K-12 Personal Flotation Device (PFD) Education Standard – 2nd Draft Public Review
The National Boating Standards Panel developed this draft standard in collaboration with the K-12 Standards Workgroup, a team of subject matter experts. This Standard is being produced with funding from a U.S. Coast Guard National Nonprofit grant.
The purpose of the standard is to educate and empower K-12 audiences to properly choose, use, and wear a personal flotation device (PFD). This aligns with a key objective of the U.S. National Water Safety Action Plan: “Develop and implement national minimum education standards for teaching life jacket fit, type, and style; when to wear them; and demonstrations that include practice fitting and use for both boating and non-boating water recreation.”
This standard is intended for use in a variety of instructional settings—such as classrooms, camps, and in-water environments. It is not designed to replace existing water safety courses or swimming lessons. Instead, it is meant to complement them by building additional water confidence and competence.