HB 971

Presently, Rule 520-01-03-.06 of the state board of education requires completion of 0.5 credits in physical education (P.E.) for high school graduation. This bill authorizes LEA s and public charter school s (hereinafter jointly referred to as an "LEA"") to create a P.E. through communi ty service program by partnering with a community organization to provide students in grades nine through 12 with the opportunity to earn 0.5 credit in P.E. by completing yardwork projects for older persons and persons with disabilities within the communit y served by the LEA or public charter school. An LEA or public charter school may allow a student to participate in the program for no more than one c lass period per school day. The following apply to a P.E. through community service program created pur suant to this bill: (1) I n order to earn 0.5 c redit in P.E. pursuant to subsection (a), the number of yardwork hours completed by the student, which must be overseen and documented by a community service partner, must be no less than the number of instr uctional hours required for a student to receive 0.5 credit in a traditional P.E. course, as determined by the state board of education ; (2) 0.5 credit in physical education earned by a student pursuant to this bill may be counted toward the state board' s graduation requirements ; (3) The time within which a student leaves school in order to provide yardwork services in the community for purposes of the program must align with the class schedule adopted by the LEA for the school day ; and ( 4 ) A student who participates in the program must be credited with time spent in the program in the same manner as if the student were attending school, and the time spent in the program must be calculated as part of the school day. A n LEA that creates a P.E. through community service program pursuant to this bill is required to do the following : (1) Notify students in grades nine through 12 of the opportunity to earn 0.5 credit in P.E. through the program ; (2) Ensure that the parent or guardian of a student seek ing to participate in the program has signed a written consent form authorizing their student to participate in the program before the student participates in any yardwork projects as part of the program; (3) Ensure that students are supervised at all ti mes while providing yardwork services for older persons and persons with disabilities through the program; (4) Establish the parties responsible for transporting students to and from the location at which students are providing yardwork services and noti fy parents and guardians of the parties responsible for transporting their students; (5) Ensure that all community service partners who will have contact with students or who will be working in close proximity to students through the program submit to, and complete, a background examination of the type required of applicants for teaching and child care positions; (6) A nnually c ollect surveys from program participants and s ubmit a report to the department of education. This bill requires a c ommunity s ervice organization that partners with an LEA for purposes of a P.E. through community service program do the following: (1) M aintain attendance records and records documenting the hours of yardwork services completed by each participating student and make the records available to the LE A; and ( 2 ) A ssum e all liability for a student while the student providing yardwork services in the community, but off the grounds of the student's school."