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participating 
in physical 
education 
are required 
to complete 
a physical 
fitness 
assessment. 
Fitness 
assessment 
data are to 
be reported 
to the 
Connecticut 
State 
Department 
of Education 
annually for 
inclusion in 
each school 
district’s 
Strategic 
School Profile.
Bachelor’s 
degree with 
a major in 
physical 
education.
One credit 
of physical 
education.
While not 
specifying 
“recess,” Chapter 
170 Section 
10-221 (2003) 
requires each 
local board to 
include a period 
of physical 
exercise in the 
regular school 
day for students 
in grades K-5. 
No state policy.
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
 
409
continued
State
State Statute
and/or Policy
Waivers
Curriculum
Assessment
Certification
Graduation 
Requirement
Recess
Athletics
Walk/Bike
Wellness Policy
Connecticut
Chapter 164 
Section 10-16b, 
Chapter 170 
Section 10-221o, 
and Chapter 170 
Section 10-221a. 
Statute Chapter 
164 Sec. 10-16b 
(1997) requires 
that students in 
public schools 
receive physical 
education 
instruction. 
Statute Chapter 
170 Section 
10-221o of the 
Connecticut 
General Statutes 
(2004) requires 
each local board 
of education 
to include in 
a regular K-5 
school day a 
period of physical 
exercise, with 
the exception of 
those students 
requiring special 
education and 
related services. 
The Action 
Guide for 
School Nutrition 
and Physical 
Activity Policies 
(2009) provides 
guidelines 
and policy 
recommendations 
to local districts 
for physical 
education, along 
with other areas.
Statute Chapter 
170 Section 
10-221a allows 
for medical 
exemption.
No state policy.
Physical 
Fitness 
Assessment: 
All students 
in grades 4, 
6, 8, and 10 
participating 
in physical 
education 
are required 
to complete 
a physical 
fitness 
assessment. 
Fitness 
assessment 
data are to 
be reported 
to the 
Connecticut 
State 
Department 
of Education 
annually for 
inclusion in 
each school 
district’s 
Strategic 
School Profile.
Bachelor’s 
degree with 
a major in 
physical 
education.
One credit 
of physical 
education.
While not 
specifying 
“recess,” Chapter 
170 Section 
10-221 (2003) 
requires each 
local board to 
include a period 
of physical 
exercise in the 
regular school 
day for students 
in grades K-5. 
No state policy.
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
410
 
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
Delaware
Administrative 
Code 14:505 
(2004) and 
Administrative 
Code 14:503 
(2005). 
Administrative 
Code 14:503 
(2005) requires 
students in grades 
1-8 to be enrolled 
in a physical 
education 
program.
Administrative 
Code 14:503 
allows the 
physical 
education 
requirements to 
be waived only 
for students who 
have an excuse 
from a qualified 
physician or 
objections based 
on religious 
beliefs.
The Delaware 
Recommended 
Curriculum 
and Delaware 
Standards 
for Physical 
Education are 
aligned with 
and reflect 
the NASPE- 
approved 
National 
Standards 
for Physical 
Education for 
all students in 
grades K-12.
Code 
14:122(b) 
(2006) 
requires each 
school district 
to assess 
the physical 
fitness of 
each student 
at least 
once at the 
appropriate 
elementary, 
middle, and 
high school 
level, with the 
results to be 
provided to 
the parent, 
guardian, 
or relative 
caregiver. 
Code 
14:122(b) 
(2006) also 
provides for 
the fitness 
assessments 
to be 
administered 
at common 
grade levels 
statewide.
The minimum 
requirements 
for licensure 
as a physical 
educator are 
a bachelor’s 
degree from 
an accredited 
college or 
university, 
completion 
of a teacher 
preparation 
program 
in physical 
education for 
grades K-12, 
and completion 
of a minimum 
of 27 semester 
hours in physical 
education 
coursework. 
One credit 
of physical 
education.
No state policy.
Administrative 
Code 14:1001 
(2002) states 
“local school 
districts shall 
establish their 
own academic 
eligibility 
criteria for 
participation in 
extra-curricular 
activities for all 
extra-curricular 
activities except 
for interscholastic 
athletics,” which 
are defined in 
Administrative 
Codes 14:1008 
and 14:1009 
(2004).
Administrative 
Code 10:17 
(2002) 
authorizes the 
Department of 
Transportation 
to establish 
and administer 
a Safe Routes 
to School 
program.
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
 
