| 1 | A bill to be entitled |
| 2 | An act relating to physical education; amending s. |
| 3 | 1001.11, F.S.; requiring the Commissioner of Education to |
| 4 | dedicate resources to provide professional development to |
| 5 | physical education teachers and curricula developers; |
| 6 | amending s. 1003.01, F.S.; defining the term "physical |
| 7 | education"; amending s. 1003.455, F.S.; requiring district |
| 8 | school boards to provide specified physical education for |
| 9 | certain students; requiring reporting for funding purposes |
| 10 | and auditing of records; requiring the State Board of |
| 11 | Education to review and revise the Sunshine State |
| 12 | Standards related to physical education; providing an |
| 13 | effective date. |
| 14 |
|
| 15 | Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: |
| 16 |
|
| 17 | Section 1. Subsection (7) is added to section 1001.11, |
| 18 | Florida Statutes, to read: |
| 19 | 1001.11 Commissioner of Education; other duties.-- |
| 20 | (7) The commissioner shall dedicate financial and |
| 21 | departmental staff resources to provide professional development |
| 22 | to physical education teachers, elementary and secondary |
| 23 | teachers whose assignments include physical education courses, |
| 24 | and developers of physical education curricula. Such |
| 25 | professional development shall incorporate current physical |
| 26 | education and nutrition philosophy and best practices that |
| 27 | result in student participation in physical activities that |
| 28 | promote lifelong physical and mental well-being. |
| 29 | Section 2. Subsection (16) is added to section 1003.01, |
| 30 | Florida Statutes, to read: |
| 31 | 1003.01 Definitions.--As used in this chapter, the term: |
| 32 | (16) "Physical education" means the development or |
| 33 | maintenance of skills related to strength, agility, flexibility, |
| 34 | movement, and stamina; the development of knowledge and skills |
| 35 | regarding teamwork and fair play; the development of knowledge |
| 36 | and skills regarding nutrition and physical fitness as part of a |
| 37 | healthy lifestyle; and the development of positive attitudes |
| 38 | regarding sound nutrition and physical activity as a component |
| 39 | of personal well-being. |
| 40 | Section 3. Subsection (3) of section 1003.455, Florida |
| 41 | Statutes, is amended to read: |
| 42 | 1003.455 Physical education; assessment.-- |
| 43 | (3) Each district school board shall provide 150 minutes |
| 44 | of physical education each week for students in kindergarten |
| 45 | through grade 5. Students enrolled in such instruction shall be |
| 46 | reported through the periodic student membership surveys, and |
| 47 | records of such enrollment shall be audited pursuant to s. |
| 48 | 1010.305. Each district school board is encouraged to provide |
| 49 | 150 minutes of physical education each week for students in |
| 50 | kindergarten through grade 5 and 225 minutes of physical |
| 51 | education each week for students in grades 6 through 8. |
| 52 | Section 4. During the 2007-2008 school year, the State |
| 53 | Board of Education shall review and revise the Sunshine State |
| 54 | Standards related to physical education to reflect state-of-the- |
| 55 | art philosophy and practice. The revised standards shall |
| 56 | emphasize the role of physical education in promoting the |
| 57 | knowledge, skills, and attitudes that prepare students to make |
| 58 | healthy lifelong nutrition and physical fitness choices. |
| 59 | Section 5. This act shall take effect upon becoming a law. |