CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2025–2026 REGULAR SESSION

97

CHAPTER 115

Statutes of 2026

Introduced by Assembly Member Patel

(Coauthors: Assembly Members Addis, Aguiar-Curry, Ahrens, Alanis, Alvarez, Ávila Farías, Bains, Bauer-Kahan, Berman, Boerner, Bonta, Bryan, Calderon, Carrillo, Castillo, Connolly, Davies, Dixon, Elhawary, Ellis, Fong, Gabriel, Gallagher, Garcia, Gipson, Jeff Gonzalez, Mark González, Hadwick, Haney, Harabedian, Hart, Hoover, Irwin, Jackson, Johnson, Kalra, Krell, Lackey, Lee, Lowenthal, McKinnor, Nguyen, Ortega, Pacheco, Papan, Patterson, Pellerin, Petrie-Norris, Quirk-Silva, Ramos, Ransom, Rivas, Celeste Rodriguez, Michelle Rodriguez, Blanca Rubio, Sanchez, Schiavo, Schultz, Sharp-Collins, Solache, Soria, Stefani, Ta, Tangipa, Valencia, Wallis, Ward, Wicks, Wilson, and Zbur)

April 21, 2026

Relative to California Physical Education Week.

Fiscal committee: no

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL’S DIGEST

This measure would proclaim May 1, 2026, to May 7, 2026, inclusive, as California Physical Education Week.

WHEREAS, For purposes of this resolution, “physical education” includes both general physical education and adapted physical education; and

WHEREAS, Physical education is an academic discipline that equips California students with the knowledge, skills, and dispositions necessary to develop and maintain physical, mental, and social health throughout their lifespan; and

WHEREAS, Instruction in physical education contributes to pupil learning by supporting literacy development, social-emotional learning, positive school culture, and engagement across all content areas; and

WHEREAS, Physical education is an integral component of a well-rounded education in California and nationwide within the Every Student Succeeds Act, contributing to college, military, career, and vocational readiness and supporting a productive, healthy adulthood; and

WHEREAS, Scientific evidence indicates that the components of physical fitness are associated with cognitive functions such as attention, memory, self-regulation, and executive functioning, which support academic engagement and learning; and

WHEREAS, Substantial evidence shows that California’s children and young people are less active than ever. Physical education is an essential academic discipline to develop cognitive, affective, and psychomotor skills that advance their knowledge, and contribute to their dispositions for physical activity at all stages of life; and

WHEREAS, High-quality instruction in physical education and adapted physical education also makes significant contributions to state priorities, including literacy development, social-emotional learning, school culture, science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM), and others; now, therefore, be it

Resolved by the Assembly of the State of California, the Senate thereof concurring, That the Legislature proclaims May 1, 2026, to May 7, 2026, inclusive, as California Physical Education Week to coincide with National Physical Education and Sport Week, to promote high-quality physical education instruction; and be it further

Resolved, That all teachers, all school policymakers, and all school leaders be encouraged to provide the highest quality physical education instruction by credentialed physical educators in their schools for all pupils; and be it further

Resolved, That California Physical Education Week in 2026 serves as an opportunity for education leaders and state policymakers to collaboratively review current instructional practices in physical education and the need for recommendations to enhance the quality of physical education instruction for all of California’s pupils; and be it further

Resolved, That the Chief Clerk of the Assembly transmit copies of this resolution to the author for appropriate distribution.