HSB 683 (LSB 6864YC (1) 91)

HOUSE FILE _____ 

BY  (PROPOSED COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION BILL BY CHAIRPERSON WHEELER)

A BILL FOR

An Act relating to education, including by modifying provisions related to the physical education and physical activity requirements applicable to certain specified students and by implementing a graduation requirement related to participation in a cocurricular or extracurricular activity.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:

    Section 1.  Section 256.11, subsection 3, paragraph a, subparagraph (6), Code 2026, is amended to read as follows:
   (6)  Physical education. Each student shall be required to participate in physical education for at least thirty minutes during each school day. In grade six, the physical education curriculum in school districts shall include self-defense.
    Sec. 2.  Section 256.11, subsection 4, paragraph a, subparagraph (8), Code 2026, is amended to read as follows:
   (8)  Physical education. Each student shall be required to participate in physical education for at least thirty minutes during each school day. The physical education curriculum in school districts shall include self-defense.
    Sec. 3.  Section 256.11, subsection 5, paragraph g, Code 2026, is amended to read as follows:
   g.  (1)  All students physically able shall be required to participate in a minimum of one-eighth unit of physical education activities during each semester they are enrolled in school except as otherwise provided in this paragraph.  The physical education activities must satisfy all of the following requirements:
   (a)  Emphasize leisure time activities which will benefit the student outside the school environment and after graduation from high school.
   (b)  In school districts, include self-defense.
   (2)  (a)  A student who meets the requirements of this paragraph subparagraph shall be excused from the physical education activities requirement under subparagraph (1) by the principal of the school in which the student is enrolled if the parent or guardian of the student requests in writing that the student be excused from the physical education activities requirement. A student who wishes to be excused from the physical education activities requirement must be seeking to be excused in order to enroll in academic courses not otherwise available to the student, or be enrolled or participating in any of the following:
   (a)  (i)  A work-based learning program or other educational program authorized by the school which requires the student to leave the school premises for specified periods of time during the school day.
   (b)  (ii)  An activity that is sponsored by the school in which the student is enrolled which requires at least as much physical activity per week as one-eighth unit of physical education activities.
   (2)  (b)  The principal of the school shall inform the superintendent of the school district or nonpublic school that the student has been excused. Physical education activities shall emphasize leisure time activities which will benefit the student outside the school environment and after graduation from high school.
   (3)  A student who is enrolled in a junior reserve officers’ training corps shall not be required to participate in physical education activities under subparagraph (1) or to meet the physical activity requirements of subsection 6, paragraph “b”, subparagraph (2), but shall receive one-eighth unit of physical education activities credit for each semester, or the equivalent, of junior reserve officers’ training corps the student completes.
    Sec. 4.  Section 256.11, subsection 6, paragraph b, subparagraphs (1) and (2), Code 2026, are amended to read as follows:
   (1)  All In addition to the physical education curriculum required under subsection 3, physically able students in kindergarten through grade five shall be required to engage in a physical activity for a minimum of thirty minutes per school day.
   (2)  All physically able students in grades six nine through twelve shall be required to engage in a physical activity for a minimum of one hundred twenty minutes per week. A student participating in an organized and supervised athletic program or non-school-sponsored extracurricular activity which requires the student to participate in physical activity for a minimum of one hundred twenty minutes per week is exempt from the requirements of this subparagraph.
    Sec. 5.  Section 256.11, subsection 6, paragraph b, Code 2026, is amended by adding the following new subparagraph:
   NEW SUBPARAGRAPH.  (02)  In addition to the physical education curriculum required under subsections 3 and 4, as applicable, physically able students in grades six through eight shall be required to engage in a physical activity for a minimum of twenty minutes per school day and one hundred fifty minutes per week.
    Sec. 6.  Section 256E.7, subsection 2, paragraph h, Code 2026, is amended by adding the following new subparagraph:
   NEW SUBPARAGRAPH.  (02)  The educational standards of section 256.11 relating to the physical education and physical activity requirements for students enrolled in grades one through twelve.
    Sec. 7.  Section 256E.7, subsection 2, Code 2026, is amended by adding the following new paragraph:
