In Pinellas County, high school students are required to enroll in the year-long course, HOPE (Health Opportunities through Physical Education).

Hope is a course that integrates health concepts and skills with physical education concepts and skills. 

The purpose of this course is to develop and enhance healthy behaviors that influence lifestyle choices and student health and fitness. Students will realize the full benefit of this course when it is taught with an integrated approach.

In addition to the physical education content represented in the benchmarks, specific health education topics within this course include, but are not limited to:

• Mental/Social Health
• Physical Activity
• Components of Physical Fitness
• Nutrition and Wellness Planning
• Diseases and Disorders
• Health Advocacy
• First Aid/CPR
• Alcohol, Tobacco, and Drug Prevention
• Human Sexuality including Abstinence and HIV
• Internet Safety

Note: No student will automatically be exempted from the HOPE requirement. 

It is the responsibility of the student to inform their counselor of any plans to waive the HOPE requirement. It is the responsibility of the student to request and complete a waiver form. Any student who does not have a HOPE waiver already on file with their counselor is still expected to take the class.

For information on how students can waive this graduation requirement, please see the Physical Education Through Sports Request Form or the Physical Education and Fine Arts Through JROTC Request Form.