RismadarVoice Reporters, May 6, 2026
The administration of President Donald Trump has announced the formal reinstatement of the Presidential Fitness Test Award, reviving a long-standing school-based physical fitness programme that was phased out during the Obama administration.
According to the White House, the initiative will reintroduce competitive fitness assessments in schools nationwide, with the goal of encouraging physical activity, health awareness, and youth participation in sports.
The move is being framed as part of a broader push to strengthen youth fitness standards across the United States.
The president is expected to be joined at the signing of the memorandum by several prominent athletes as well as members of the President’s Council on Sports, Fitness, and Nutrition, which plays a key advisory role in shaping national fitness and wellness policy.
The memorandum is seen as the next administrative step following an earlier executive order that re-established the council and laid the groundwork for the return of the Presidential Fitness Test and associated awards. The latest directive effectively clears the path for schools across the country to reintroduce the programme.
First introduced decades ago, the Presidential Fitness Test traditionally measured students’ physical abilities through a series of standardised exercises, with awards given for high performance. It was discontinued in 2012, when it was replaced with a broader, health-focused assessment model that emphasised personal fitness improvement over competition.
The administration argues that restoring the award system will help revive competitive sports culture in schools and encourage healthier lifestyles among young Americans, while critics of earlier changes had long debated whether the shift away from competition reduced student engagement in physical fitness.
Further details on implementation, including rollout timelines for schools and updated testing standards, are expected to be released by federal education and health agencies in the coming weeks.
