Berkeley High School students arrive on campus in a 2021 file photo. Credit: Kelly Sullivan
The Berkeley Unified School District (BUSD) has postponed implementing a physical education class requirement for ninth- and 10th-graders, citing insufficient staff capacity, financial and facilities constraints and scheduling challenges. The announcement, which came during the Nov. 5 school board meeting, marked the second time this year the district has pushed the timeline for the mandate forward.
The district had announced last spring that all incoming freshmen beginning this school year would have to take a P.E. class instead of a second elective, to comply with California education requirements. But the district reversed course in April after the announcement created confusion and some backlash from students and families, and the change was pushed to the 2026-27 academic year. Now, the requirement won’t take effect until the 2027-28 year.
Planning to accommodate more high school P.E. classes is expected to continue over the next few months, and BUSD Student Director Armana Aradom said she is working with the school board to ensure student perspectives on the issue are being heard.
“As a track athlete with daily practices, taking a P.E. class under the current bell schedule seems unnecessary and overly burdensome,” Aradom said during the recent board meeting. “Over 1,500 students at Berkeley High participate in athletics, and for many, adding a required P.E. class would create conflicts and limit opportunities to pursue academics, electives or arts programs.”
The change is expected to result in more demand for gym and field space at Berkeley High, in addition to increased staffing costs. According to a board presentation, BUSD will need to provide P.E. to 571 freshmen, add about 16 sections to the master course schedule, and hire more than three full-time equivalent employees.
The P.E. requirement could especially impact students in special education programs and those working to complete their A–G courses, which are required for students applying to California State University (CSU) and University of California (UC) schools. BUSD is considering alternative bell schedules at BHS as one way to accommodate students needing to enroll in P.E. courses, according to district documents.
The P.E. changes at BUSD are the result of a state audit
BUSD decided to mandate P.E. for ninth- and 10th-graders after a California Department of Education (CDE) review of the district’s P.E. program during the 2024-25 school year found it was not fully compliant with a state requirement that all students complete two years or 20 credits of P.E. to graduate high school. Students in grades 7 to 12 must also be getting at least 400 minutes of physical education every 10 days, according to the state code.
The state initially directed BUSD to make adjustments to fully comply with the requirements beginning in the 2025-26 school year, causing the district to scramble to revise its elective enrollment process at Berkeley High School. But BUSD was later granted an extension.
In addition to the class requirement for ninth and 10th graders, the state determined that BUSD needed to improve its fitness testing and documentation of student P.E. exemptions, and ensure P.E. staff are appropriately credentialed. According to BUSD, these issues were resolved as of the fall semester. BUSD’s updated P.E. curriculum, according to district documents, now requires all ninth-graders to take the state physical fitness test.
P.E. exemptions, such as for student athletes and others enrolled in certain community sports and recreation programs, remain in place. Students participating in a school sport will receive five P.E. class credits for each season they complete. Local club sports are not currently included in the exemptions. But students enrolled during the 2025-26 and 2026-27 school years will be eligible for community program exemptions through the YMCA.
Classes available this academic year that meet P.E. requirements include: badminton, soccer, basketball, intro to fitness, and a couple dance classes. These offerings are separate from school sport teams. Summer school P.E. will be offered for graduating seniors.
BUSD staff will work this winter on determining future changes to the master course schedule, and community engagements will be planned for early next year to inform board recommendations and planning. The district will continue to post updates on the P.E. requirement on its website.
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