Claremont High School has announced a significant change to its Physical Education (PE) requirements, impacting students in the graduating class of 2027 and beyond. When put into effect, students will be mandated to complete PE classes for two years of their high school tenure in order to fulfill graduation criteria. This shift in policy has raised questions about the rationale behind these changes and their implications for student-athletes.
Currently, CHS requires a minimum of 20 PE credits to meet the graduation requirements. The current CHS PE policy distinctively insists on freshmen completing a full year of PE, irrespective of their participation in school-endorsed sports teams. This stands in contrast to many other high schools in and around LA County. Freshman PE is taken in place of World history, which is what most student athletes choose to take in boarding high schools. Dr. Mitchell, principle of CHS explains this on an administrator’s point of view.
“Some people think PE is an easy kind of topic and I guess it is in some ways but it’s surprisingly complicated from a state point of view,” Mitchell said.
Enacted in July 2007, Education Code section 51222 mandates that students must pass the physical performance test (fitness gram) administered in 9th grade to qualify for a two-year exemption. However, CHS sports teams currently do not meet the state requirement as an official physical education class, therefore students in the class of 2026 and above aremandated to take freshman PE. While the school district is working on validating CHS sports to replace PE classes, school administrators anticipate a lengthy process. In an interview, Principal Mitchell elaborates.
“So as we recreated our programs and looked at the rules and put ourselves back in compliance, we said we’ll start that piece of it with the class of 2027, which are the current freshmen,” Mitchell said. “So every class after that will be under these rules unless the state changes.”
Looking ahead, this new regulation stipulates that PE will become mandatory for the first two years of high school, starting with the class of 2027. This adjustment aims to further embed fitness as an integral component of education at CHS and to better incorporate the state education code.
Student-athletes, in particular, will be challenged to face an unique challenge in coping with this regulation. Balancing rigorous practice schedules and academic demands is already daunting and further excessive physical exertion may lead to burnout and underperformance in both academics and athletics.
As Claremont High School navigates this transition, it is essential for the administration to remain understanding of the needs and well-being of its students. By acknowledging and addressing the challenges posed by these new regulations, CHS can ensure a balanced and supportive environment conducive to both academic and athletic success. Moving forward, ongoing evaluation and adaptation will be key in ensuring that the integration of PE into the curriculum serves its intended purpose while effectively supporting the holistic development of all students at Claremont High School.
