Off-Campus Physical Education Equivalent Program (OCPEEP)

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    Houston ISD offers the following off-campus private or commercially sponsored physical-activity programs that may be approved for secondary students (grades 6-12) on an individual basis:

    LEVEL 1 – This category includes private or commercially sponsored activity programs that lead to Olympic-level participation and/or competition. These highly skilled programs should involve a minimum of 15 hours per week of intensive, professional, supervised training. The training facilities, instructors, and the activities involved must be endorsed and certified by the Superintendent or his/her designee to be of exceptional quality.

    • High school students participating at this level may receive a maximum of one-half credit per semester. A total of four credits may be earned towards state high school graduation requirements. Students who entered grade 9 in the fall of 2010 and thereafter will be required to complete one credit in Physical Education.
    • Middle school students participating at this level may utilize this program to substitute their physical education requirement.
    • Students qualifying and participating at this level may be dismissed from school one period per day for participation.  Students dismissed may not be permitted to miss any other academic class.
    • It is anticipated that only a very limited number of students will qualify for this exceptional level of participation.


    LEVEL 2     – This category includes private or commercially sponsored activity programs that involve a minimum of five hours per week of intensive, professional, supervised training. The training facilities, instructors, and the activities involved must be endorsed and certified by the Superintendent or his/her designee to be of exceptional quality.

    • High school students participating at this level may receive a maximum of one-half credit per semester. A total of four credits may be earned towards state high school graduation requirements. Students who entered grade 9 in Fall 2010 and thereafter will be required to complete one credit in Physical Education.
    • Middle school students participating at this level may utilize this program to substitute their physical education requirement.
    • Students certified to participate at this level may not be dismissed from any part of the school day. 
     
    Steps to Complete Level 1 or Level 2 Physical Education (PE) Substitution

    The family of a student desiring to substitute a private or commercially-sponsored physical activity program for Physical Education credit (as described in Level 1 and Level 2) may obtain an application packet from the Health/Physical Education Department, school counselor or HISD website under the Health and Physical Education Department. Send the completed application packet on or before the 3rd Monday in May for participating during the fall and/or spring semester of the following school year to:

    Houston Independent School District
    Attention:  Health/Physical Education Manager
    4400 W. 18th St.
    Houston, TX 77092


     Deadlines will be strictly enforced.

    Step 1

    		 Verify that the student and agency meet all HISD requirements.

    Step 2

    Verify that the Agency is on the district’s approval list.

    Step 3

    Complete the application, keep a copy for your records, and print it to obtain all required signatures (parents, students, counselor, principal (or designee), and approved Agency Instructor must sign.)

    Step 4

    Parents/students must submit the completed application to the Health/Physical Education Department on or before the 3rd Monday in May to participate during the fall and/or spring semester of the following school year.

    Step 5

    Parents and students will be notified via email by the Secondary Health and Physical Education manager to confirm the approval status of the Off Campus Physical Education request.

    Step 6

    School counselors will be notified, via email by the manager of the Secondary Health/Physical Education Department, to confirm student approval status in order to begin the process for schedule changes.

    Click on the links below for the student application packet.

    District-Approved Programs/Facilities

    The program instructor/coach must submit an Attendance/Grade Report to the school registrar and/or student’s counselor at the end of each semester.

    Grading Periods (6 Cycles)

    Number of Days

    Aug 12 – Sept.20

    28 days

    Sept. 23– Nov 1

    28 days

    Nov 4– Dec 20

    29 days

    Jan 7 – Feb 21

    31 days

    Feb 24– Apr 17

    25 days

    Apr 21– Jun 4

    31 days

     

    Semester Attendance/Grade Reports Due Dates:

    First Semester

    Dec. 20, 2024

    Second Semester

    June 4, 2025

    Note: Grades for OCPEEP will not appear on the student’s six-week report card. All grades will be documented on the student’s transcript at the end of each semester.

    For assistance and/or questions, please contact Felicia Ceaser-White at fceaserw@houstonisd.org.