85R12207 SRS-D
By: Allen H.B. No. 2884
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to health and physical education requirements in public
schools.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Section 28.002, Education Code, is amended by
amending Subsection (l) and adding Subsection (l-4) to read as
follows:
(l) A school district shall require a student enrolled in
full-day prekindergarten, in kindergarten, or in a grade level
below grade six to participate in moderate or vigorous daily
physical activity for at least 30 minutes throughout the school
year as part of the district's physical education curriculum or
through structured activity during a school campus's daily
recess. To the extent practicable, a school district shall require
a student enrolled in prekindergarten on less than a full-day basis
to participate in the same type and amount of physical activity as a
student enrolled in full-day prekindergarten. A school district
shall require students enrolled in grade levels six, seven, and
eight to participate in moderate or vigorous daily physical
activity for at least 30 minutes for six [at least four] semesters
during those grade levels as part of the district's physical
education curriculum. If a school district determines, for any
particular grade level below grade six, that requiring moderate or
vigorous daily physical activity is impractical due to scheduling
concerns or other factors, the district may as an alternative
require a student in that grade level to participate in moderate or
vigorous physical activity for at least 135 minutes during each
school week. Additionally, a school district may as an alternative
require a student enrolled in a grade level for which the district
uses block scheduling to participate in moderate or vigorous
physical activity for at least 225 minutes during each period of two
school weeks. A school district must provide for an exemption for:
(1) any student who is unable to participate in the
required physical activity because of illness or disability; and
(2) a middle school or junior high school student who
participates in an extracurricular activity with a moderate or
vigorous physical activity component that is considered a
structured activity under rules adopted by the commissioner.
(l-4) The agency shall develop and institute policies on the
recess period during the school day that encourage constructive,
age-appropriate outdoor playtime. The policies must include
guidelines for outdoor equipment and facilities on public school
campuses that maximize the effectiveness of outdoor physical
activity.
SECTION 2. Section 28.025(b-1), Education Code, is amended
to read as follows:
(b-1) The State Board of Education by rule shall require
that the curriculum requirements for the foundation high school
program under Subsection (a) include a requirement that students
successfully complete:
(1) four credits in English language arts under
Section 28.002(a)(1)(A), including one credit in English I, one
credit in English II, one credit in English III, and one credit in
an advanced English course authorized under Subsection (b-2);
(2) three credits in mathematics under Section
28.002(a)(1)(B), including one credit in Algebra I, one credit in
geometry, and one credit in any advanced mathematics course
authorized under Subsection (b-2);
(3) three credits in science under Section
28.002(a)(1)(C), including one credit in biology, one credit in any
advanced science course authorized under Subsection (b-2), and one
credit in integrated physics and chemistry or in an additional
advanced science course authorized under Subsection (b-2);
(4) three credits in social studies under Section
28.002(a)(1)(D), including one credit in United States history, at
least one-half credit in government and at least one-half credit in
economics, and one credit in world geography or world history;
(5) except as provided under Subsections (b-12),
(b-13), and (b-14), two credits in the same language in a language
other than English under Section 28.002(a)(2)(A);
(6) four [five] elective credits;
(7) one credit in fine arts under Section
28.002(a)(2)(D); [and]
(8) except as provided by Subsection (b-11), 1-1/2
credits [one credit] in physical education under Section
28.002(a)(2)(C); and
(9) one-half credit in health under Section
28.002(a)(2)(B).
SECTION 3. Section 28.002(l), Education Code, as amended by
this Act, applies only to students entering the sixth grade during
the 2017-2018 school year or a later school year. For students
entering a grade above sixth grade during the 2017-2018 school
year, Section 28.002(l), Education Code, as that section existed
before amendment by this Act, applies, and that section is
continued in effect for that purpose.
SECTION 4. Section 28.025(b-1), Education Code, as amended
by this Act, applies only to students entering the ninth grade
during the 2017-2018 school year or a later school year. For
students entering a grade above ninth grade during the 2017-2018
school year, Section 28.025(b-1), Education Code, as that section
existed before amendment by this Act, applies, and that section is
continued in effect for that purpose.
SECTION 5. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this
Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
Act takes effect September 1, 2017.