2024 School Health Report - Response to HCR 11 and R.S. 17:17.4

Oct 15, 2026

2024 School Health Report responds to House Concurrent Resolution 11 and R.S. 17:17.4 by outlining Louisiana’s required status reporting on health and physical education in public elementary and secondary schools. The report summarizes resolution goals, statutory requirements for curriculum development, and related activities with partner agencies. It describes recess and physical activity initiatives, coordinated school health leadership, and a federal nutrition and activity grant supporting chronic condition management. It also presents methodology and survey-based findings.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryHealthcare

FormatPDF

Pages22

Reading Time55 min

AccessFree to download

Overview of the Resolution

Requirements of the Resolution and Related Activities

Methodology

Findings

Health, Physical Activity and Recess

RESPONSE TO R.S. 17:17.4 (Status of Health and Physical Education in Louisiana’s Public Schools) and HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 11 OF THE 2018 REGULAR SESSION 2024 School Health Report March 15, 2024 From the State Board of Elementary and Secondary EducaƟon Prepared by the Louisiana Department of EducaƟon 2024 School Health Report Overview of the ResoluƟon House Concurrent ResoluƟon 11 ( HCR 11 ) urges and requests the state Department of EducaƟon to include school-level and system-level data in the annual report that it submits to the legislature regarding the status of health and physical educaƟon in public schools, pursuant to R.S. 17:17 .4, and to urge and request each public school and public school governing authority to cooperate in responding to the department's survey relaƟve to such report so that such data can be gathered and reported. Pursuant to Revised Statute 17:17 .4, the Louisiana Department of EducaƟon is required to submit a wriƩen report to the Senate and House CommiƩees on EducaƟon and the Senate and House CommiƩees on Health and Welfare no later than March ﬁŌeen of each year regarding the status of health and physical educaƟon in the public elementary and secondary schools in the state. Requirements of the ResoluƟon and Related AcƟviƟes Louisiana Revised Statute 17:17 .4 provides that the Louisiana Department of EducaƟon (LDOE) employs a health and physical educaƟon coordinator to develop, implement, and monitor health and physical educaƟon curricula for all grade levels in the public elementary and secondary schools in the state. Input and guidance shall be sought from the following agencies and enƟƟes regarding the development and implementaƟon of health and physical educaƟon curricula in public schools: ● Governor’s Council on Physical Fitness and Sports; ● Louisiana Council on Obesity PrevenƟon and Management; ● American Heart AssociaƟon; ● Louisiana AssociaƟon for Health, Physical EducaƟon, RecreaƟon, and Dance (LAHPERD); ● Louisiana State University Agriculture Center, Department of Family and Consumer Sciences; ● and Louisiana Chapter, American Academy of Pediatrics. In the 2023 Regular LegislaƟve Session, HB 121, Act 218 states that each public school that includes any grades kindergarten through ﬁve shall provide at least ﬁŌeen minutes of recess, consisƟng of supervised, unstructured free play, each school day. The Louisiana Department of EducaƟon recognizes healthy and physically acƟve students tend to have beƩer grades, school aƩendance, cogniƟve performance, and classroom behaviors. AddiƟonally, schools play a vital role in allowing students the opportunity for regular physical acƟvity before, during, and aŌer school. To recognize outstanding public elementary and secondary schools that are implemenƟng an outstanding physical acƟvity program, the Department will be recognizing and honoring exemplary schools through the School Physical AcƟvity Award program. In 2017, LDOE and the Louisiana Department of Health (LDH) formed the Louisiana School Health Advisory Council (LA SHAC), a group of statewide leaders represenƟng the Coordinated School Health model. The LASHAC supports the development of healthy school environments across the state. The LA SHAC provides acƟve leadership in the idenƟﬁcaƟon and disseminaƟon of school health best pracƟces and resources for school policymakers and educators. When students stay healthy and ready to learn, children develop the knowledge, skills, and aƫtudes needed to become healthy, successful adults. In 2023, Louisiana was selected to receive a federal grant to improve student health and academic achievement through nutriƟon, physical acƟvity, and the management of students’ chronic health condiƟons. The grant, which is valued at $390,000 a year for ﬁve years, beneﬁts statewide student health iniƟaƟves, as well as targeted iniƟaƟves in one select school system. The funding, secured by the Louisiana Department of Ed

FAQs

What is the purpose of House Concurrent Resolution 11 in this report?

It urges the state Department of Education to include school-level and system-level data in its annual legislative report on the status of health and physical education, and to request cooperation from public schools and governing authorities to complete the department survey.

What does R.S. 17:17.4 require the Louisiana Department of Education to do?

It requires the department to submit a written annual report no later than March fifteenth to specified Senate and House committees regarding the status of health and physical education in Louisiana’s public elementary and secondary schools.

How were the survey results produced for the findings?

A survey tool was developed and administered online in November 2023 to assess district compliance with state health and physical education laws and regulations, based on self-reported district responses that were not validated by external review.

Oct 15, 2026

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