Confused by the new CPR requirements? Thanks to Nick Slotterback of PDE for setting the record straight!

According to Act 7 students in 9-12th grade must be taught hands-only CPR as well as the use of the Automated External Defibrillator.  PDE will be working on a resource guide of suggested curriculums and programs schools can choose to implement.  According to the PA Academic Standards, CPR standards are required for the 9^th and 12th-grade benchmarks.  It is up to the school entity to decide when they would want to present this curriculum to their students.  Best practice would be in 9^th grade and 11^th grade since if students are choosing to certified for this training, it generally holds for two years.  However, it is up to the schools to make this decision.  Here is a breakdown of Act 7:

Background:

State Senator (Killion) introduced a bill (SB521) for hands-only CPR instruction for high school students (PA State Rep R Lee James also introduced a similar bill, HB1097) that passed in the Senate and House. It is important to note that these bills do not state that CPR Certification is mandatory. 

Summary:

• High School students should have CPR information/knowledge in their HS health curriculum
• CPR is a component of the new 10th Grade Core Concepts within the PA Health Standards
• PA law DOES NOT state that certification is needed, rather, it is a local decision if schools want to offer certification
• Health and Physical Educators must be trained and certified (Red Cross or American Heart Association) if they offer a CPR certification to students.  
• Schools also have the option of bringing in/paying the Red Cross, Heart Association, etc. under the supervision of a certified H/PE teacher.  

Benefits of CPR in High School Health Curriculum:

• Career Readiness
• Resume building
• Supports Well-Rounded Education  

Funding:

If you are certifying students in CPR, this falls under ESSA- Career Education which contributes to a well-rounded education. As a result, districts may be able to access federal funds (Title II) to cover training costs affiliated with CPR Instructor training. Talk to your district today about including this in your PA ESSA Comprehensive State Plan to access funds! 

What is Advocacy?

Unfortunately, the concept of advocacy is often misunderstood. Simply put, Advocacy is “Educating others and/or conveying an opinion."

Advocacy is what you do when you are actively supporting a cause. Although advocacy is often compared to public relations, it is quite different. When teachers advocate for an issue, they are committed to providing information to stakeholder groups that will build support for their vision. They also recognize the importance of building networks and alliances that will support their efforts.

Has this conversation happened in your faculty rooms? “They don’t understand what we do in our physical education classes.” “They” could be administrators, school board members, or parents. “They” often make assumptions about what physical education is like based on their own experiences in school. “They” are often decision makers whose very decisions can make it hard to grow.

What if you could offer insight into your philosophy and what happens in your class? Sharing what you do creates opportunities for learning for all stakeholders. “They” would gain an understanding of your thoughts, how you help your students, and what your students are learning. George Couros says about blogging, “When we see ‘sharing’ as something that both supports and pushes us to be better, the big winner will always be the students.” I think we can all agree the students are why we do what we do.