Local Education Agencies

Plain English Breakdown

Checked against official source text during the last sync.

Physical Activity Requirements for Schools

This bill changes Tennessee's rules about physical activity in schools by allowing time spent in P.E. classes to count towards daily or weekly requirements, adding structured movement breaks as a form of physical activity, and giving teachers the power to restrict unstructured play if needed.

What This Bill Does

• Allows time spent in physical education (P.E.) class to be counted toward the required physical activity if students are actively moving during that time.
• Adds 'structured movement breaks' as a type of physical activity for schools to include in their daily or weekly plans.
• Changes the rule so teachers can stop a student from participating in unstructured playtime to help improve the student's behavior.

Who It Names or Affects

• Local Education Agencies (LEAs) that run elementary, middle, and high schools in Tennessee.

Terms To Know

Local Education Agencies (LEAs)

School districts or other organizations responsible for managing public education within a specific area.

Limits and Unknowns

• The bill does not specify what happens if schools do not meet the physical activity requirements.
• It is unclear how teachers will decide when to restrict unstructured playtime and under what circumstances.

Official Summary Text

Present law requires
that
LEAs integrate physical activity for students as follows:

(1) For elementary school students, a minimum of 40 minutes of physical activity per full school day; and

(2) For middle and high school students, a minimum of 90 minutes of physical activity per full school week

Present law specifies that the physical activity may include walking, jumping rope, playing volleyball, or other forms of physical activity that promote fitness and well-being. This bill further specifies that the physical activity may include
s
tructured movement breaks.

Present law specifies that the physical activity does not include time spent in a P.E. class. This bill instead provides that time spent in a P.E. class may be counted as physical activity if the students in the class are physically active.

Present law prohibits withholding a s
tudent from participating in physical activity as a form of punishment.
This bill instead authorizes a t
eacher
to
prevent a student from participating in physical activity to improve the student's behavior.

Current Bill Text

SENATE BILL 2189
By Stevens

HOUSE BILL 2027
By White
HB2027
011096
- 1 -

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 49,
relative to physical activity.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:
SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 49-6-1021(b)(1), is amended by
deleting the subdivision and substituting:
(1) Physical activity may include:
(A) Walking, jumping rope, playing volleyball, or other forms of physical
activity that promote fitness and well-being;
(B) Structured movement breaks; and
(C) Time spent by a student in a physical education class if during such
time the students are physically active.
(2) Walking to and from class is not physical activity for purposes of this section.
SECTION 2. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 49-6-1021(b)(2)(A)(ii), is amended by
deleting the subdivision and substituting:
(ii) Does not include time during which a student is permitted to use an electronic
device; and
SECTION 3. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 49-6-1021(b)(2)(B), is amended by
deleting the subdivision and substituting:
(B) A teacher may prevent a student from participating in physcial activity to
improve the student's behavior.
SECTION 4. This act takes effect July 1, 2026, the public welfare requiring it, and
applies to the 2026-2027 school year and each school year thereafter.