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SCR 82

ENCOURAGING THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION TO OFFER A BASIC SWIMMING COURSE IN EITHER PRIMARY OR SECONDARY EDUCATION LEVELS.

2026 Regular Session Introduced by Stanley Chang and 7 co-sponsors

Hawaii urges its Department of Education to add basic swimming courses to primary or secondary school curricula to improve water safety and life skills.

Offered.
#doe #primaryandsecondaryeducationlevels #swimming #swimmingcourse
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Bill Summary · SCR 82

Legislative bill overview

SCR 82 is a concurrent resolution that encourages (but does not mandate) Hawaii's Department of Education to incorporate basic swimming instruction into either elementary or secondary school curricula. The resolution expresses the legislature's support for swimming education as a valuable life skill without creating new legal obligations or allocating specific funding.

Why is this important

Swimming proficiency is a critical water safety skill that can prevent drowning, which remains a leading cause of unintentional injury deaths among children. Hawaii's island geography and year-round warm water make swimming particularly relevant to student safety and recreation, while addressing documented disparities in swimming ability across different communities.

Potential points of contention

  • Implementation cost and feasibility: Adding swimming instruction requires pool access, trained instructors, and curriculum time—resources many schools may lack, particularly rural or smaller districts
  • Mandate vs. encouragement: As a non-binding resolution, it has no enforcement mechanism; schools may ignore the recommendation without consequence
  • Curriculum crowding: Determining whether swimming replaces existing physical education or adds new requirements raises questions about time allocation and educational priorities

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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