Presidential Fitness tests are coming back to MS schools. When? What are they?
Most people that attended public school in the United States before 2013 will remember the enthusiasm — or anxiety — that came with standardized fitness testing in physical education classes.
About once a year, students were asked to run a mile, perform push-ups and sit-ups, reach for their toes and more in the Presidential Fitness Test until the program ended after the 2012-2013 school year under the Obama Administration.
Now, more than a decade since the program was replaced, it’s coming back to Mississippi schools after Gov. Tate Reeves signed an executive order to reinstate the program, according to an Oct. 30 statement.
“Students across the country are spending far too much time sitting around looking at screens and eating too much highly-processed junk food,” Reeves said in the statement. “If we want more healthy adults in our society, it’s important that we encourage students to be physically active and educate them on healthy eating habits.”
The move comes months after President Donald Trump issued an executive order to revive the test, citing concerns over public health.
Here’s what to know about the fitness tests in Mississippi.
What is the Presidential Fitness Test?
The Presidential Fitness Test was initiated in 1956 by President Dwight D. Eisenhower and modified over decades, according to Harvard Health Publishing.
Here’s what was included in the original test, according to Harvard Health Publishing:
- One-mile run
- Sit-ups: the test measured how many sit-ups children could do in a minute
- Push-ups: students were offered the option to do push-ups or pull-ups in a minute
- Sit-and-reach: to measure flexibility, students were asked to sit on the floor with their knees locked and legs straight out and try to touch their toes
- Shuttle run: students were asked to move back and forth as fast as possible between two points
What does Gov. Reeves executive order do?
Gov. Reeves’ executive order, issued Oct. 30, does these two main things:
1. Directs State Health Officer Daniel Edney to create a report that “proposes evidence-based strategies and suggests public information/education campaigns to address deficiencies in nutrition, diet and exercise across the state.”
2. Asks State Superintendent of Education Lance Evans to work with U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert Kennedy and Secretary of Education Linda McMahon to make a plan to reestablish the test.
When will fitness tests begin in Mississippi?
The Presidential Fitness Test will be reinstated during the 2026-2027 school year in Mississippi, according to the executive order.
It’s unclear which exercises the test will include, NPR reported in August.
