House Study Bill 278 - Introduced HOUSE FILE _____ BY (PROPOSED COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION BILL BY CHAIRPERSON WHEELER) A BILL FOR An Act relating to physical education requirements for students 1 enrolled in grades seven through twelve in school districts, 2 charter schools, and innovation zone schools. 3 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA: 4 TLSB 2321YC (4) 91 jda/jh
H.F. _____ Section 1. Section 256.11, subsection 4, Code 2025, is 1 amended to read as follows: 2 4. a. The following shall be taught in grades seven and 3 eight: English-language arts; social studies, including 4 instruction related to civics; mathematics; science; 5 health; age-appropriate and research-based human growth and 6 development; career exploration and development; physical 7 education; music; and visual art. Computer science instruction 8 incorporating the standards established under section 256.7, 9 subsection 26 , paragraph a , subparagraph (4), shall be 10 offered in at least one grade level commencing with the school 11 year beginning July 1, 2023. 12 b. Career exploration and development shall be designed 13 so that students are appropriately prepared to create an 14 individual career and academic plan pursuant to section 15 279.61 , incorporate foundational career and technical 16 education concepts aligned with the six career and technical 17 education service areas as defined in subsection 5 , paragraph 18 h , incorporate relevant twenty-first century skills to 19 facilitate career readiness, and introduce students to career 20 opportunities within the local community and across this state. 21 c. The health curriculum shall include age-appropriate and 22 research-based information regarding the characteristics of 23 sexually transmitted diseases. 24 d. (1) The physical education curriculum shall require all 25 male students enrolled in a school district who are physically 26 able to participate in physical education activities during 27 each semester they are enrolled in school except as otherwise 28 provided in this paragraph. The physical education activities 29 shall include, at a minimum, all of the following: 30 (a) Weightlifting for three school days each week. 31 (b) Cardiovascular training for one school day each week. 32 (c) Participation in at least one extracurricular activity 33 during each year the male student is enrolled in school. 34 (2) A male student enrolled in a school district shall 35 -1- LSB 2321YC (4) 91 jda/jh 1/ 6
H.F. _____ be excused from the physical education requirement by the 1 principal of the school in which the student is enrolled if the 2 student, or the students parent or guardian, submits to the 3 principal a note from a physician indicating that the student 4 is not able to comply with the physical education requirement. 5 The principal shall inform the superintendent of the school 6 district that the student has been excused. 7 e. (1) The physical education curriculum shall require 8 all female students enrolled in a school district who are 9 physically able to participate in physical education activities 10 during each semester they are enrolled in school except as 11 otherwise provided in this paragraph. The physical education 12 activities shall include participation in at least one 13 extracurricular activity during each school year the female 14 student is enrolled in school. 15 (2) A female student enrolled in a school district shall 16 be excused from the physical education requirement by the 17 principal of the school in which the student is enrolled if the 18 student, or the students parent or guardian, submits to the 19 principal a note from a physician indicating that the student 20 is not able to comply with the physical education requirement. 21 The principal shall inform the superintendent of the school 22 district that the student has been excused. 23 f. The state board as part of accreditation standards shall 24 adopt curriculum definitions for implementing the program in 25 grades seven and eight. However, this subsection shall not 26 apply to the teaching of career exploration and development in 27 nonpublic schools. 28 Sec. 2. Section 256.11, subsection 5, paragraph g, 29 subparagraph (1), unnumbered paragraph 1, Code 2025, is amended 30 to read as follows: 31 All students who are enrolled in nonpublic school and who 32 are physically able shall be required to participate in a 33 minimum of one-eighth unit of physical education activities 34 during each semester they are enrolled in school except as 35 -2- LSB 2321YC (4) 91 jda/jh 2/ 6
H.F. _____ otherwise provided in this paragraph. A student who meets 1 the requirements of this paragraph shall be excused from the 2 physical education requirement by the principal of the school 3 in which the student is enrolled if the parent or guardian of 4 the student requests in writing that the student be excused 5 from the physical education requirement. A student who wishes 6 to be excused from the physical education requirement must be 7 seeking to be excused in order to enroll in academic courses 8 not otherwise available to the student, or be enrolled or 9 participating in any of the following: 10 Sec. 3. Section 256.11, subsection 5, paragraph g, 11 subparagraph (2), Code 2025, is amended to read as follows: 12 (2) The principal of the school shall inform the 13 superintendent of the school district or nonpublic school that 14 the student has been excused. Physical education activities 15 shall emphasize leisure time activities which will benefit the 16 student outside the school environment and after graduation 17 from high school. 18 Sec. 4. Section 256.11, subsection 5, Code 2025, is amended 19 by adding the following new paragraph: 20 NEW PARAGRAPH . 0h. (1) (a) All male students enrolled in 21 a school district who are physically able shall be required, 22 as a condition of graduation, to participate in a minimum of 23 one-half unit of physical education activities during each 24 semester they are enrolled in school except as otherwise 25 provided in this subparagraph. The physical education 26 activities shall include, at a minimum, all of the following: 27 (i) Weightlifting for three school days each week. 28 (ii) Cardiovascular training for one school day each week. 29 (iii) Participation in at least one extracurricular 30 activity during each year the male student is enrolled in 31 school. 32 (b) A male student enrolled in a school district shall 33 be excused from the physical education requirement by the 34 principal of the school in which the student is enrolled if the 35 -3- LSB 2321YC (4) 91 jda/jh 3/ 6
