Louisiana students will see a greater emphasis on movement, physical fitness and skills they can use throughout their lives under newly approved K-12 physical education standards.

The Louisiana Board of Elementary and Secondary Education approved the revised standards Wednesday following a review process that began in 2025. The new standards will take effect during the 2027-2028 school year, replacing standards that have been in place since 2017.

One of the biggest changes is a shift from simply knowing about physical skills to actually demonstrating them. The standards are designed to keep students more physically active during PE while developing fundamental movement and fitness skills that build from kindergarten through high school.

Rather than requiring schools to have certain equipment or facilities, the standards give PE teachers flexibility to meet expectations using the space and resources available at their schools.

Louisiana State Superintendent of Education Dr. Cade Brumley said the changes are intended to help students develop habits that extend beyond their school years.

“Research consistently shows the positive impact of personal fitness on a healthy life,” Brumley said. “These fitness-based standards equip students with knowledge and skills they’ll use the rest of their lives to remain active.”

Fitness assessments begin in kindergarten

The new standards also include age-appropriate fitness assessments beginning in kindergarten. The assessments will measure the same general areas included in the Presidential Fitness Test.

President Donald Trump signed an executive order in 2025 reestablishing the Presidential Fitness Test. Gov. Jeff Landry later directed Louisiana agencies to work toward establishing the test in the state and asked the Louisiana Department of Education to consider it during the PE standards review.

The Presidential Fitness Test itself is not being written into the standards as a requirement. Instead, LDOE plans to recommend the test as an option in a resource guide being developed for school systems.

The new PE requirements are separate from Louisiana’s recess law. Since 2023, public schools serving students in kindergarten through fifth grade have been required to provide at least 15 minutes of supervised, unstructured recess each school day. Recess does not replace physical education instruction.

More focus on lifelong fitness

The overall goal of the revised standards is to move PE beyond isolated activities and place greater emphasis on developing skills students can continue using as adults.

Expectations will progress as students get older, allowing them to build on skills learned in earlier grades. The standards also focus on making expectations clearer and more practical for teachers.

The revision was developed with input from Louisiana educators, health professionals, higher education representatives and other stakeholders. More than 140 people applied to participate in the review, with 26 selected for workgroups and 11 also serving on the steering committee.

A draft was released for public comment in March. According to LDOE, respondents generally supported clearer expectations and the increased focus on students actively participating in physical activity. Some raised concerns about instructional time and whether schools have adequate facilities.

Schools have time to prepare

The changes will not take effect immediately. LDOE plans to use the current school year to help educators prepare, including offering in-person professional development and training videos.

A resource guide is also being developed with definitions, examples and guidance to help schools implement the standards before they become effective in 2027-2028.

The standards establish what Louisiana students should know and be able to do in physical education, but they do not prescribe a specific PE curriculum. Individual school systems will continue making decisions about the curriculum and instructional materials used to meet those expectations.

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