Gym not so dandy: 29% fail to get basic phys ed

THIS JUST ISN’T working out for city schoolkids.

Nearly one-third of city students did not get the state-mandated minimum of gym class for the school year that ended in June, according to the Education Department.

Figures posted by the department Thursday show elementary school kids suffered from the lowest level of physical education, with just 58% getting the state minimum.

Middle school kids and high schoolers fared better, with 82% receiving minimum levels of gym classes.

Across all grades, 29% of kids didn't get adequate phys ed. Those figures represent an improvement from the previous school year, when nearly half of city students missed out on physical education lessons.

But critics say the city’s progress still isn’t strong enough.

“One in three students not getting their required physical education classes is still unacceptable and the city needs to do more to improve this,” said NYC Parents Union founder Mona Davids. “We can’t give them a free pass on violating the rights of students to a physical education.”

State law requires two hours a week of gym for elementary school kids. Junior high and high school students are supposed to get 90 minutes. The city has never been penalized for failing to provide those minimums.

A May 2015 report from Controller Scott Stringer found 32% of the city’s 1,700 public schools with no full-time, certified gym teachers and 28% with no indoor space for physical exercise. Mayor de Blasio has invested $100 million to hire gym teachers and $385 million to build gyms.