On July 31, 2025, the White House issued the Executive Order titled “President’s Council on Sports, Fitness, and Nutrition, and the Reestablishment of the Presidential Fitness Test.” The order revokes prior directives, revitalizes the President’s Council, and directs HHS, with support from the U.S. Department of Education, to reestablish a national fitness assessment for youth.
Framed as part of a broader national health push, the reboot aims to counter rising inactivity and chronic disease, tie daily movement to academic and civic benefits, and rally public–private partners around bold, youth-centered fitness goals.
What This Means for Schools
On the most recent episode of The PE Huddle, Jason Semanoff, Director of Comprehensive Health and Physical Education at the Maryland State Department of Education, highlighted three key realities for educators:
- We don’t yet know the final test design.
- State and local requirements will likely vary.
- The rollout is a chance for PE teachers to lead, not panic.
Semanoff urged teachers to focus on keeping any assessment meaningful for students, producing feedback they can act on at home, and using the added national attention as a platform to advocate for quality PE and professional learning.
Clarity Will Evolve
Semanoff emphasized that the details are still uncertain: “We have no idea what the final test is going to look like… but we do know that a new test is coming.” He reminded educators that the rollout will not be uniform across the country. “Some states might require the presidential fitness test,” he noted, while others may leave fitness testing optional within their wellness programs. Teachers should be prepared for flexibility and recognize that expectations will likely differ by state and district.
Keep It Student-Centered
Equally important, Semanoff cautioned against treating the assessment as a box-checking exercise: “Make results meaningful for students, not meaningful for data scientists.” He added, “Not just roll it out… check the box. We’ve completed it.” Instead, he encouraged educators to design assessments that provide students with actionable feedback they can understand and use at home. Tools that help them reflect, set goals, and see progress over time.
A Leadership Opportunity for PE
Semanoff framed the return of the Presidential Fitness Test not as a setback but as a chance for physical educators to lead. He reminded teachers that “most activities are not good or bad inherently. It’s how they’re presented and how they’re used in an educative manner to make them educational.” Any coming changes, he stressed, should be balanced and meaningful rather than disruptive: “We’re not suggesting that you get out of whack with this balance… anything new is unnerving to everyone, but it’s important to prep for this, to make it educational regardless.”
He urged educators to “capitalize on this opportunity” and use the renewed national spotlight to highlight best practices. “It might not be the way we want PE to be… but it’s not necessarily negative press. We can use this to leverage ourselves and say, ‘Here’s how we’re doing it, and it’s important.’”
In short, Semanoff challenged teachers to embrace the uncertainty, trust their ability to lead, and put positive, student-centered practices “on a pedestal as they should be.”
Gopher is Here to Help
As details emerge, Gopher will keep you updated with clear summaries of federal guidance plus ready-to-use resources, equipment guides, and training.
Whether your district adopts early or waits for state direction, you’ll have the tools to run fitness assessments safely, efficiently, and-most importantly-meaningfully for students.