   NEW PARAGRAPH.  0s.  Be subject to and comply with the requirements of section 279.89 relating to required participation of students enrolled in grades nine through twelve in at least one cocurricular or extracurricular activity as a condition of graduation.
    Sec. 8.  Section 256F.4, subsection 2, Code 2026, is amended by adding the following new paragraphs:
   NEW PARAGRAPH.  0q.  Be subject to and comply with the requirements of section 256.11 relating to the physical education and physical activity requirements for students enrolled in grades one through twelve in the same manner as a school district.
   NEW PARAGRAPH.  0s.  Be subject to and comply with the requirements of section 279.89 relating to required participation of students enrolled in grades nine through twelve in at least one cocurricular or extracurricular activity as a condition of graduation.
    Sec. 9.  NEW SECTION.  279.89  Required participation in a cocurricular or extracurricular activity.
   1.  For purposes of this section:
   a.  “Cocurricular activity” means any school-supervised activity that occurs outside of the traditional classroom setting and that complements the regular curriculum. “Cocurricular activity” includes but is not limited to all of the following:
   (1)  Student government.
   (2)  Theater.
   (3)  Yearbook.
   (4)  Involvement with the national FFA organization.
   (5)  Competitive mathematics.
   b.  “Extracurricular activity” means any school-supervised activity that occurs outside of the traditional classroom setting and that does not directly complement the regular curriculum. “Extracurricular activity” includes but is not limited to all of the following:
   (1)  Athletic contests or competitions.
   (2)  Dance.
   (3)  Band.
   (4)  Show choir.
   (5)  Robotics.
   (6)  Debate.
   2.  The board of directors of each school district shall require that all students enrolled in grades nine through twelve participate in at least one cocurricular or extracurricular activity as a condition of graduation.
   3.  The state board of education shall adopt rules pursuant to chapter 17A to administer this section.
    Sec. 10.  STATE MANDATE FUNDING SPECIFIED.  In accordance with section 25B.2, subsection 3, the state cost of requiring compliance with any state mandate included in this Act shall be paid by a school district from state school foundation aid received by the school district under section 257.16. This specification of the payment of the state cost shall be deemed to meet all of the state funding-related requirements of section 25B.2, subsection 3, and no additional state funding shall be necessary for the full implementation of this Act by and enforcement of this Act against all affected school districts.
EXPLANATION
The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with
the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly.
   This bill relates to education, including by modifying provisions related to the physical education and physical activity requirements applicable to certain specified students and by implementing a graduation requirement related to participation in a cocurricular or extracurricular activity.
   The bill requires each student enrolled in grades one through eight to participate in the physical education curriculum for at least 30 minutes during each school day.
   Current law requires all physically able students in kindergarten through grade five to engage in a physical activity for a minimum of 30 minutes per school day, which may include physical education. The bill provides that physical education shall not be used to meet this physical activity requirement for such students.
   Current law requires all physically able students in grades 6 through 12 to engage in a physical activity for a minimum of 120 minutes per week, which may include physical education. The bill modifies this provision to apply to all physically able students in grades 9 through 12. The bill also provides that all physically able students in grades six through eight are required to engage in a physical activity for a minimum of 20 minutes per school day and 150 minutes per week, and that physical education shall not be used to meet this physical activity requirement.
   The bill requires school districts, charter schools, and innovation zone schools to include self-defense in the physical education curriculum provided to students enrolled in grades 6 through 12.
   The bill provides that each school district, charter school, and innovation zone school is to require that all students enrolled in grades 9 through 12 participate in at least one cocurricular or extracurricular activity as a condition of graduation. The bill defines “cocurricular activity” and “extracurricular activity”. The state board of education is required to adopt rules pursuant to Code chapter 17A to administer this provision.
   The bill may include a state mandate as defined in Code section 25B.3. The bill requires that the state cost of any state mandate included in the bill be paid by a school district from state school foundation aid received by the school district under Code section 257.16. The specification is deemed to constitute state compliance with any state mandate funding-related requirements of Code section 25B.2. The inclusion of this specification is intended to reinstate the requirement of political subdivisions to comply with any state mandates included in the bill.