Panel endorses guidance for elementary water‑safety instruction; sponsor says it can save lives
Summary
SB 151 would require the Board of Education to make water‑safety guidelines available to school boards for incorporation into health/PE instruction by 2027–28; the subcommittee reported the bill after supporters emphasized drowning risks and said it would not require pools or formal swim lessons.
Sen. Craig introduced SB 151 to require the Board of Education to develop and make available water‑safety instruction guidelines for elementary schools, to be incorporated into health and physical education no later than the 2027–28 school year. "Drowning remains one of the leading causes of accidental death in young children," Craig said, arguing that basic instruction about water conditions and safe behaviors could save lives.
Supporters included the Virginia chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics and child‑serving nonprofits, who said many Virginia children lack basic water safety and that integrating short units into existing health or PE instruction would not require pools or costly programming. Committee members suggested incorporating the content into existing units so it does not create new instructional time requirements. The subcommittee moved to report SB 151 to the full committee (vote recorded as 5–2).
