Physical Education Waiver Notification
| Requesting a Waiver Florida middle school students are required by statute to take at least one semester of physical education during each of year of middle school. Elementary school students are required to take 150 minutes of physical education each week. Parents are allowed to request a waiver from the requirement by requesting that their student(s) be allowed to take another course among those offered by the school, or by stating that their student(s) is(are) participating in activities outside of the school day that are equal to or in excess of the requirement.
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Dear Parent or Guardian,
The 2008 Legislature passed Senate Bill 610 which was signed into law by Governor Crist on June 2, 2008. It included changes in statute as it relates to physical education requirements for Florida students.
Senate Bill 610 requires the equivalent of one class period per day of physical education for one semester of each year for students in grades 6 through 8 beginning in the 2009-2010 school year. The physical education requirement shall be waived for a student who meets one of the following criteria:
1. The student is enrolled or required to enroll in a remedial course.
2. A written parent request is submitted to the school’s principal, stating that:
a. The parent requests that the student enroll in another course from among those offered as options by the school*, or
b. The student is participating in physical activities outside the school day which are equal to or in excess of the mandated requirement*.
*By statute students must receive 300 minutes of daily instruction in order to meet the mandatory attendance requirement. In the event that no other course is available, the student will need to enroll in physical education in order to meet this requirement. Students participating in physical activities outside of the school day will also need to enroll in another course offered by the school in order to meet the attendance requirement. Please use the attached form when requesting a waiver from physical education. The request must be made each year.
This statute requires each district school board to notify parents of the options available prior to scheduling a student in physical education. Unless your child meets one of the waiver criteria listed above, he/she will be enrolled in physical education for one semester of each year while in grades 6 through 8.
Please contact your school administration if you have questions or concerns regarding the physical education requirements or waiver criteria.
Sincerely,
Mark Cobbs Lewis
Physical Education Program Specialist
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