New York State Mandates Water Safety Education for Families Beginning 2026–27 School Year

In a significant step toward promoting student safety, New York State has enacted new legislation requiring school districts to provide water safety information to families. Chapter 419, signed into law on September 26, 2025, adds new Section 926 to the New York State Education Law, titled “Water Safety Information.” This amendment takes effect on July 1, 2026, and introduces new responsibilities for school districts beginning with the 2026–27 academic year.

Under the new mandate, all school districts must distribute information on drowning prevention, general water safety, and safe swimming practices to parents and legal guardians at the start of the 2026–2027 school year. In subsequent years, this information must be provided upon a student’s enrollment in the school district. For students who are 18 years of age or older, the materials will be given directly to them.

The legislative intent behind this amendment to Education Law is to address the alarming rate of drowning incidents, which remain one of the leading causes of accidental death among young children. By equipping families with educational resources and promoting awareness of available water safety programs and instruction, lawmakers aim to increase student participation in these life-saving initiatives.

To facilitate the dissemination of accurate and up-to-date information, the law assigns the Commissioner of Health the responsibility of producing and revising water safety materials as needed, in consultation with the Commissioner of Education. These materials will then be distributed to all school districts, which are required to publish them on their websites in a location that is clearly visible and easily accessible to the public.

The law also outlines specific provisions for accessibility and format. For example, school districts may deliver the information in either electronic or paper form. Additionally, upon request, translations must be provided in any of the twelve most commonly spoken non-English languages among limited-English proficient individuals in the state. The determination of which twelve languages are most spoken in the state shall be based on data from the most recent American Community Survey conducted by the United States Census Bureau.

For questions regarding the implementation or details of these new requirements, please contact our office.