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Educating the Student Body
TAbLE C-1 Summary of State Laws and Policies on Physical Education 
and Physical Activity 
State
State Statute
and/or Policy
Waivers
Curriculum
Assessment
Certification
Graduation 
Requirement
Recess
Athletics
Walk/Bike
Wellness Policy
Alabama
Code 16-40-1; 
Administrative 
Code 290-3-1-02.
Requires physical 
education for 
students in grades 
K-8. A minimum 
daily instructional 
period of at least 
30 minutes is 
required in grades 
1-6. The physical 
education may 
include dance 
class if taught 
at a magnet 
school, marching 
band, JROTC, 
or other activity 
as approved 
by a student’s 
individualized 
education 
program.
For grades K-8, 
no exemptions 
and no 
substitutions.
The Alabama 
Course of 
Study: Physical 
Education 
(2009) specifies 
the required 
grades K-12 
content 
standards 
for physical 
education and 
is based on 
the National 
Standards 
for Physical 
Education.
Administrative 
Code 290-2-3 
(1997) requires 
schools to 
purchase from 
the list of Health 
and Physical 
Education 
Textbooks 
Adopted by 
the Alabama 
State Board 
of Education 
unless another 
textbook is 
recommended 
by the local 
textbook 
committee, 
recommended 
by the local 
superintendent, 
and adopted by 
the local board 
of education.
The Alabama 
Department 
of Education 
requires a 
yearly student 
physical 
fitness 
assessment for 
all students in 
grades K-12 
in physical 
education. 
Schools use 
the President’s 
Challenge 
Physical 
Fitness Test 
and are 
required to 
report the 
results to 
the state 
Department 
of Education 
only for odd-
numbered 
years.
The minimum 
requirement 
for prospective 
physical 
education 
teachers in 
elementary, 
middle, and high 
school grades 
prior to licensure 
is a bachelor’s 
degree and 
completion of a 
state-approved 
teacher 
education 
program 
in physical 
education.
One credit 
of physical 
education.
No state policy.
No state policy.
No state policy.
Each school conducts survey.
Alaska
04 AAC 06.075 
(2005) 
Physical 
education is 
not a required 
course 
for students. 
No state policy.
Curriculum 
Content: 
Physical 
Education 
Content 
Standards 
(2010) provide 
outline 
objectives for 
grades K-12.
No state 
policy.
No state policy.
One credit of 
either health 
or physical 
education.
No state policy.
Equal 
opportunity.
No state policy.
State provides guidance.

---

Copyright © National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved.
Educating the Student Body: Taking Physical Activity and Physical Education to School
Appendix C
 
399
continued
TAbLE C-1 Summary of State Laws and Policies on Physical Education 
and Physical Activity 
State
State Statute
and/or Policy
Waivers
Curriculum
Assessment
Certification
Graduation 
Requirement
Recess
Athletics
Walk/Bike
Wellness Policy
Alabama
Code 16-40-1; 
Administrative 
Code 290-3-1-02.
Requires physical 
education for 
students in grades 
K-8. A minimum 
daily instructional 
period of at least 
30 minutes is 
required in grades 
1-6. The physical 
education may 
include dance 
class if taught 
at a magnet 
school, marching 
band, JROTC, 
or other activity 
as approved 
by a student’s 
individualized 
education 
program.
For grades K-8, 
no exemptions 
and no 
substitutions.
The Alabama 
Course of 
Study: Physical 
Education 
(2009) specifies 
the required 
grades K-12 
content 
standards 
for physical 
education and 
is based on 
the National 
Standards 
for Physical 
Education.
Administrative 
Code 290-2-3 
(1997) requires 
schools to 
purchase from 
the list of Health 
and Physical 
Education 
Textbooks 
Adopted by 
the Alabama 
State Board 
of Education 
unless another 
textbook is 
recommended 
by the local 
textbook 
committee, 
recommended 
by the local 
superintendent, 
and adopted by 
the local board 
of education.
The Alabama 
Department 
of Education 
requires a 
yearly student 
physical 
fitness 
assessment for 
all students in 
grades K-12 
in physical 
education. 
Schools use 
the President’s 
Challenge 
Physical 
Fitness Test 
and are 
required to 
report the 
results to 
the state 
Department 
of Education 
only for odd-
numbered 
years.
The minimum 
requirement 
for prospective 
physical 
education 
teachers in 
elementary, 
middle, and high 
school grades 
prior to licensure 
is a bachelor’s 
degree and 
completion of a 
state-approved 
teacher 
education 
program 
in physical 
education.
One credit 
of physical 
education.
No state policy.
No state policy.
No state policy.
Each school conducts survey.
Alaska
04 AAC 06.075 
(2005) 
Physical 
education is 
not a required 
course 
for students. 
No state policy.
Curriculum 
Content: 
Physical 
Education 
Content 
Standards 
(2010) provide 
outline 
objectives for 
grades K-12.
No state 
policy.
No state policy.
One credit of 
either health 
or physical 
education.
No state policy.
Equal 
opportunity.
No state policy.
State provides guidance.

