167.720. Physical education required--definitions. - Missouri Statutes

Physical education required--definitions.

167.720. 1. As used in this section, the following terms shall mean:

(1) "Moderate physical activity", low- to medium-impact physicalexertion designed to increase an individual's heart rate to rise to atleast seventy-five percent of his or her maximum heart rate. Activities inthis category may include, but are not limited to, running, calisthenics,aerobic exercise, etc.;

(2) "Physical education", instruction in healthy active living by ateacher certificated to teach physical education structured in such a waythat it is a regularly scheduled class for students;

(3) "Recess", a structured play environment outside of regularclassroom instructional activities, where students are allowed to engage insupervised safe active free play.

2. Beginning with the school year 2010-11:

(1) School districts shall ensure that students in elementary schoolsparticipate in moderate physical activity for the entire school year,including students in alternative education programs. Students in theelementary schools shall participate in moderate physical activity for anaverage of one hundred fifty minutes per five-day school week, or anaverage of thirty minutes per day. Students with disabilities shallparticipate in moderate physical activity to the extent appropriate asdetermined by the provisions of the Individuals with Disabilities EducationAct, or Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act;

(2) Each year the commissioner of education shall select forrecognition students, schools and school districts that are considered tohave achieved improvement in fitness;

(3) Students in middle schools may at the school's discretionparticipate in at least two hundred twenty-five minutes of physicalactivity per school week;

(4) A minimum of one recess period of twenty minutes per day shall beprovided for children in elementary schools, which may be incorporated intothe lunch period.

Any requirement of this section above the state minimum physical educationrequirement may be met by additional physical education instruction, or byother activities approved by the individual school district under thedirection of any certificated teacher or administrator or other schoolemployee under the supervision of a certificated teacher or administrator.

(L. 2009 S.B. 291)