Hawaii Proposes Mandatory Water Safety Lessons for Schools
New physical education standards aim to improve survival skills for Hawaii students across all grade levels.
Updated on Oct. 29, 2026 in Secondary Education
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Should local schools be required to provide in-water swimming lessons for all students?
The Hawaii Department of Education is proposing new physical education standards that would mandate water safety instruction for all grade levels. This initiative aims to address drowning, which is currently the leading cause of death for children ages 1 to 15 in the state.
Why it matters
With drowning serving as a primary health risk for children in Hawaii, these standards seek to provide consistent prevention knowledge for students. This proposal follows a 2019 report that estimated only half of the state's youth possess basic swimming skills.
Only six schools in Hawaii currently have pools, with four located in Honolulu and none in Maui County. A 2019 assessment of second graders found that just 2 percent could demonstrate fundamental swimming skills.
The players
Hawaii Department of Education
The state agency responsible for overseeing public school curriculum and establishing educational standards for Hawaii students.
No More Under
A nonprofit organization that provides swimming lessons to children by transporting them to community or university pools.
Palekana Aquatics Academy
An organization that works with local schools to offer water safety and swimming instruction.
The details
Under the proposed standards, schools lacking pool access would provide water safety education through a classroom-based curriculum. Nonprofits such as No More Under and Palekana Aquatics Academy currently support student water safety by transporting children to existing university or community pools. These partnerships demonstrate how schools may bridge the gap between classroom theory and practical, in-water experience.
Timeline
2019: Swimming skill assessment and drowning report completed.
2023: State legislature failed to pass a $1 million water instruction program.
2026-2027 school year: Education board scheduled to vote on proposed PE standards.
The Home Front
This proposal marks a shift in state educational policy following the 2023 legislative failure to pass a $1 million water instruction program. It addresses long-standing infrastructure challenges where most public schools lack the facilities to support in-water training.
Families should monitor upcoming board discussions to understand how these standards might change physical education requirements in local districts. As the proposal progresses, parents of school-aged children may want to evaluate existing community swimming programs if their school lacks pool access.
The takeaway
Drowning remains the top cause of death for local children aged 1 to 15, making water safety education a priority for state officials. Families are encouraged to track the board's vote during the 2026-2027 school year to see how physical education requirements at their local school may change.
Further reading
For more on how curriculum changes impact local students, see our Secondary Education section.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Honolulu Civil Beat.
Live Poll
Should local schools be required to provide in-water swimming lessons for all students?
