Sec. 1. 20-A MRSA §6209, first ¶, as amended by PL 2001, c. 454, §31, is further amended to read:

The department in consultation with the state board shall establish and implement a comprehensive, statewide system of learning results, referred to in this section as the "system," no later than the 2002-03 school year. The system, based broadly upon guiding principles set forth in this section, must establish high academic standards at all grade levels in the areas of math; English; science and technology; social studies, including history, economics and civics; career preparation; visual and performing arts; health, nutrition and physical education; and foreign languages. Only students in a public school or a private school approved for tuition that enrolls at least 60% publicly funded students, as determined by the previous school year's October and April average enrollment, are required to participate in the system of learning results. The commissioner shall develop accommodation provisions for instances where course content conflicts with sincerely held religious beliefs and practices of a student's parent or guardian. The system must be adopted to accommodate exceptional students as defined in section 7001, subsection 2.

Sec. 2. 20-A MRSA §6209, sub-§2, ¶D, as enacted by PL 1995, c. 649, §1, is amended to read:

D. Health, nutrition and physical education;

Sec. 3. 20-A MRSA c. 223, sub-cc. 9 and 10 are enacted to read:

SUBCHAPTER 9

NUTRITION EDUCATION AND

HEALTHFUL PHYSICAL ACTIVITY

§6661.__Nutrition education

Public schools shall provide nutrition education for students, teachers and staff as part of coordinated school health programs, total school food service programs and in accordance with chapter 222.__This nutrition education must include an outreach component for students' parents.__The department may adopt rules to implement the purposes of this section.__Rules adopted pursuant to this section are routine technical rules as defined in Title 5, chapter 375, subchapter 2-A.