Virginia requires all students to receive health and physical education instruction at all instructional levels from grades K-10.

Course content for health and physical education, including family life education and driver education is identified in Virginia Board of Education regulations and in the Virginia Health, Physical Education for high school graduation for both the 21 and 23 credit diploma. Students with disabilities have access to adapted physical education programs.

Physical education content

• fitness and conditioning
• fitness planning
• rhythmic activities and dances
• stunts
• tumbling and gymnastics
• lifetime sports activities

Health education content

• alcohol, tobacco, and other drug prevention education
• emotional and social health education
• personal and community health and safety
• injury and violence prevention
• human growth and development (grades 4-10)
• CPR-AED (grade 9)

The Health and Physical Education Program envisions:

• A well-articulated K-10 comprehensive physical education and health program that prepares all students to actively and effectively achieve and promote lifelong wellness;
• A continuous sequence of learning, firmly rooted in both public health and educational research and effective practice;
• An instructional sequence that provides all students multiple opportunities to use the acquired knowledge and skills in meaningful, authentic, and realistic ways; 
• A school community that recognizes and fosters the intrinsic value of wellness.
• Wellness involves the attainment and maintenance of moderate to high levels of physical, intellectual, emotional, spiritual, and social fitness.

Students receive an average of 47-90 minutes blocks of physical education three to five times each week as determined by the class scheduling configuration established at the local school. Health education is taught approximately nine weeks within the physical education course.