Here’s some updated information about the status of physical education (PE) in U.S. schools from the latest Shape of the Nation Report: Status of Physical Education in the USA, released by the National Association for Sports & Physical Education:

  • Forty-seven states and the District of Columbia have their own state standards for PE.
  • Approximately 30% of states do not mandate PE for elementary and middle-school students.
  • Almost one-fourth of states (12) allow required PE credits to be earned through online PE courses.
  • Forty-three percent of states (22) require PE grades to be included in a student’s grade point average.
  • Sixteen states require comprehensive assessment tests for graduation, but none of these include PE.
  • Thirty-six states use educational report cards that individually rate specific subject areas, but only three of these states (California, Hawaii and Kentucky) include PE on their cards.
  • Currently only three states—Arkansas, California and Illinois—require schools to measure body mass index for each student.