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February 20, 2008 - 6:40PM
Bill would keep math, science from chasing school electives
Howard Fischer, Capitol Media Services
State lawmakers moved Wednesday to ensure that math and science courses don't force out some electives.
The House Committee on K-12 Education approved legislation to bar schools from cutting music, art and physical education programs as they're being forced to provide more academics.
HB2557, however, does not set standards or require schools that do not offer these programs to start doing so. It simply ensures that those that do have the programs don't drop them.
The move follows the vote last year by the state Board of Education to double the number of years of math required to get a high school diploma, from two to four, beginning with the class of 2013. Graduates that year will also need a third year of science.
Rep. Mark Anderson, R-Mesa, said if he had his way he would mandate the nonacademic courses for all students.
Anderson is also the sponsor of HB2570, which would require that schools have at least 150 minutes a week of physical exercise for students. But he had to pull that one from consideration Wednesday after being unable to muster the votes amid concerns about placing an unfunded mandate on schools.
He promised to bring the measure back later this session with changes to make the mandate more flexible. Anderson said he will re-craft HB2570 so that it would not require schools to actually have 30 minutes a day of organized physical education classes.
Anderson said he just wants to ensure that students are getting some moderate physical activity each week, and that could be satisfied if a parent certifies that a child is doing those things outside of school.
In the Gilbert Unified School District, elementary students receive 30 minutes of physical education every three days, along with recesses and extra activities planned throughout the year, district spokeswoman Dianne Bowers said.
"Our district values all the special areas," said Caryn Anson, the district's elementary school physical education co-coordinator. "It's just a more creative way of scheduling to make everything fit."
Junior high students have one 50- to 55-minute physical education class every day, and high schoolers are required to have one credit of physical education - about 50 minutes a day for one year.
Tribune writer Hayley Ringle contributed to this report
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