Local Education Agencies

Plain English Breakdown

The bill summary does not provide specific details on transportation arrangements or liability for students off school grounds, which were implied but not directly supported by the provided text.

Physical Education Through Community Service

This bill allows local education agencies (LEAs) and public charter schools to create programs where high school students can earn physical education credits by doing yardwork for older people or those with disabilities in their community.

What This Bill Does

• Allows LEAs and public charter schools to offer a program that lets ninth through twelfth-grade students earn half a credit of physical education (P.E.) by completing yardwork projects.
• Requires the number of hours spent on yardwork to match the required instructional hours for traditional P.E. classes, as set by the state board of education.
• Requires LEAs and public charter schools to notify students about this program and get written consent from parents or guardians before a student can join.
• Ensures that all community service partners who work with students in the program have background checks similar to those required for teachers and childcare workers.

Who It Names or Affects

• Local education agencies (LEAs) and public charter schools
• High school students in grades nine through twelve
• Community organizations partnering with LEAs or public charter schools

Terms To Know

Local Education Agencies (LEA)

School districts that are responsible for providing education to students within their jurisdiction.

Public Charter Schools

Independent public schools that operate under a charter, giving them more flexibility than traditional public schools in exchange for higher accountability.

Limits and Unknowns

• The bill does not specify how much it will cost LEAs or public charter schools to implement the program.
• It is unclear if all communities will have enough organizations willing to partner with schools for this initiative.

Official Summary Text

Presently, Rule 520-01-03-.06
of the state board of education requires completion of 0.5 credits in physical education (P.E.) for high school graduation. This bill authorizes
LEA
s

and
public charter school
s (hereinafter jointly referred to as an "LEA")

to
create a
P.E.
through communi
ty service program by partnering with a community organization to provide students in grades nine through 12 with the opportunity to earn
0.5
credit in
P.E.
by completing yardwork projects for older persons and persons with disabilities within the communit
y served by the LEA or public charter school. An LEA or public charter school may allow a student to participate in the program for no more than one
c
lass period per school day.

The following apply to a P.E.
through community service program
created pur
suant to this bill:

(1) I
n order to earn
0.5 c
redit in
P.E.
pursuant to subsection (a), the number of yardwork hours completed by the student, which must be overseen and documented by a community service partner, must be no less than the number of instr
uctional hours required for a student to receive
0.5
credit in a traditional
P.E.
course, as determined by the state board of education
;

(2)
0.5
credit in physical education earned by a student pursuant to this
bill
may be counted toward the
state board'
s
graduation requirements
;

(3)
The time within which a student leaves school in order to provide yardwork services in the community for purposes of the program must align with the class schedule adopted by the LEA for the school day
; and

(
4
) A student
who participates in the program must be credited with time spent in the program in the same manner as if the student were attending school, and the time spent in the program must be calculated as part of the school day.

A
n LEA
that
creates a
P.E.
through
community service program pursuant to this
bill is required to do the following
:

(1) Notify students in grades nine through 12 of the opportunity to earn
0.5
credit in
P.E. through the program
;

(2)
Ensure that the parent or guardian of a student seek
ing to participate in the program has signed a written consent form authorizing their student to participate in the program before the student participates in any yardwork projects
as part of
the program;

(3) Ensure that students are supervised at all ti
mes while providing yardwork services for older persons and persons with disabilities through the program;

(4) Establish the parties responsible for transporting students to and from the location at which students are providing yardwork services and noti
fy parents and guardians of the parties responsible for transporting their students;

(5) Ensure that all community service partners who will have contact with students or who will be working in close proximity to students through the program submit to,
and complete, a
background examination of the type required of applicants for teaching and child care positions;

(6) A
nnually
c
ollect surveys from
program participants and s
ubmit a report to the department of education.

This bill requires a c
ommunity s
ervice organization that partners with an LEA for purposes of a
P.E.
through community service program
do the following:

(1) M
aintain attendance records and records documenting the hours of yardwork services completed by each participating student and
make the records available to the LE
A; and

(
2
)
A
ssum
e
all liability for a student while the student providing yardwork services in the community, but off the grounds of the student's school.

Current Bill Text

HOUSE BILL 971
By Parkinson

SENATE BILL 1221
By Oliver

SB1221
003138
- 1 -

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

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:
SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 49, Chapter 6, Part 10, is amended by
adding the following as a new section:
(a) An LEA or public charter school may create a physical education through
community service program by partnering with a community organization to provide
students in grades nine through twelve (9-12) with the opportunity to earn one-half (1/2)
credit in physical education by completing yardwork projects for older persons and
persons with disabilities within the community served by the LEA or public charter
school. An LEA or public charter school may allow a student to participate in the
program for no more than one (1) class period per school day.
(b)
(1) In order to earn one-half (1/2) credit in physical education pursuant to
subsection (a), the number of yardwork hours completed by the student, which
must be overseen and documented by a community service partner, must be no
less than the number of instructional hours required for a student to receive one-
half (1/2) credit in a traditional physical education course, as determined by the
state board of education.
(2) One-half (1/2) credit in physical education earned by a student
pursuant to this section may be counted toward the graduation requirements
established by the state board pursuant to § 49-6-6001(a).

- 2 - 003138

(c) An LEA or public charter school that creates a physical education through
community service program pursuant to this section shall:
(1) Notify students in grades nine through twelve (9-12) of the opportunity
to earn one-half (1/2) credit in physical education by completing yardwork
projects for older persons and persons with disabilities within the community
served by the LEA or public charter school;
(2) Ensure that the parent or guardian of a student seeking to participate
in the program has signed a written consent form authorizing their student to
participate in the program before the student participates in any yardwork
projects through, and for purposes of, the program;
(3) Ensure that students are supervised at all times while providing
yardwork services for older persons and persons with disabilities through the
LEA's or public charter school's program;
(4) Establish the parties responsible for transporting students to and from
the location at which students are providing yardwork services and notify parents
and guardians of the parties responsible for transporting their students; and
(5) Ensure that all community service partners who will have contact with
students or who will be working in close proximity to students through the
program submit to, and complete, an investigation under § 49-5-413.
(d) A community service organization that partners with an LEA or public charter
school for purposes of a physical education through community service program shall
maintain attendance records and records documenting the hours of yardwork services
completed by each participating student and make the records available to the LEA or
public charter school, as applicable.

- 3 - 003138

(e) A community service organization that partners with an LEA or public charter
school for purposes of the LEA's or public charter school's physical education through
community service program assumes all liability for a student while the student providing
yardwork services in the community, but off the grounds of the student's school.
(f) The time within which a student leaves school in order to provide yardwork
services in the community for purposes of the program must align with the class
schedule adopted by the LEA or public charter school for the school day.
(g) A student who participates in the program must be credited with time spent in
the program in the same manner as if the student were attending school, and the time
spent in the program must be calculated as part of the school day.
(h) Each LEA and public charter school that creates a physical education
through community service program pursuant to this section shall annually:
(1) Collect surveys from students who participated in the program,
parents or guardians of students who participated in the program, community
service partners participating in the program, and the older persons or persons
with disabilities who received yardwork assistance through the program; and
(2) Submit a report to the department of education on:
(A) The number of students who participated in the program;
(B) Satisfaction of the program's participants as determined by
the surveys collected pursuant to subdivision (h)(1);
(C) The type, length, and complexity of the yardwork or
community service projects students completed through the program; and
(D) The outcomes of the program.
SECTION 2. This act takes effect upon becoming a law, the public welfare requiring it.