Physical Education
Legislation
Grade Level Requirements:
- Elementary: Section 1003.455, F.S., requires 150 minutes of physical education each week for students in grades K-5. A minimum of 30 consecutive minutes is required on any day that physical education instruction is provided.
- Middle: Section 1003.455, F.S., requires one class per day for one semester of physical education each year for students enrolled in grades 6-8.
- High: Section 1003.4282, F.S., requires one credit in physical education with the integration of health.
Required Physical Education Instruction
According to s.1003.42, F.S., Required instruction, each district school board shall provide all courses required for middle grades promotion, high school graduation and appropriate instruction designed to ensure that students meet State Board of Education adopted standards in several subject areas including physical education.
Pursuant to Section (s.) 1003.01, Florida Statutes, (F.S.), Definitions, physical education means the development and maintenance of skills related to strength agility, flexibility, movement and stamina, including dance; the development of knowledge and skills regarding teamwork and fair play; the development of knowledge and skills regarding nutrition and physical fitness as a part of a healthy lifestyle; and the development of positive attitudes regarding sound nutrition and physical activity as a component of personal well-being.
State Academic Standards for Physical Education
Section 1003.41, (F.S.), State academic standards, requires that the core content of the curricula being taught and specification of the core content knowledge and skills that K-12 public school students are expected to acquire are established by state academic standards. The standards must include distinct grade-level expectations for the core content knowledge and skills that a student is expected to have acquired by each individual grade level from kindergarten through grade 8. The standards for grades 9 through 12 are organized by grade bands of more than one grade level. State academic standards for physical education can be found on the CPALMS webpage.
Physical Education Standards for Grades K-12
Standard 1: Demonstrate competency in many, and proficiency in a few, movement forms from a variety of categories.
Standard 2: Identify, analyze and evaluate movement concepts, mechanical principles, safety considerations and strategies and tactics regarding movement performance in a variety of physical activities.
Standard 3: Participate regularly in physical activity.
Standard 4: Develop and implement a personal fitness program to achieve and maintain a health-enhancing level of physical fitness.
Standard 5: Exhibit responsible personal and social behavior that respects self and others in a physical activity setting.
Standard 6: Value physical activity for health, enjoyment, challenge, self-expression and or social interaction.
The following strands are relevant across all grade levels and provide unifying threads of understanding.
- Movement Competency (M)
- Cognitive Abilities (C)
- Lifetime Fitness (L)
- Responsible Behaviors and Values (R)
Contact Information
Healthy Schools
Bureau of Standards and Instructional Support
325 W. Gaines Street, Suite 444
Tallahassee, FL 32399-0400
850-245-0423