Ohio Bill: HB 322

Bill Summary

OH HB 322, titled the Ohio Fitness Test Act, requires all public school students in grades 1–12 to take an annual state fitness test modeled on the former Presidential Physical Fitness Test. The Department of Education and Workforce must create an Ohio Fitness Test aligned with the latest version of the Presidential Physical Fitness Test, measuring areas such as cardiovascular endurance, strength, and flexibility, and every school district, community school, STEM school, and college‑prep boarding school must administer it yearly to all students. The bill also directs the department to provide recognition: students who meet or exceed statewide standards set at roughly the 50th and 80th percentiles on all events receive higher‑tier awards, while those scoring below the 50th percentile on any event receive a participation award, with no academic penalties tied to performance.

Why It Matters to MAHA

The Make America Healthy Again Movement supports OH HB 322 because it makes physical fitness a visible, trackable priority for every student, creating statewide benchmarks and goals that encourage kids, families, and schools to take daily movement and conditioning more seriously. By reviving a modernized version of the Presidential Physical Fitness Test without attaching punishment or grades to performance, the bill focuses on awareness, motivation, and progress over time—values that align with MAHA’s emphasis on building lifelong habits for strength, stamina, and metabolic health rather than short‑term weight or appearance goals. Collecting objective fitness data across grades 1–12 can also help policymakers and communities evaluate whether other MAHA‑aligned reforms—like better school food and more recess—are actually improving children’s real‑world fitness.