What's happening
This bill requires all New York school districts to have a certified physical education teacher in every school.
Why it matters
Ensures students receive physical education from trained professionals. By requiring a certified physical education teacher in every school, students are more likely to get high-quality, effective instruction tailored to their developmental and health needs.
Promotes equity across districts and schools. The bill removes previous language that allowed some districts (especially smaller or rural ones) to rely on non-specialist teachers for physical education, helping to standardize the quality of education statewide.
Potential budget and staffing implications for schools. Districts that currently do not have certified physical education teachers in every school may need to hire new staff or reallocate resources, which could impact school budgets and hiring priorities.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Require PE Teachers in Schools
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
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 Gym Teachers
In Senate Committee · Education · Sponsor Gustavo Rivera
Full text
1 pageUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
2146
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
January 22, 2019
Introduced by M. of A. PICHARDO -- read once and referred 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.
LBD05457-01-9
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.