Students in grades one through twelve will be required to participate in physical education courses unless they are excused by the principal of their attendance center.
Students may be excused from physical education courses if the student presents a written statement from a doctor stating that such activities could be injurious to the health of the student, or the student's parent/guardian has filed a written statement with the school principal that the course conflicts with the student’s religious beliefs.
Students in grades 9-12 may also be excused from physical education courses for the following reasons:
- Students in grades nine through twelve may be excused by the principal from the physical education requirement in order to enroll in academic courses not otherwise available for the student to fit in his/her schedule.
- A student may be excused by the principal of the school in which the student is enrolled for up to a semester per year if the parent or guardian of the student requests in writing that the student be excused from the physical education requirement. The student seeking to be excused from the physical education requirement must be a participant in an organized and supervised athletic program offered by the school which requires at least as much time of participation as 900 minutes or one-eight unit of physical education.
- The student is participating in the Legislative Page Program at the state capitol for a regular session of the general assembly.
- The student is enrolled in a junior reserve officer training corp.
Twelfth-grade students may also be excused from physical education courses if the student is enrolled in a cooperative, work-study or other educational program authorized by the school which requires the student's absence from school.
Students who will not participate in physical education must have a written request or statement from their parents.
Legal Reference: Iowa Code § 256.11.
281 I.A.C. 12.5.
Cross Reference: 504 Student Activities
603 Instructional Curriculum
Approved: 11/01/2004
Reviewed: 03/17/2008, 11/19/2012, 02/19/2018, 09/20/2021, 12/19/2022
Revised: 02/19/2018, 09/20/2021, 12/19/2022
