MS Code 37-13-134 – Mississippi Healthy Students Act

• Mandates 150 minutes per week of physical activity based instruction K-8
• Mandates 45 minutes per week of health education, K-8
• Requires ½ Carnegie Unit of physical education for graduation, 9-12
• Appropriates funds for a physical education coordinator to be housed at MDE
• Requires the State Board of Education to establish regulations for child nutrition school breakfast and lunch programs to include how food items are prepared, time allotted for the consumption of breakfast and lunch, extra food sales, marketing and retail fast foods.
• Defines the duties of the School Health Councils to include a coordinated approach to school health

This Act strengthened health education and physical education requirements in Mississippi and mandated that schools provide programming that will aid in reducing obesity in the state. Data indicates that the earlier that students begin participating in physical activity and are introduced to health education skills, the greater the chance that they will build life skills to help them to be healthier. This Act also strengthened the child nutrition program and school health councils in the state. Prior to the passing of this law, health education was already a graduation requirement in grades 9-12.

The office of Healthy Schools provides technical assistance and training to assist schools across the state in the implementation of the Mississippi Healthy Students Act.