Local Education Agencies

Plain English Breakdown

The bill does not specify what happens if the Presidential Fitness Test is revoked beyond requiring a report from the Department of Education.

Tennessee Student Health Act

This bill requires local education agencies (LEAs) and public charter schools to administer the Presidential Fitness Test to students each school year and provides guidelines for accommodations for students with disabilities.

What This Bill Does

• Requires LEAs and public charter schools to give the Presidential Fitness Test to students every year.
• The Tennessee Department of Education must inform LEAs and public charter schools about test requirements at least 30 days before each school year starts.
• Allows for reasonable accommodations on the test for students with disabilities as recommended by the President's Council on Sports, Fitness, and Nutrition.
• Prohibits the test from affecting a student’s grade in any class or subject.

Who It Names or Affects

• Local education agencies (LEAs) and public charter schools
• Students who attend LEAs and public charter schools

Terms To Know

Presidential Fitness Award

An award given to students based on their performance in the Presidential Fitness Test.

Individualized Education Program (IEP)

A program designed for a student with disabilities that outlines special education services and accommodations.

Limits and Unknowns

• The bill does not specify what happens if the Presidential Fitness Test is revoked.
• It's unclear how LEAs will be funded to implement these changes.

Official Summary Text

This bill requires e
ach
local education agency ("
LEA
")
and public charter school
to
administer the Presidential Fitness Test established by
e
xecutive
o
rder of the president of the United States on July 31, 2025
(the "test")
, to students in order to assess their strength, endurance, and flexibility.
T
he department of education
shall
advise each LEA and public charter school in writing, no less than 30 days before the start of the school year during which the
test
will be administered, of the requirements for students to earn the Presidential Fitness Award
(the "award")
. The requirements for a student to earn the
award
must be the same as those established by the President's Council on Sports, Fitness, and Nutrition
. T
he
test

must
be administered to students each school year for which the department provides LEAs and public charter schools with the written notice
.

STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES

This bill requires e
ach LEA and public charter school
to
provide a student with an individualized education program (IEP) under the
federal
Individuals with Disabilities Education Act or a Section 504 plan under the
federal
Rehabilitation Act with any reasonable and appropriate accommodations on the
t
est, as may be recommended or required by the President's Council on Sports, Fitness, and Nutrition.
However, this bill
does not require a student with an IEP or Section 504 plan to be administered the
test
i
f the student is unable to participate in the
t
est safely, with or without an accommodation.

TEST ADMINISTRATION

This bill authorizes t
he
test

to
be administered by an LEA or public charter school during a physical education class or any other period of physical activity required
by state law
.
However, a
student's performance on the
test
must not negatively affect the student's grade in any class or subject, including a physical education class required
by state law
.

TEST REVOCATION
–
REPORT

If authorization for the
test
is revoked, then
this bill requires
the department
to
immediately notify each LEA and public charter school in writing of

such revocation and
to
submit a report to
legislative
committee
s with
jurisdiction over K-12 education no later than 90 days from the date of the revocation that provides, for each school year for which the
test
was administered,
the following information:



T
he number of students
e
nrolled in each LEA and public charter school in a grade level for which the
test
was administered
.


The number of students who
participated in the
test
at each LEA and public charter school, disaggregated by
grade level, and
the number of students in each grade level with an IEP or Section 504 plan, further disaggregated by the number of students who received an accommodation on the
test.


The number of students w
ho received the
award
.

Current Bill Text

SENATE BILL 1979
By Watson

HOUSE BILL 1466
By Cepicky
HB1466
009639
- 1 -

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 49
and Title 68, relative to student health.

WHEREAS, President Donald J. Trump issued Executive Order No. 14327 on July 31,
2025, to reestablish the Presidential Fitness Test and the President's Council on Sports,
Fitness, and Nutrition in order to "address the threat to the vitality and longevity of our country
that is posed by America's declining health and physical fitness" and to reverse the health crisis
in America attributable to "rates of obesity, chronic disease, inactivity, and poor nutrition …
particularly among our children"; now, therefore,
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:
SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 49, Chapter 6, Part 3, is amended by
adding the following as a new section:
(a) Each LEA and public charter school shall administer the Presidential Fitness
Test established by Executive Order No. 14327 of the president of the United States on
July 31, 2025, to students in order to assess their strength, endurance, and flexibility.
(b) The department of education shall advise each LEA and public charter
school in writing, no less than thirty (30) days before the start of the school year during
which the Presidential Fitness Test will be administered, of the requirements for students
to earn the Presidential Fitness Award. The requirements for a student to earn the
Presidential Fitness Award must be the same as those established by the President's
Council on Sports, Fitness, and Nutrition established by Executive Order No. 14327 of
the president of the United States on July 31, 2025.
(c)

- 2 - 009639

(1) Each LEA and public charter school shall provide a student with an
individualized education program (IEP) under the Individuals with Disabilities
Education Act (20 U.S.C. § 1400 et seq.) or a Section 504 plan under the
Rehabilitation Act (29 U.S.C. § 701 et seq.) with any reasonable and appropriate
accommodations on the Presidential Fitness Test, as may be recommended or
required by the President's Council on Sports, Fitness, and Nutrition. This
section does not require a student with an IEP or Section 504 plan to be
administered the Presidential Fitness Test if the student is unable to participate in
the Presidential Fitness Test safely, with or without an accommodation.
(2) The Presidential Fitness Test may be administered by an LEA or
public charter school during a physical education class or any other period of
physical activity required pursuant to § 49-6-1021.
(3) A student's performance on the Presidential Fitness Test must not
negatively affect the student's grade in any class or subject, including a physical
education class required pursuant to § 49-6-1021.
(d) The Presidential Fitness Test must be administered to students in
accordance with this section each school year for which the department provides LEAs
and public charter schools with the written notice required in subsection (b).
(e) If authorization for the Presidential Fitness Test is revoked on or after the
effective date of this act, then the department shall immediately notify each LEA and
public charter school in writing of any such revocation and shall submit a report to the
education committee of the senate and the committee of the house of representatives
having jurisdiction over kindergarten through grade twelve (K-12) education no later than
ninety (90) days from the date of the revocation that provides, for each school year for
which the Presidential Fitness Test was administered, the number of students:

- 3 - 009639

(1) Enrolled in each LEA and public charter school in a grade level for
which the Presidential Fitness Test was administered;
(2) Who participated in the Presidential Fitness Test at each LEA and
public charter school, disaggregated by:
(A) Grade level; and
(B) The number of students in each grade level with an IEP or
Section 504 plan, further disaggregated by the number of students who
received an accommodation on the Presidential Fitness Test; and
(3) Who received the Presidential Fitness Award.
SECTION 2. This act takes effect upon becoming a law, the public welfare requiring it.