K to 5 at least twice a week, as well as 60 additional minutes of physical activity each week (from within the school day) for the entire school year.  The bill also require 45 minutes of physical education in grades 6 to 8 every day for at least one semester.  A more detailed description of the bill follows.

Now under the law, school district officials must offer a course in health and physical education for each student attending public school, to include both boys and girls who are physically fit and capable of taking the course.  Further, the law says a school can credit a student's participation in extracurricular athletics or other extracurricular activities involving physical activity, as meeting the physical education requirement.

Instead, House Bill 5196 would require that each public school establish and provide health education and physical education for both boys and girls.  Further, the bill specifies that each student attending a public school in Michigan must take the course in physical education.  Finally, the bill would prohibit a school district from crediting a student's participation in extracurricular athletics as meeting this physical education requirement.

Under House Bill 5196, specifically, all of the following requirements would apply to the physical education course:

·                    The school board must ensure both of the following: 

o                   for each of grades K to 5, the public school would provide (for all students) at least 30 minutes of physical education at least twice each week for the entire school year, and also at least 60 additional minutes of physical activity per week (within the school day) for the entire school year; and,

o                   for each of grades 6 to 8, the public school would provide (for all students), at least 45 minutes of physical education every school day for at least one semester.

·                    The school board must ensure that class size for physical education was consistent with class size for other subject areas.

·                    The Michigan Department of Education must establish guidelines for physical education that are consistent with physical education standards; grade level content expectations; the State Board of Education policy on "Quality Physical Education"; and the best available scientific research.  Further, the school board would require that the public school follow these guidelines.

The bill would define the phrase "physical activity" to mean a behavior consisting of bodily movement that requires energy expenditure above the normal physiological requirements—including muscular and cardiorespiratory—of a typical school day.

FISCAL IMPACT:

The state fiscal impact of House Bill 5196 would be minimal and limited to the added responsibility to the Michigan Department of Education in establishing physical education guidelines for new physical education standards conveyed in the Revised School Code (MCL 380.1502).

The fiscal impact of this bill would vary by school district, depending on the current time and funding each allots to physical education and physical activity time.  The bill would have an impact on districts whose current standards do not meet the new guidelines with respect to having sufficient instructional time, appropriate teachers to lead physical education, and suitable class sizes.

                                                                                           Legislative Analyst:   J. Hunault

                                                                                                 Fiscal Analysts:   Bethany Wicksall

                                                                                                                           Karen Shapiro

■ This analysis was prepared by nonpartisan House staff for use by House members in their deliberations, and does not constitute an official statement of legislative intent.