H 3405 Session 123 (2019-2020) H 3405 General Bill, By Collins and Morgan A BILL TO AMEND SECTION 59-1-425, CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, RELATING TO INSTRUCTIONAL DAYS FOR PUBLIC SCHOOL STUDENTS, SO AS TO PROVIDE THE INSTRUCTIONAL DAYS MAY NOT BEGIN BEFORE 8:30 IN THE MORNING; TO AMEND SECTION 59-10-10, RELATING TO PHYSICAL ACTIVITY STANDARDS FOR PUBLIC ELEMENTARY AND MIDDLE SCHOOLS, SO AS TO REVISE THE STANDARDS TO REQUIRE AN OVERALL INCREASE IN MANDATORY PHYSICAL ACTIVITY MINUTES, TO REQUIRE DAILY PHYSICAL ACTIVITY, TO REQUIRE PHYSICAL ACTIVITY INCLUDE INSTRUCTIONAL PLAY AND UNSTRUCTURED PLAY IN ADDITION TO PHYSICAL EDUCATION, AND TO DEFINE NECESSARY TERMS; AND TO AMEND SECTION 59-10-30, RELATING TO PHYSICAL ACTIVITY DIRECTORS, SO AS TO REQUIRE DESIGNATIONS OF PHYSICAL ACTIVITY DIRECTORS IN MIDDLE SCHOOLS AND TO REVISE DUTIES OF PHYSICAL ACTIVITY DIRECTORS TO INCLUDE DEVELOPMENT OF INSTRUCTIONAL PLAY AND UNSTRUCTURED PLAY FOR ELEMENTARY AND MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS.
TO AMEND SECTION 59-1-425, CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, RELATING TO INSTRUCTIONAL DAYS FOR PUBLIC SCHOOL STUDENTS, SO AS TO PROVIDE THE INSTRUCTIONAL DAYS MAY NOT BEGIN BEFORE 8:30 IN THE MORNING; TO AMEND SECTION 59-10-10, RELATING TO PHYSICAL ACTIVITY STANDARDS FOR PUBLIC ELEMENTARY AND MIDDLE SCHOOLS, SO AS TO REVISE THE STANDARDS TO REQUIRE AN OVERALL INCREASE IN MANDATORY PHYSICAL ACTIVITY MINUTES, TO REQUIRE DAILY PHYSICAL ACTIVITY, TO REQUIRE PHYSICAL ACTIVITY INCLUDE INSTRUCTIONAL PLAY AND UNSTRUCTURED PLAY IN ADDITION TO PHYSICAL EDUCATION, AND TO DEFINE NECESSARY TERMS; AND TO AMEND SECTION 59-10-30, RELATING TO PHYSICAL ACTIVITY DIRECTORS, SO AS TO REQUIRE DESIGNATIONS OF PHYSICAL ACTIVITY DIRECTORS IN MIDDLE SCHOOLS AND TO REVISE DUTIES OF PHYSICAL ACTIVITY DIRECTORS TO INCLUDE DEVELOPMENT OF INSTRUCTIONAL PLAY AND UNSTRUCTURED PLAY FOR ELEMENTARY AND MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina: SECTION 1. Section 59-1-425(A) of the 1976 Code is amended to read:
"(A) A local school district board of trustees of the State has the authority to establish an annual school calendar for teachers, staff, and students. The statutory school term is one hundred ninety days annually and must consist of a minimum of one hundred eighty days of instruction covering at least nine calendar months. SECTION 2. Section 59-10-10(A) of the 1976 Code is amended to read:
"(A)(1) The goal of this article is to (2)(a) Beginning with the 2020-2021 School Year: (i) students in kindergarten through third grade must be provided a minimum of ninety minutes of physical activity consisting of physical education, instructional play, and unstructured play each day; and (ii) students in fourth grade through eighth grade must be provided a minimum of sixty minutes of physical activity consisting of physical education, instructional play, and unstructured play each day. (b) The physical activity requirement in subitem (a) must include at least ninety minutes of physical education each week. (3) The certified physical education teacher to student ratio is designed to provide students in kindergarten through fifth grade with scheduled physical education either every day or on alternate days throughout the school year and must be based on the South Carolina Physical Education Curriculum Standards. The student to teacher ratio in a physical education class may not exceed the average student to teacher ratio of 28 to 1. (4) An individual student's fitness status must be reported to his parent or guardian during a student's fifth grade, eighth grade, and high school physical education courses. (5) The physical activity must be planned and coordinated by the Physical Education Activity Director pursuant to Section 59-10-30. (6) For purposes of this article, 'instructional play' means the use of physical activity or a game to facilitate academic learning." SECTION 3. Section 59-10-30(A) of the 1976 Code is amended to read: "(A) Beginning with the 2019-2020 School Year, each elementary school and each middle school shall designate a physical education teacher to serve as its Physical Education Activity Director. The Physical Education Activity Director shall plan and coordinate opportunities for additional physical activity for students that exceed the designated weekly student physical education instruction times that:
(1) may include, but not be limited to, before, during, and after school dance instruction, fitness trail programs, intramural programs, bicycling programs, walking programs, and recess SECTION 4. This act takes effect upon approval by the Governor.
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