Changes are coming to Modesto City Schools’ policies on PE. What are they?
The Modesto City Schools Board of Education approved the first reading of two new physical education policies on Monday night. The first includes accommodating religious fasting and implementing weather protocols for PE, and the second defines proper dress in PE classes across the district.
These updates allow the district to align with California Education Code requirements and the California School Boards Association sample policies.
Over the past several months, a physical education grading task force composed of teachers, site administrators and district staff conducted a thorough review of the state education code, current practices and CSBA sample policy language. The task force came to the three recommendations mentioned above.
“The revised policy offers clearer definitions of acceptable attire for PE that balance safety, functionality and student dignity,” said Sarah Olsen, the school district’s senior director of curriculum, instruction and professional development.
The updated policy explicitly provides guidance for accommodating students who are observing religious fasts. These accommodations include alternative assignments, modified activity expectations and temporary adjustments to grading for the duration of the fast.
The weather protocols specify procedures for inclement weather and extreme heat by outlining when outdoor activities will be modified or moved indoors. This allows for a safety-based lesson modification and alternative work, so students are able to demonstrate learning without jeopardizing health.
“The recommendations also align to district goal one, which is to increase and maintain academic achievement and equitable access to enable all students to attain college and/or career readiness,” Olsen said as she explained how the policies will directly benefit the student population.
During the board comment portion on the policies during Monday’s meeting, Trustees Abel Maestas and Cindy Marks said they appreciate the updated policy for students who fast during certain holidays and the task force for its work toward developing the presented findings.
“I appreciate that we added something for the students that are fasting during certain holidays and religious participation so that we could make accommodations for them,” Marks said.
Marks and Maestas requested the inclusion of an administrative regulation (AR) in the policy. District spokesperson Linda Mumma Solorio said that in California school districts, board policies outline a district’s official direction or expectations on a topic, while an AR explains how those policies are implemented in practice.
During discussions about updated PE policies, board members wanted to ensure the AR reflects how the policy would be carried out, so expectations are consistent and understood across the district.
Maestas said the current policy aligns with the grading policy approved recently, ensuring alignment between past and present policies. The approval of the first reading of the proposed revision of the board policy regarding accommodations for students in PE passed unanimously.
PE dress policy currently enforced inconsistently
The second PE-related board action was approval of the first reading of the revised policy on dress requirements.
The revised recommendation offers clearer definitions of acceptable attire for PE. Recommendations detail examples of acceptable clothing and footwear, such as cotton T-shirts and mesh gym shorts, and provide expectations for modesty and inclusivity.
During discussion, Olsen highlighted the discourse over having families purchase acceptable PE attire from schools or having students use personal clothes from home.
Olsen explained that this is a significant point of discussion for the task force as its implementation currently is inconsistent within the district.
“The requirement is that students will wear clothes other than what they wear to school. We are currently working on a way to provide the clothes for PE for students whether they are loaned or something that the schools or the district provide for them,” Olsen said.
The decision regarding purchasing or loaning will be clarified in the AR before the second reading as requested by the board members.
“The recommended revisions create a safer, fairer, and more instructional focused PE program,” Olsen said. “They remove avoidable barriers, promote consistent, and standards aligned assessment, and reinforce character development through respectful practices, each directly advancing the district’s vision that every student graduates with the skills, knowledge, and character traits essential to thrive and contribute to society.”
Neha Prahbakar is an incoming senior at Enochs High School job shadowing at The Modesto Bee. Prahbakar is on the Modesto Youth Commission, a volunteer at the Sutter Health Memorial Medical Center, and an intern with the Stanislaus County Board of Supervisors.