Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Physical Education topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Educators and parents urge Washington State Board to keep physical education in graduation requirements
Summary
Dozens of public commenters — including SHAPE Washington leaders, health and PE teachers and students — told the State Board of Education that removing physical education from core graduation requirements would harm student health, mental well-being and equitable access to movement.
Dozens of teachers, parents and students urged the Washington State Board of Education on Tuesday to keep physical education and health as required elements of high school graduation.
At the start of the board's public comment period, Melissa Boswell, a parent and member of SHAPE Washington, said she drove five hours to Pullman to oppose a proposal that would move PE to a personalized pathway rather than keeping it as a core requirement. She cited state survey data showing that only 24% of 10th graders meet the recommended 60 minutes of daily activity and said removing a requirement would deny many students access to regular movement.
"How do we as parents, as educators, as community members, look at the state of our nation's health and say, sure, no required learning of how to move for lifelong health and fitness," Boswell said.
Dr. Carrie Kreider, a health and PE professor at Eastern Washington University and higher education representative for SHAPE Washington, told the board the K–12 PE standards emphasize fitness concepts, personal and social skills through movement, and mental health benefits that are not achieved through other academic courses.
"These skills cannot be achieved through other academic courses," Kreider said. "If PE is no longer considered a requirement, there will be immediate health consequences as well as more health issues in their lifetime."
Terry Farrar, executive director of SHAPE Washington, appealed for either maintaining the current graduation requirement or adopting a 1-credit requirement for both health and PE taught by appropriately endorsed educators so the state can protect equitable access.
Students who spoke during the meeting's listening session echoed the message. Several described PE classes as safe spaces that supported mental health, physical literacy and social connection and warned that optional PE would let many students "opt out" and miss those benefits.
Board staff and members said they heard the comments and would weigh them as they draft recommendations to present in August. Staff emphasized the meeting was a working session and that formal votes on the Future Ready graduation framework would come later.
What happens next: staff will incorporate public feedback and task force recommendations into draft language for the board to review at its August meeting before any legislative proposal is submitted.
