State policy does not specify a number of students per class or teacher-to-student ratio in physical education classes.
All K–12 physical education instruction must align with Washington’s K–12 learning standards for health and fitness, and instruction must be conducted by appropriately certified instructors (Wash. Rev. Code § 28 A.210.365).
Students may be excused from physical education due to physical disability, religious beliefs, employment, participation in directed athletics or military science, or other good cause (Wash. Rev. Code § 28 A.230.050). Excused students must substitute equivalency credits as determined by local school board policies (Wash. Admin. Code § 392-410-136).
Public elementary schools must provide at least 30 minutes of daily recess for students in Grades K–5 and Grade 6 if attending an elementary school (Wash. Rev. Code § 28 A.230.295). Recess must be student-directed, supervised, and may not be withheld as a form of punishment (Wash. Rev. Code § 28 A.210.368).
No explicit fitness assessment requirements for students were found in the regulations.
No specific regulations regarding the provision, maintenance, or funding of school physical education facilities and equipment were found in the regulations.
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.
Physical education instructors must hold a valid Washington State health and fitness endorsement (Wash. Rev. Code § 28 A.230.055). Adapted physical education is a specialty endorsement that can be added to a valid teaching certificate (Wash. Admin. Code § 181–82 A-208).
Physical education services, including specially designed instruction, if necessary, must be available to students receiving special education. Students with disabilities must be provided opportunities to participate in general physical education unless their IEP requires otherwise (Wash. Admin. Code § 392-172 A-02030).
The Washington State Superintendent of Public Instruction promotes policies supporting daily physical education and opportunities for physical activity but does not allocate specific funding for K–12 physical education programs (Wash. Rev. Code § 28 A.300.040).
Each school district must develop policies that support access to nutritious foods, opportunities for appropriate physical activity, and accurate health-related information (Wash. Rev. Code § 28 A.210.360). School health advisory committees must advise on policies related to food choice, physical activity, and fitness (Wash. Rev. Code § 28 A.210.365).
No specific criteria for evaluating physical education teachers were found in the regulations.
Recent updates require elementary schools to provide at least 30 minutes of daily recess and prohibit the withholding of recess as punishment (Wash. Rev. Code § 28 A.230.295). Middle school physical education classes must include at least one hour of personal safety training per year (Wash. Rev. Code § 28 A.210.365).
Regulations assign responsibility for physical education policy implementation to LEAs through curriculum standards and graduation requirements. The regulations include enforcement provisions such as annual district-level reviews of physical education programs, submission of compliance data to the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction, and public reporting of results. They do not include specific penalties for noncompliance.
For more details, call the Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction at (360) 725–6000, email ospi@k12.wa.us, or go to 600 Washington St. SE, Olympia, WA 98504.