Ohio House Bill HB304

Ohio 2025-2026 Regular Session

• Introduced: 5/27/25

Caption

To amend sections 3313.48 and 3313.603 and to enact section 3301.96 of the Revised Code to permit students to use club sports or other athletic activity to fulfill the high school physical education requirement and regarding recess time for K-8 students.

Summary

HB304 would change Ohio school law in two main ways. First, it would allow high school students to satisfy the physical education graduation requirement by participating in club sports or other athletic activity, rather than taking a traditional PE course, if the activity meets the bill’s conditions and is documented by a signed statement from the coach or instructor and a parent or guardian. The bill defines “club sports” broadly to include certain school-sanctioned sports not governed by interscholastic organizations and youth sports organizations, and it also covers athletic activities taught outside of school. Second, the bill would require school districts to provide morning and afternoon recess periods of at least 30 minutes each for students in kindergarten through eighth grade, unless the student is attending a physical education course that day. The bill also updates related school attendance and graduation provisions to reflect these new requirements and makes conforming changes for community schools, STEM schools, and college-preparatory boarding schools so the new recess and physical education rules apply across those school types where relevant.

Impact

The bill would amend sections 3313.48 and 3313.603 of the Revised Code and enact a new section requiring K-8 recess, while also making conforming changes to statutes governing community schools, STEM schools, and college-preparatory boarding schools. In practice, it would reduce the need for some students to take a standard PE class if they can document qualifying sports participation, and it would impose a new daily recess mandate on school districts for elementary and middle grades. It would also affect school calendars, graduation planning, and district compliance obligations by adding a state-level requirement for recess time and by recognizing outside athletic participation as a pathway to meet graduation requirements.

Sentiment

The bill appears to be generally favorable in concept, based on its introduction and the absence of recorded opposition, amendments, or committee testimony in the provided materials. Its sponsors frame it as a flexibility measure for students involved in sports and as a student-wellness measure for younger grades. Because the bill was only introduced and no votes or hearings are included, there is no documented formal sentiment from committee action in the available record.

Contention

The main points of potential contention are likely to be implementation and local control. School districts may object to a state-mandated 30-minute recess requirement because it could affect scheduling, staffing, and instructional time, especially in schools with tight daily schedules. There may also be debate over whether club sports and outside athletic activities should count toward PE, how districts should verify participation, and whether the bill creates uneven access for students whose families can afford organized sports or outside instruction. No specific opposition is recorded in the provided materials, but these are the most likely policy concerns raised by affected school officials or administrators.