PHYSICAL EDUCATION & HEALTH EDUCATION

CURRICULAR REQUIREMENTS

House Bill 4923 

Sponsor:  Rep. Joan Bauer 

House Bill 4924

Sponsor:  Rep. John Proos

Committee:  Education

Complete to 6-30-10

A SUMMARY OF HOUSE BILLS 4923 AND 4924 AS INTRODUCED 5-12-09

House Bills 4923 and 4924 would amend the Revised School Code to modify the state's physical education and health education curricular requirements, respectively.

Now under the law, all public schools must provide physical education for both boys and girls, and all students who are physically fit and capable of doing so must take courses in physical education. Under the bills, all students would be required to take physical education classes, as well as courses in health education.

Currently the law allows (but does not require) a school district to credit a student's participation in extra-curricular athletics, or other extra-curricular activities involving physical activity, as meeting the physical education requirement.  The bills would prohibit a school from crediting a student's participation in extra-curricular athletics or other extra-curricular activities involving physical activity as meeting the physical education requirement. 

Further, House Bill 4923 specifies that all of the following would apply to physical education under this section:

o                   The public school governing board would be required to ensure both of the following: 

(1) for grades K to 5, to provide at least 30 minutes of physical education at least two days each week for the entire school year.

(2) for grades 6 to 8, to provide at least 45 minutes of physical education every school day for at least one semester.

o                   The governing board would ensure that class-size for physical education was consistent with the class-size for other subject areas and other classrooms.

o                   The Department of Education would establish physical education guidelines consistent with the physical education standards, grade level content expectations, the State Board's policy on quality physical education, and the best available scientific research concerning physical education.  Further, the school governing board would be required to ensure that the public school followed these guidelines.

In addition, House Bill 4924 specifies that all of the following would apply to health education under this section:

o                   The public school governing board would be required to ensure both of the following:   

(1) for grades K to 5, to provide at least 15 hours of health education each school year.

(2) for grades 6 to 8, to provide at least 50 hours of health education each school year.

o                   The governing board must ensure that class-size for health education was consistent with the class-size for other subject areas and other classrooms.

o                   The Department of Education would establish health education guidelines consistent with the physical education standards, grade level content expectations, the State Board's policy on quality health education, and the best available scientific research concerning health education.  Further, the school governing board would be required to ensure that the public school followed these guidelines.

MCL 380.1502

FISCAL IMPACT:

The bills would create an indeterminate increase in costs for local school districts.

                                                                                           Legislative Analyst:   J. Hunault

                                                                                                  Fiscal Analyst:   Mary Ann Cleary

                                                                                                                           Bethany Wicksall

■ 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.