Amendment H-8071 to HF 2676

Filed March 2, 2026 in the House by

In plain words

AI summary This amendment adds new requirements for physical education and physical activity for students in grades K-12. It also requires students in grades nine through twelve to participate in at least one cocurricular or extracurricular activity to graduate.¹

What it changes

1. Page 38, after line 2 by inserting: “DIVISION ___ EDUCATIONAL REQUIREMENTS Sec. ___. LEGISLATIVE INTENT. It is the intent of the general assembly to do all of the following:
2. Prioritize and expand children’s participation in youth sports and active play.
3. Promote the physical, mental, and civic benefits of daily movement, exercise, and good nutrition. Sec. ___. 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. The physical education curriculum shall include an assessment of the physical fitness of students who are physically able using the presidential physical fitness test. Sec. ___. 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 shall include an assessment of the physical fitness of students who are physically able using the presidential physical fitness test. Sec. ___. 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) Include an assessment of the physical fitness of students who are physically able using the presidential physical fitness test. (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. ___. 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. ___. 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. ___. 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. ___. 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. ___. 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. ___. NEW SECTION . 279.89 Required participation in a cocurricular or extracurricular activity.
4. 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.
5. 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.
6. The state board of education shall adopt rules pursuant to chapter 17A to administer this section. Sec. ___. 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 division of 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 division of this Act by and enforcement of this division of this Act against all affected school districts.”
7. Title page, line 2, after “medication,” by inserting “and education,”
8. By renumbering as necessary.

Official amendment (PDF) · In the Bill Book