411
continued
State
State Statute
and/or Policy
Waivers
Curriculum
Assessment
Certification
Graduation 
Requirement
Recess
Athletics
Walk/Bike
Wellness Policy
Delaware
Administrative 
Code 14:505 
(2004) and 
Administrative 
Code 14:503 
(2005). 
Administrative 
Code 14:503 
(2005) requires 
students in grades 
1-8 to be enrolled 
in a physical 
education 
program.
Administrative 
Code 14:503 
allows the 
physical 
education 
requirements to 
be waived only 
for students who 
have an excuse 
from a qualified 
physician or 
objections based 
on religious 
beliefs.
The Delaware 
Recommended 
Curriculum 
and Delaware 
Standards 
for Physical 
Education are 
aligned with 
and reflect 
the NASPE- 
approved 
National 
Standards 
for Physical 
Education for 
all students in 
grades K-12.
Code 
14:122(b) 
(2006) 
requires each 
school district 
to assess 
the physical 
fitness of 
each student 
at least 
once at the 
appropriate 
elementary, 
middle, and 
high school 
level, with the 
results to be 
provided to 
the parent, 
guardian, 
or relative 
caregiver. 
Code 
14:122(b) 
(2006) also 
provides for 
the fitness 
assessments 
to be 
administered 
at common 
grade levels 
statewide.
The minimum 
requirements 
for licensure 
as a physical 
educator are 
a bachelor’s 
degree from 
an accredited 
college or 
university, 
completion 
of a teacher 
preparation 
program 
in physical 
education for 
grades K-12, 
and completion 
of a minimum 
of 27 semester 
hours in physical 
education 
coursework. 
One credit 
of physical 
education.
No state policy.
Administrative 
Code 14:1001 
(2002) states 
“local school 
districts shall 
establish their 
own academic 
eligibility 
criteria for 
participation in 
extra-curricular 
activities for all 
extra-curricular 
activities except 
for interscholastic 
athletics,” which 
are defined in 
Administrative 
Codes 14:1008 
and 14:1009 
(2004).
Administrative 
Code 10:17 
(2002) 
authorizes the 
Department of 
Transportation 
to establish 
and administer 
a Safe Routes 
to School 
program.
State provides guidance.

---

Copyright © National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved.
Educating the Student Body: Taking Physical Activity and Physical Education to School
412
 
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
Florida
Statute 1003.455 
(2007) requires 
150 minutes 
of physical 
education 
each week for 
students in grades 
K-5. This was 
expanded in 
2008 to include 
the requirement 
for students in 
grade 6 who 
are enrolled in 
a school that 
contains one or 
more elementary 
grades. It requires 
instruction to 
be at least 30 
consecutive 
minutes on any 
day that physical 
education 
instruction is 
given. 
Beginning with 
the 2009-2010 
school year, 
students in grades 
6-8 were required 
to complete the 
equivalent of one 
class period per 
day of physical 
education for one 
semester of each 
school year.
Waivers are 
permitted 
for certain 
conditions for 
high school, 
which include 
JROTC, 
marching 
band, and 
interscholastics 
with specified 
requirements. 
Grades K-8 
can be waived 
for special 
requirements.
The Next 
Generation 
Sunshine State 
Standards 
for Physical 
Education 
(2008), which 
are based on 
the National 
Standards 
for Physical 
Education, 
describe the 
state’s learning 
expectations for 
grades K-12.
The state does 
not provide or 
recommend