(The Center Square) – Sit-ups, push-ups and a 1-mile run could become a requirement for Tennessee students under a bill proposed by Rep. Scott Cepicky, R-Culleoka.
House Bill 1466 would reinstate the Presidential Fitness Test, which was discontinued during the 2012-2013 school year, according to a news release.
The test, established in 1956 by President David Eisenhower, required a 1-mile run, pull-ups or push-ups, sit-ups, a shuttle run, and a sit-and-reach test.
“Physical fitness is vital to improving the well-being of children across the Volunteer State,” Cepicky said in a statement. “Students will once again get to experience the healthy competition and patriotism associated with the time-honored Presidential Fitness Test.”
The bill requires local school systems to submit the test results to the Tennessee Department of Education.
Students would be eligible for the Presidential Fitness Award. President Donald Trump signed an executive order reinstating the test and award in July and tasked the President’s Council on Sports, Fitness, and Nutrition with developing the award. The 20-member council includes former football player Tony Romo, current football players Harrison Butker and Saquon Barkley and golfers Jack Nicklaus and Gary Player.
The bill exempts students in an individualized education program from the test if they are unable to complete it, according to the bill. The test cannot affect a student’s grades.
Cepicky said the bill is part of Republican efforts to make Tennessee healthy again. He cited a 2023-2024 joint report from the Tennessee Department of Health and the Tennessee Department of Education that said nearly 40% of Tennessee students were overweight or obese.
The bill will be considered when The General Assembly reconvenes Jan. 13.
