Bill Text: FL S1320 | 2011 | Regular Session | Comm Sub
Bill Title: Physical Education Instruction in Public Schools
Spectrum: Bipartisan Bill
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2011-05-07 - Indefinitely postponed and withdrawn from consideration [S1320 Detail]
Download: Florida-2011-S1320-Comm_Sub.html
Florida Senate - 2011 CS for SB 1320 By the Committee on Education Pre-K - 12; and Senators Wise, Storms, and Sobel 581-03407-11 20111320c1 1 A bill to be entitled 2 An act relating to physical education instruction in 3 public schools; amending s. 1003.455, F.S.; providing 4 that a student may have the physical education 5 requirement waived for a period of one semester each 6 year under certain circumstances; providing an 7 effective date. 8 9 WHEREAS, every year an estimated 300,000 people in the 10 United States die because they are overweight or obese, and 11 WHEREAS, since 1970, the number of overweight children in 12 Florida has increased by 300 percent, and 13 WHEREAS, overweight or obese children experience the same 14 risk factors associated with heart disease in adults such as 15 high blood pressure, high cholesterol levels, and Type 2 16 diabetes, once known as adult-onset diabetes, and 17 WHEREAS, studies have shown that up to 80 percent of 18 overweight adolescents become overweight adults, and 19 WHEREAS, the annual economic impact in the United States 20 from obesity on our health care system is estimated by the 21 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention at $147 billion, and 22 WHEREAS, a recent study by a major insurance carrier stated 23 that 50 percent of all Americans will develop diabetes by 2020, 24 which will cost the health care system approximately $3.35 25 trillion if current trends in obesity are not abated, and 26 WHEREAS, early education on proper physical fitness and 27 nutrition will provide a foundation for a child’s future as does 28 learning to read, which prepares a child for success in his or 29 her life and academic achievement, NOW, THEREFORE, 30 31 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: 32 33 Section 1. Subsections (3), (4), and (5) of section 34 1003.455, Florida Statutes, are amended to read: 35 1003.455 Physical education; assessment.— 36 (3) Each district school board shall provide 150 minutes of 37 physical education each week for students in kindergarten 38 through grade 5and for students in grade 6 who are enrolled in39a school that contains one or more elementary gradesso that on 40 any day during which physical education instruction is conducted 41 there are at least 30 consecutive minutes per day. 42 (4) Each district school board shall provide 150 minutes of 43 physical education instruction each week for students in grade 6 44 who are enrolled in a school that contains one or more 45 elementary grades so that on any day during which physical 46 education instruction is conducted there are at least 30 47 consecutive minutes per day. 48 (5) Beginning with the 2009-2010 school year, the 49 equivalent of one class period per day of physical education for 50 one semester of each year is required for students enrolled in 51 grades 6 through 8. Students enrolled in such instruction shall 52 be reported through the periodic student membership surveys, and 53 records of such enrollment shall be audited pursuant to s. 54 1010.305. Such instruction may be provided by any instructional 55 personnel as defined in s. 1012.01(2), regardless of 56 certification, who are designated by the school principal. 57 (6)(4)The requirement in subsection (5)(3)shall be 58 waived for a period of one semester each year for a student who 59 meets one of the following criteria: 60 (a) The student is enrolled or required to enroll in a 61 remedial course. 62 (b) The student’s parent indicates in writing to the school 63 principal, and the principal or the principal’s designee 64 verifies, that: 65 1. The parent requests that the student enroll, and the 66 student subsequently enrolls, in another course offered by the 67 school district that poses a scheduling conflict with the 68 physical education coursefrom among thosecourses offered as69options by the school district; or 70 2. The student is participating in physical activities 71 outside the school day which are equal to or in excess of the 72 mandated requirement. 73 (c) The student submits to the school’s principal or the 74 principal’s designee a note from a physician licensed under 75 chapter 458 or chapter 459 that specifies the health reasons as 76 to why the student should not participate in physical education. 77 (7)(5)Each school district shall notify the student’s 78 parent of the options available under subsection (6)(4)before 79 scheduling the student to participate in physical education. 80 Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2011.