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State Board hears update on proposed physical education standards; staff say changes are minimal
Summary
Office staff told the State Board that proposed PE standards align with Shape America’s national framework; public comment (Feb 16–Mar 20) yielded largely positive responses and minor wording clarifications. Staff plan to take board feedback in June and aim for an adoption vote in August.
The Office of the State Superintendent told the District of Columbia State Board of Education on May 6 that proposed updates to the city’s physical education standards remain closely aligned with Shape America national standards and that public feedback produced only modest edits.
Interim Assistant Superintendent Rachel Sadlin summarized outreach for the 33-day public comment period (Feb. 16–Mar. 20): multi-channel communication, targeted outreach to PE teachers, three listening sessions (teachers, school/LEA leaders, families/the public), and several targeted engagements with LEA and teacher groups. Staff reported 127 web-page visitors and said 72 individuals provided substantive feedback: 32 educators, 26 parents/guardians and nine school leaders.
“Feedback was nearly unanimously positive at a standards level,” Sadlin said, adding that the office made “minor word-choice improvements to a small number of indicators” and expanded glossary definitions to clarify terms. Staff highlighted strong support for social-emotional indicators and asked the board for suggestions on implementation resources such as toolkits and professional development.
Board members pressed how the standards would interact with graduation-credit flexibility for varsity athletes and whether LEAs could grant competency-based credit for out-of-school athletic achievement. Staff repeatedly clarified that standards define learning expectations, while LEAs retain authority over course credit, scheduling and graduation flexibility. The office committed to providing redlined grade-band indicators and to holding the student-advisory consultation scheduled for the week after the meeting.
The office’s timeline: receive board input in June, incorporate changes and return to the board in July, and seek an August vote on adoption with simultaneous work on implementation resources for LEAs and schools.
No final adoption vote occurred at the working session; staff said they will bring revised materials, including grade-level indicator redlines, in coming weeks.
