Bill Text: IL SR0052 | 2021-2022 | 102nd General Assembly | Introduced

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Bill Title: States that physical education is an essential and integral part of educating the whole child and that ALL students in the State of Illinois should have access to equitable, high quality, standards-based physical education programming being supported by equitable resources and funding. Urges all physical education programs to be in compliance with and accountable for following the Illinois School Code.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 5-0)

Status: (Passed) 2021-06-04 - Added as Co-Sponsor Sen. Cristina H. Pacione-Zayas [SR0052 Detail]

Download: Illinois-2021-SR0052-Introduced.html

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SENATE RESOLUTION
WHEREAS, Physical education should be viewed as a public
health tool that can be used to educate students and empower
them to maintain and improve their life-long physical, social,
and emotional well-being; and
WHEREAS, Physical education is valued as a foundational
component for the health and well-being of students by health
experts and policy leaders and has been shown to have a
positive association with academic performance as well as
mental and social-emotional health; and
WHEREAS, Quality physical education programs enhance the
social-emotional learning skills of self-management, social
awareness, self-awareness, decision-making, exhibiting
responsible behaviors, and relationship skills; and
WHEREAS, Physical education provides opportunities for
students to authentically use and evaluate personal
Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) competencies in a safe and
inclusive setting; and
WHEREAS, Being enrolled in physical education provides an
opportunity for students to be active during the school day;
the CDC has stated that there are many benefits of physical

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education in schools; when enrolled in physical education,
students can increase their level of physical activity, can
improve their grades, cognition, and standardized test scores,
and are better able to focus and stay on-task in the classroom;
and
WHEREAS, All physical education programs should follow the
same standards; research suggests there are access gaps from
school to school; students are entitled to a comprehensive
physical education program; and
WHEREAS, Physical education is required to be taught;
there is little oversight of compliance to the School Code,
and the waiver process is not being strictly followed; and
WHEREAS, The National Physical Activity Plan (NPAP) found
that budget cuts had differential impacts on physical
education, resulting in racial disparities; NPAP maintains
that Black and Latinx students are less likely to be
physically active and to have access to certified physical
education teachers; these factors lead to lower fitness, which
is correlated with poor academic performance, among other
adverse outcomes; and
WHEREAS, Another public health concern cited by the NPAP
is the lack of a consistent, equitable opportunity for kids to

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get physical activity; physical education, through the public
education system, can mitigate health disparities; physical
education classes may be the only organized way for many
lower-income kids to get much-needed exercise; and
WHEREAS, Physical education classes may be the only
opportunity for students in alternative education programs and
students with disabilities to be introduced, to learn, and to
develop the knowledge, skills, behaviors, attitudes, and the
confidence needed to be active throughout their lives; and
WHEREAS, The Society for Health and Physical Education
reports that students who have physical education are 2.5
times more likely to be active adults; the patterns of
inactivity in childhood and adolescence track to higher rates
of inactivity, obesity, and other health issues (diabetes,
heart disease, high blood pressure, osteoporosis) in
adulthood; and
WHEREAS, Physical education provides opportunities for
movement that in turn lead to decreasing medical costs; the
World Health Organization estimates that for every $1.00
invested in physical activity $3.20 will be saved in medical
costs; and
WHEREAS, The COVID-19 pandemic has, in some cases, eroded

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physical education programming; steps need to be taken to
ensure that all students have standards-based physical
education programming when they return to school without the
constraints of COVID-19; these steps should include, but are
not limited to, making sure that physical education programs
teach the Illinois Physical Development and Health Goals and
Standards; therefore, be it
RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE ONE HUNDRED SECOND GENERAL
ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that physical education is
an essential and integral part of educating the whole child
and that ALL students in the State of Illinois should have
access to equitable, high quality, standards-based physical
education programming being supported by equitable resources
and funding; and be it further
RESOLVED, That all physical education programs are urged
to be in compliance with and accountable for following the
Illinois School Code; and be it further
RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be
delivered to the State Superintendent of Education, the
Illinois Association of School Boards, the Illinois
Association of School Administrators, the Illinois Principal
Association, the Illinois Education Association, the Illinois
Federation of Teachers, and the Illinois Association of

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Health, Physical Education, Recreation & Dance.