What's happening
This bill requires every school in New York to have a certified physical education teacher instead of allowing regular teachers to provide PE instruction.
Why it matters
Raises the standard of physical education. in all schools by ensuring that only certified and specially trained teachers deliver PE instruction, which could improve the quality and consistency of physical education across districts.
Removes flexibility for small or rural schools. that previously could assign regular classroom teachers to PE, potentially requiring these schools to hire additional staff or reallocate resources, which could have budgetary and staffing impacts.
Aims to address student health and safety. by mandating that PE classes are taught by professionals with specialized knowledge in exercise, child development, and injury prevention, possibly leading to better health outcomes and reduced risk of improper physical activity instruction.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Require PE Teachers in Schools
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
No co-sponsors yet.
History
- Referred to education
- Referred to education
Companion bill
The same bill in the other chamber. A bill becomes law when one version passes both houses and the governor signs it, so either number can carry it.
Require Licensed PE Teachers
In Assembly Committee · Education · Sponsor Victor M. Pichardo
Full text
1 pageUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
161
2017-2018 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE (Prefiled)
January 4, 2017
Introduced by Sen. RIVERA -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Education
AN ACT to amend the education law, in relation to requiring all school districts to have a certified physical education teacher
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Subdivision 2 of section 803 of the education law, as amended by chapter 118 of the laws of 1957, is amended to read as follows:
2. The board of education or trustees of every school district regularly employing twenty or more teachers shall employ, within every school, a teacher or teachers qualified and duly licensed under the regulations of the regents to give [such] physical education instruction[; in every other district of the state, they shall require such instruction to be given by the teacher or teachers regularly employed to give instruction in other subjects or by a teacher or teachers qualified and duly licensed under the regulations of the regents].
§ 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD02109-01-7
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Sponsor's memo
Title of bill
An act to amend the education law, in relation to requiring all school districts to have a certified physical education teacher
Purpose
To require that all school districts regularly employing twenty or more teachers shall employ, within every school, a certified physical education teacher.
Summary of provisions
Subdivision 2 of section 803 of the education law is amended:
-adds "within every school" so that every school in all school districts within the board of education's jurisdiction shall employ qualified and duly licensed teachers under the regulations of the board to give physical education instruction.
-adds "physical education" to specify the course being taught.
Justification
Only certified physical education teachers should be given the responsibility of teaching the skills and providing the motivation our young people need to adopt and maintain a physically active lifestyle. New York State allows classroom teachers, without any required training in physical education, to teach some physical education courses. Studies have found that, compared with classroom teachers, physical education specialists teach longer and higher quality classes in which students spend more time being physically active. Qualified and appropriately trained physical education teachers are the most essential ingredient of a quality physical education program.
Legislative history
2012: S7296 2013-2014: S944 2015-2016: 51428
Fiscal implications
To be determined.
Effective date
This act shall take effect immediately.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.