2023 Connecticut General Statutes › Title 10 - Education and Culture › Chapter 170 - Boards of Education › Section 10-220l. - Qualified personnel to monitor school swimming pool. School swimming pool safety plan.

(a) For purposes of this section:
(1) “School swimming pool” means any swimming pool approved for use by a local or regional board of education for student aquatic activities;
(2) “Student aquatic activities” means any physical education class, interscholastic athletics or extracurricular activities offered to students by a local or regional board of education that makes use of a school swimming pool;
(3) “Qualified swimming coach” means any person who (A) holds a valid coaching permit issued by the State Board of Education, and (B) (i) is certified as a lifeguard by the American Red Cross or another nationally recognized organization that conducts aquatic training programs, (ii) has completed a safety training for swim coaches and instructors course offered by the American Red Cross or an organization approved by the State Board of Education, or (iii) was certified as a lifeguard for at least five years during the previous ten years and has at least five years' experience as a swimming coach or an instructor of a physical education course that makes use of a school swimming pool;
(4) “Qualified educator” means any person who (A) holds a valid certificate issued by the State Board of Education, pursuant to section 10-145b, with an endorsement in physical education, (B) (i) is certified as a lifeguard by the American Red Cross or another nationally recognized organization that conducts aquatic training programs, (ii) has completed a safety training course for swim coaches and instructors offered by the American Red Cross or an organization approved by the State Board of Education, or (iii) was certified as a lifeguard for at least five years during the previous ten years and has at least five years' experience as a swimming coach or an instructor of a physical education course that makes use of a school swimming pool, (C) is certified in cardiopulmonary resuscitation, pursuant to section 19a-113a, and (D) has completed a course in first aid offered by the American Red Cross, the American Heart Association, the Department of Public Health, any director of health or an organization using guidelines for first aid published by the American Heart Association and the American Red Cross;
(5) “Qualified lifeguard” means any person who (A) is sixteen years of age or older, (B) is certified as a lifeguard by the American Red Cross or another nationally recognized organization that conducts aquatic training programs, (C) is certified in cardiopulmonary resuscitation, pursuant to section 19a-113a, and (D) has completed a course in first aid offered by the American Red Cross, the American Heart Association, the Department of Public Health, any director of health or an organization using guidelines for first aid published by the American Heart Association and the American Red Cross.
(b) For the school year commencing July 1, 2013, in addition to the person responsible for conducting any student aquatic activity that makes use of a school swimming pool, there shall be at least one qualified educator, qualified swimming coach or qualified lifeguard who shall be solely responsible for monitoring such school swimming pool during such student aquatic activities for swimmers who may be in distress and providing assistance to such swimmers when necessary.
(c) For the school year commencing July 1, 2014, and each school year thereafter, no local or regional board of education shall offer a physical education course that makes use of a school swimming pool unless there is at least one qualified educator who shall serve as the instructor of such physical education course and be responsible for implementing the provisions of the school swimming pool safety plan developed pursuant to subsection (f) of this section, and at least one qualified educator, qualified swimming coach or qualified lifeguard whose primary responsibility is to monitor the school swimming pool for swimmers who may be in distress and provide assistance to such swimmers when necessary.
(d) For the school year commencing July 1, 2014, and each school year thereafter, no local or regional board of education shall permit any student to participate in any interscholastic athletic activity that makes use of a school swimming pool unless there is at least one qualified swimming coach who shall serve as a coach of such participating students and be responsible for implementing the provisions of the school swimming pool safety plan, developed pursuant to subsection (f) of this section, and at least one qualified educator, qualified swimming coach or qualified lifeguard whose primary responsibility is to monitor the school swimming pool for swimmers who may be in distress and provide assistance to such swimmers when necessary.
(e) For the school year commencing July 1, 2014, and each school year thereafter, no local or regional board of education shall offer any extracurricular activity that makes use of a school swimming pool unless there is at least one qualified lifeguard who shall (1) monitor the school swimming pool for swimmers who may be in distress and provide assistance to such swimmers when necessary, and (2) be responsible for implementing the provisions of the school swimming pool safety plan developed pursuant to subsection (f) of this section.
(f) Not later than July 1, 2014, each local or regional board of education that offers student aquatic activities at a school swimming pool shall adopt a school swimming pool safety plan that ensures compliance with this section and includes any other provisions deemed necessary and appropriate for ensuring the safety of students who use such school swimming pool for student aquatic activities. Such school swimming pool safety plan shall be reviewed and updated as necessary prior to the commencement of each school year.
(P.A. 13-161, S. 1; P.A. 19-105, S. 5.)
History: P.A. 13-161 effective July 1, 2013; P.A. 19-105 amended Subdiv. (4) to redefine “qualified educator”, and amended Subdiv. (5) to redefine “qualified lifeguard”, effective July 1, 2019.