167.720. Physical education required — definitions.

353 words·~2 min read·/mo/chapter-167/167-720

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167.720. Physical education required — definitions. — 1. As used in this section, the following terms shall mean:

(1)"Moderate physical activity" , low- to medium-impact physical exertion designed to increase an individual's heart rate to rise to at least seventy-five percent of his or her maximum heart rate. Activities in this category may include, but are not limited to, running, calisthenics, aerobic exercise, etc.;

(2)"Physical education" , instruction in healthy active living by a teacher certificated to teach physical education structured in such a way that it is a regularly scheduled class for students;

(3)"Recess" , a structured play environment outside of regular classroom instructional activities, where students are allowed to engage in supervised safe active free play.

2. Beginning with the school year 2010-11:

(1)School districts shall ensure that students in elementary schools participate in moderate physical activity for the entire school year, including students in alternative education programs. Students in the elementary schools shall participate in moderate physical activity for an average of one hundred fifty minutes per five-day school week, or an average of thirty minutes per day. Students with disabilities shall participate in moderate physical activity to the extent appropriate as determined by the provisions of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, or Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act;

(2)Each year the commissioner of education shall select for recognition students, schools and school districts that are considered to have achieved improvement in fitness;

(3)Students in middle schools may at the school's discretion participate in at least two hundred twenty-five minutes of physical activity per school week;

(4)A minimum of one recess period of twenty minutes per day shall be provided for children in elementary schools, which may be incorporated into the lunch period.

Any requirement of this section above the state minimum physical education requirement may be met by additional physical education instruction, or by other activities approved by the individual school district under the direction of any certificated teacher or administrator or other school employee under the supervision of a certificated teacher or administrator.

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(L. 2009 S.B. 291)