Districts must keep physical education student-teacher ratios small enough for safety and curriculum goals; if a class exceeds a ratio of 45:1, the district must document how safety will be maintained (TEC §25.114[a]-[b]; 19 TAC §116.12 intro [3]).
The physical education curriculum must be sequential, developmentally appropriate, and designed to meet the needs of students of all ability levels. At least 50 percent of physical education class time must be spent in MVPA (19 TAC §74.37[c]; TEC §28.002[d][3]; 19 Tex. Admin. Code § 116.64).
Substitutions for physical education credit may be granted by local policy for participation in approved extracurricular activities, such as athletics, JROTC, drill team, marching band, cheerleading, or privately/commercially sponsored physical activity programs that meet the state’s physical activity requirements. Olympic-level training programs may also qualify under specific conditions (19 Tex. Admin. Code § 74.12[b][6][C]).
Students in Grades K–8 must receive at least 30 minutes of MVPA per school day or 135 minutes per school week. Schools using block scheduling may provide 225 minutes over two weeks (19 Tex. Admin. Code § 103.1003[a]).
All students in Grades 3–12 enrolled in a physical education course must complete an annual physical fitness assessment using an instrument selected by the commissioner of education (19 Tex. Admin. Code § 103.1001). School systems are required to submit the results of the physical fitness assessment to the Texas Education Agency (TEA) each school year (TEC, Section 38.103). For the 2025/2026 school year, school systems may submit their data through one of three options: FitnessGram, the Physical Fitness Assessment Initiative application, or another vendor collection tool.
Primary gymnasiums or physical education spaces must meet minimum square footage standards: 3,000 square feet for elementary schools, 4,800 square feet for middle schools, and 7,500 square feet for high schools. Districts must ensure students have access to appropriate physical education equipment that supports skill development (19 Tex. Admin. Code § 61.1040[g][1][B]; TEC §25.114; 19 TAC §74.37; §116.12–.28 intros).
Regulations do not explicitly address the provision of online physical education. There are no direct provisions, exceptions, or enabling mechanisms in state statute or administrative rule that permit or describe online or distance learning for physical education. Implementation of online physical education is neither expressly allowed nor directly prohibited and would be at the discretion of Local Education Agencies (LEAs) if all state standards and requirements are met (19 Tex. Admin. Code §74.23).
Physical education instructors must hold a valid Texas teaching certificate, which may include certifications such as All-Level Physical Education (EC-12) or specific secondary physical education certifications. Adapted physical education (APE) assignments are allowed with specified certificates; for special education certificates, evidence of APE skills/knowledge must be documented (19 Tex. Admin. Code § 231.27; 19 TAC §233.12; §231.703).
physical education programs must be designed to accommodate students with disabilities and schools must provide appropriate modifications and supports (19 Tex. Admin. Code § 74.31; 19 Tex. Admin. Code 74.37).
School districts may access state instructional allotment funds for physical education programs, but funding prioritization is not specified. Physical education materials are excluded from the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills instructional materials funding requirements (19 Tex. Admin. Code § 66.1307[i][1][A]).
Each school district must establish a local school health advisory council that provides recommendations on policies related to physical education, health, and nutrition. The council’s input must be considered before any changes to the district’s health curriculum (Tex. Educ. Code § 28.004).
All Texas teachers must be appraised based on the domains and dimensions of the Texas Teacher Evaluation and Support System (T-TESS) rubric but there is no information on teacher evaluations specifically for physical education instructors (19 Tex. Admin. Code § 150.1002).
Recent updates reinforce structured physical education curriculum requirements, maintain teacher-to-student ratios, and ensure that at least 50 percent of physical education class time is devoted to physical activity. Annual fitness assessments for students in Grades 3–12 who are enrolled in a physical education course remain a mandated component, but recent updates to reporting options are new for 2025/2026 school year (19 Tex. Admin. Code § 103.1001; TEC, Section 38.103).
Regulations assign responsibility for physical education policy implementation to LEAs through curriculum standards, instructional requirements, and assessment mandates. The regulations include enforcement provisions such as annual reporting to the TEA, compliance monitoring through accreditation processes, and required local policies for program implementation. They do not include specific penalties for noncompliance.
For more details, call the Texas Education Agency at (512) 463–9734, email curriculum@tea.texas.gov, or go to 1701 N. Congress Avenue, Austin, TX 78701.