H.F. _____ student, or the students parent or guardian, submits to the 1 principal a note from a physician indicating that the student 2 is not able to comply with the physical education requirement. 3 The principal shall inform the superintendent of the school 4 district that the student has been excused. 5 (2) (a) All female students enrolled in a school district 6 who are physically able shall be required, as a condition of 7 graduation, to participate in a minimum of one-eighth unit 8 of physical education activities during each semester they 9 are enrolled in school except as otherwise provided in this 10 subparagraph. The physical education activities shall include 11 participation in at least one extracurricular activity during 12 each school year the female student is enrolled in school. 13 (b) A female student enrolled in a school district shall 14 be excused from the physical education requirement by the 15 principal of the school in which the student is enrolled if the 16 student, or the students parent or guardian, submits to the 17 principal a note from a physician indicating that the student 18 is not able to comply with the physical education requirements. 19 The principal shall inform the superintendent of the school 20 district that the student has been excused. 21 Sec. 5. Section 256E.7, subsection 2, paragraph g, Code 22 2025, is amended by adding the following new subparagraph: 23 NEW SUBPARAGRAPH . (3) The educational standards 24 established in section 256.11, subsection 4, and section 25 256.11, subsection 5, paragraph 0h , related to physical 26 education instruction. 27 Sec. 6. Section 256F.4, subsection 2, Code 2025, is amended 28 by adding the following new paragraph: 29 NEW PARAGRAPH . r. Be subject to and comply with the 30 requirements of section 256.11, subsection 4, and section 31 256.11, subsection 5, paragraph 0h , relating to physical 32 education instruction in the same manner as a school district. 33 EXPLANATION 34 The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with 35 -4- LSB 2321YC (4) 91 jda/jh 4/ 6
H.F. _____ the explanations substance by the members of the general assembly. 1 This bill relates to physical education requirements for 2 students enrolled in grades 7 through 12 in school districts, 3 charter schools, and innovation zone schools. 4 Current law requires physical education to be taught in 5 grades seven and eight in school districts and accredited 6 nonpublic schools. Current law also requires all students 7 enrolled in school districts and accredited nonpublic schools 8 in grades 9 through 12 who are physically able to participate 9 in a minimum of one-eighth unit of physical education 10 activities during each semester they are enrolled in school, 11 subject to certain exceptions related to requests from parents 12 or guardians and participation in other activities. 13 The bill requires all male students enrolled in grades seven 14 and eight in school districts, charter schools, and innovation 15 zone schools who are physically able to participate in physical 16 education activities during each semester they are enrolled 17 in school, which shall include, at a minimum, weightlifting 18 for three school days each week, cardiovascular training for 19 one school day each week, and participation in at least one 20 extracurricular activity during each year the male student 21 is enrolled in school. A student is to be excused from the 22 physical education requirement if the student, or the students 23 parent or guardian, submits to the principal a note from a 24 physician indicating that the student is not able to comply 25 with the physical education requirement. 26 The bill imposes the same requirements on male students 27 enrolled in grades 9 through 12 in school districts, charter 28 schools, and innovation zone schools who are physically able. 29 In addition, the bill provides that participation in these 30 physical activities is a condition of graduation for male 31 students, and that male students must participate in a minimum 32 of one-half unit of physical education activities during each 33 semester. 34 The bill requires all female students enrolled in grades 35 -5- LSB 2321YC (4) 91 jda/jh 5/ 6
H.F. _____ seven and eight in school districts, charter schools, and 1 innovation zone schools who are physically able to participate 2 in physical education activities during each semester they are 3 enrolled in school, which shall include participation in at 4 least one extracurricular activity during each year the female 5 student is enrolled in school. The bill allows female students 6 to be excused from the physical education requirement in the 7 same manner as male students. 8 The bill imposes the same requirements on female students 9 enrolled in grades 9 through 12 in school districts, charter 10 schools, and innovation zone schools who are physically able. 11 In addition, the bill provides that participation in these 12 physical activities is a condition of graduation for female 13 students. 14 The bill does not impact provisions related to participation 15 in physical education activities by students enrolled in 16 nonpublic schools. 17 -6- LSB 2321YC (4) 91 jda/jh 6/ 6