PHYSICAL EDUCATION REQUIREMENT S.B. 981: COMMITTEE SUMMARY
Senate Bill 981 (as introduced 1-24-06)
Sponsor: Senator Tom George
Committee: Health Policy
Date Completed: 2-22-06
CONTENT
The bill would amend the Revised School Code to require at least 30 minutes of physical education twice a week in kindergarten through fifth grade.
The Code requires that health and physical education for pupils of both sexes be established and provided in all public schools. Each pupil attending a public school who is physically fit and capable of doing so must take the physical education course.
Under the bill, as part of providing physical education, the governing board of a public school would have to ensure that, for each of grades K to five, the school provided for all pupils at least 30 minutes of physical education at least two days per week for the entire school year.
Currently, a school district may credit a pupil's participation in extracurricular athletics or other extracurricular activities involving physical activity as meeting the Code's physical education requirement for the pupil. The bill would eliminate this provision.
MCL 380.1502 Legislative Analyst: Julie Koval
FISCAL IMPACT
The bill would have no fiscal impact on State government.
The bill potentially could have a minimal impact on local districts if they needed to hire additional teachers to meet the proposed physical education requirement. Although physical education is currently required under the law, no minimum is established. By establishing a minimum, the bill potentially could require a district to hire additional staff. The cost estimate is indeterminate and would depend on the number of teachers needed to be hired.
Fiscal Analyst: Joe Carrasco
Analysis was prepared by nonpartisan Senate staff for use by the Senate in its deliberations and does not constitute an official statement of legislative intent. sb981/0506