---

Copyright © National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved.
Educating the Student Body: Taking Physical Activity and Physical Education to School
400
 
Educating the Student Body
TAbLE C-1 Continued
State
State Statute
and/or Policy
Waivers
Curriculum
Assessment
Certification
Graduation 
Requirement
Recess
Athletics
Walk/Bike
Wellness Policy
Arizona
Mandate: 
State Board 
of Education 
Administrative 
Code R7-2-301 
(1993) establishes 
the minimum 
course of study 
and competency 
goals. 
Does not specify 
grades, levels, 
or a minimum 
amount of 
instruction.
Exemptions: 
Arizona Revised 
Statute 15-
102 (no date 
available) allows 
for parents to 
withdraw a 
child from an 
activity, class, 
or program if 
they object to 
any activity 
or learning 
material.
The state 
adopted the 
Physical 
Education 
Standards 
(2009), which 
includes the 
rationale, 
standards, 
and major 
content areas 
for physical 
education.
No state 
policy.
The Special 
Subject Area 
Endorsement 
(2008) requires a 
valid elementary, 
secondary, or 
special education 
certificate, 30 
hours of courses 
to include one 
course in the 
methods of 
teaching physical 
education at the 
elementary level, 
one course for 
the secondary 
level, and either 
24 semester 
hours of courses 
in physical 
education, 
content areas, a 
master’s degree 
in physical 
education, or 
a comparable 
certificate from 
the National 
Board for 
Professional 
Teaching 
Standards.
No state 
policy.
No state policy.
Arizona 
Revised Statute 
15-705 (no 
date available) 
requires each 
governing board 
to adopt policies 
and procedures 
including 
minimum 
statewide 
requirements 
regarding 
participation in 
extracurricular 
activities for 
pupils in grades 
6-12.
No state policy.
The Department of 
Education has a step-by-
step guide designed to walk 
schools through the process 
of creating a wellness policy. 

---

Copyright © National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved.
Educating the Student Body: Taking Physical Activity and Physical Education to School
Appendix C
 
401
continued
State
State Statute
and/or Policy
Waivers
Curriculum
Assessment
Certification
Graduation 
Requirement
Recess
Athletics
Walk/Bike
Wellness Policy
Arizona
Mandate: 
State Board 
of Education 
Administrative 
Code R7-2-301 
(1993) establishes 
the minimum 
course of study 
and competency 
goals. 
Does not specify 
grades, levels, 
or a minimum 
amount of 
instruction.
Exemptions: 
Arizona Revised 
Statute 15-
102 (no date 
available) allows 
for parents to 
withdraw a 
child from an 
activity, class, 
or program if 
they object to 
any activity 
or learning 
material.
The state 
adopted the 
Physical 
Education 
Standards 
(2009), which 
includes the 
rationale, 
standards, 
and major 
content areas 
for physical 
education.
No state 
policy.
The Special 
Subject Area 
Endorsement 
(2008) requires a 
valid elementary, 
secondary, or 
special education 
certificate, 30 
hours of courses 
to include one 
course in the 
methods of 
teaching physical 
education at the 
elementary level, 
one course for 
the secondary 
level, and either 
24 semester 
hours of courses 
in physical 
education, 
content areas, a 
master’s degree 
in physical 
education, or 
a comparable 
certificate from 
the National 
Board for 
Professional 
Teaching 
Standards.
No state 
policy.
No state policy.
Arizona 
Revised Statute 
15-705 (no 
date available) 
requires each 
governing board 
to adopt policies 
and procedures 
including 
minimum 
statewide 
requirements 
regarding