HB5397 98TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

LRB098 18839 OMW 53984 b

98TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2013 and 2014
HB5397

Introduced , by Rep. Rita Mayfield

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:

105 ILCS 5/27-6.5 new

Amends the School Code. Provides that the State Board of Education shall require all schools under its jurisdiction to use, during the 2016-2017 school year and every school year thereafter, the FITNESSGRAM physical fitness assessment and report fitness information to the State Board of Education to assess student fitness indicators. Requires schools to integrate health-related fitness testing into the curriculum as an instructional tool, except in the early elementary grades. Provides that the testing shall be used to teach students how to assess their fitness levels, set goals for improvement, and monitor progress in reaching their goals. Provides that on or before October 1, 2014, the State Superintendent of Education shall appoint a 15-member stakeholder and expert task force that will make recommendations to the State Board of Education. Requires the task force to submit its recommendations on physical fitness assessment on or before April 1, 2015 and the State Board of Education to use the recommendations to adopt rules for the implementation of physical fitness assessments by each school on or before October 1, 2015. Provides that on or before September 1, 2016, the State Board of Education shall develop a system for collecting and reporting the aggregated fitness information from the physical fitness assessments. Effective immediately.

FISCAL NOTE ACT MAY APPLY

STATE MANDATES ACT MAY REQUIRE REIMBURSEMENT

A BILL FOR

AN ACT concerning education.

WHEREAS, Regular physical activity is associated with a healthier, longer life and a lower risk of cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, obesity, and some cancers; and

WHEREAS, Physical activity offers young people many health benefits, including improved aerobic endurance and muscular strength, better weight control, and the opportunity to build lean muscle and bone mass and reduce fat; and

WHEREAS, Physically-fit children have higher scholastic achievement, better classroom behavior, greater ability to focus, and less absenteeism than their physically-unfit counterparts; and

WHEREAS, One important way to stop this rise in childhood obesity is by establishing lifelong physical activity habits with strong physical education programs and regular physical activity opportunities in our nation's schools, both during and outside of the regular school day; and

WHEREAS, The Enhance Physical Education Task Force, created by Public Act 97-1102, recommends enhancing physical education to increase the amount of time students spend in moderate to vigorous physical activity with an emphasis on fitness, skill-building, and cooperation; and

WHEREAS, The Enhance Physical Education Task Force recommends using the Presidential Youth Fitness Program as a statewide tool for measuring fitness, accessing professional development, recognizing achievement, aggregating data from schools, and linking and reporting aggregate data with academic achievement, attendance, and discipline data; and

WHEREAS, The FITNESSGRAM methodology of physical fitness assessments is recognized nationally by numerous professional organizations as the gold standard; therefore

Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, represented in the General Assembly:

Section 35. The School Code is amended by adding Section 27-6.5 as follows:

(105 ILCS 5/27-6.5 new)

Sec. 27-6.5. Physical education and fitness assessment in schools.

(a) As used in this Section:

"FITNESSGRAM" means a criteria-based, health-related fitness assessment tool offered by the Cooper Institute.

"FITNESSGRAM Physical Fitness Assessment" means a series of assessments to measure aerobic capacity, body composition, muscular strength, muscular endurance, and flexibility.

"Presidential Youth Fitness Program" means a free program that includes use of a health-related fitness assessment, including access to a free version of the FITNESSGRAM physical fitness assessment tools, and educational and motivational tools to support teachers and empower students to adopt an active lifestyle.

(b) To measure the effectiveness of State Goal 20 of the Illinois Learning Standards for Physical Development and Health, the State Board of Education shall require all schools under its jurisdiction to use, during the 2016-2017 school year and every school year thereafter, the FITNESSGRAM physical fitness assessment, as outlined in the Presidential Youth Fitness Program or an equivalent program, and report fitness information to the State Board of Education, as set forth in subsection (e) of this Section, to assess student fitness indicators.

Schools shall integrate health-related fitness testing into the curriculum as an instructional tool, except in the early elementary grades. Following Presidential Youth Fitness Program or equivalent program guidelines, fitness tests shall be appropriate to students' developmental levels and physical abilities. The testing shall be used to teach students how to assess their fitness levels, set goals for improvement, and monitor progress in reaching their goals.

(c) On or before October 1, 2014, the State Superintendent of Education shall appoint a 15-member stakeholder and expert task force, including members representing organizations that represent physical education teachers, school officials, principals, health promotion and disease prevention advocates and experts, school health advocates and experts, and other experts with operational and academic expertise in the measurement of fitness. The task force shall make recommendations to the State Board of Education on:

(1) protocols for implementing the FITNESSGRAM physical fitness assessment in all schools, including how often fitness assessments shall occur and how fitness assessments shall be conducted;

(2) how often fitness assessment data shall be aggregated and reported to the State Board of Education; and

(3) how fitness assessment data shall be reported to the public, including potential correlations with student academic achievement, attendance, and discipline data, and recommended uses of the reported data.

(d) The task force shall submit its recommendations on physical fitness assessments on or before April 1, 2015. The task force may also recommend protocols for assessing student progress on State Goals 19 and 21 through 24 of the Illinois Learning Standards for Physical Development and Health. The task force is dissolved on April 30, 2015.

On or before October 1, 2015, the State Board of Education shall use the recommendations of the task force under this subsection (d) to adopt rules for the implementation of physical fitness assessments by each school for the 2016-2017 school year and every school year thereafter.

(e) On or before September 1, 2016, the State Board of Education shall by rule develop a system for collecting and reporting the aggregated fitness information from the physical fitness assessments. This system shall also support collection of data from districts that use FITNESSGRAM, the expanded and paid version of the fitness testing program, or another equivalent fitness testing software program.

(f) School districts may report the aggregate findings of student fitness assessments by grade level and school to parents and members of the community through typical communication channels, such as Internet websites, school newsletters, school board reports, and presentations.

(g) Nothing in this Act shall preclude schools from implementing the FITNESSGRAM physical fitness assessment sooner than January 1, 2016 or from implementing more robust forms of the program, such as the paid version of FITNESSGRAM or equivalent software program.

Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon becoming law.