By: Nelson S.B. No. 19
Line and page numbers may not match official copy.
Bill not drafted by TLC or Senate E&E.
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
1-1 AN ACT
1-2 relating to the improvement of children's health through daily
1-3 physical activity in public schools and a coordinated approach by
1-4 public schools to prevent obesity and certain diseases.
1-5 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-6 SECTION 1. Sections 28.002(a), (b), and (i), Education Code,
1-7 are amended to read as follows:
1-8 (a) Each school district that offers kindergarten through
1-9 grade 12 shall offer, as a required curriculum:
1-10 (1) a foundation curriculum that includes:
1-11 (A) English language arts;
1-12 (B) mathematics;
1-13 (C) science; and
1-14 (D) social studies, consisting of Texas, United
1-15 States, and world history, government, and geography; and
1-16 (2) an enrichment curriculum that includes:
1-17 (A) to the extent possible, languages other than
1-18 English;
1-19 (B) health;
1-20 (C) physical education, provided in a manner
1-21 that complies with Section 28.007;
1-22 (D) fine arts;
1-23 (E) economics, with emphasis on the free
2-1 enterprise system and its benefits;
2-2 (F) career and technology education; and
2-3 (G) technology applications.
2-4 (b) The State Board of Education by rule shall designate
2-5 subjects constituting a well-balanced curriculum to be offered by a
2-6 school district that does not offer kindergarten through grade 12.
2-7 The board shall designate subjects to ensure that a district is
2-8 able to comply with Section 28.007.
2-9 (i) The State Board of Education shall adopt rules for the
2-10 implementation of this subchapter. Except as provided by
2-11 Subsection (j) and Section 28.007, the board may not adopt rules
2-12 that designate the methodology used by a teacher or the time spent
2-13 by a teacher or a student on a particular task or subject.
2-14 SECTION 2. Subchapter A, Chapter 28, Education Code, is
2-15 amended by adding Section 28.007 to read as follows:
2-16 Sec. 28.007. PHYSICAL EDUCATION AND DAILY PHYSICAL ACTIVITY.
2-17 (a) A school district shall require a student enrolled in
2-18 prekindergarten, kindergarten, or a grade level below grade nine to
2-19 participate in daily physical activity as part of the district's
2-20 physical education curriculum.
2-21 (b) The daily physical activity required by this section
2-22 must involve physical exertion of an intensity and for a duration
2-23 sufficient to provide a significant health benefit to a student.
2-24 (c) In implementing this section, the State Board of
2-25 Education may prescribe a specific amount of time a student at each
2-26 grade level is required to spend in daily physical activity.
3-1 (d) A school district may exempt from participation in the
3-2 daily physical activity required by this section a student who is
3-3 unable to participate because of illness or disability.
3-4 SECTION 3. Chapter 38, Education Code, is amended by adding
3-5 Section 38.014 to read as follows:
3-6 Sec. 38.014. COORDINATED HEALTH PROGRAM FOR ELEMENTARY
3-7 SCHOOL STUDENTS. (a) The agency shall make available to each
3-8 school district a coordinated health program, such as the
3-9 Coordinated Approach to Child Health program (CATCH), designed to
3-10 prevent obesity, cardiovascular disease, and Type II diabetes in
3-11 elementary school students. The program must provide for
3-12 coordinating:
3-13 (1) health education;
3-14 (2) physical education;
3-15 (3) nutrition services; and
3-16 (4) parental involvement.
3-17 (b) The agency shall notify each school district of the
3-18 availability of the program and provide technical assistance in
3-19 implementing the program.
3-20 SECTION 4. This Act takes effect immediately and applies
3-21 beginning with the 2001-2002 school year.