Providing Lifesaving CPR Training to All High School Students

 

The purpose of this act is to ensure all Minnesota high school students receive CPR training so they are prepared to

respond during life-threatening emergencies.

 

Sudden cardiac arrest can occur anywhere, including schools, sports events, and public spaces. Immediate CPR can double

or triple a person’s chance of survival, but many bystanders do not know how to perform it. Training students before

graduation ensures a generation of citizens equipped with lifesaving skills, increases community safety, and reduces

emergency response gaps. Minnesota schools already teach health education, so adding CPR would be efficient, low-cost,

and highly beneficial.

 

1. CPR (Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation): A lifesaving technique used during cardiac arrest that includes chest

compressions and rescue breathing or hands-only compressions.

2. Certified CPR Training: Training provided by organizations such as the American Heart Association (AHA) or American

Red Cross that meets national emergency response standards.

3. High School Student: Any student enrolled in grades 9–12 in a Minnesota public or charter school.

 

Funding will come from the Minnesota Department of Education’s existing health education budget and federal grants

available for school safety and emergency preparedness. Additional materials, such as CPR mannequins, may be subsidized

through partnerships with certified CPR organizations. Schools may also request community volunteers or certified

trainers to reduce costs.

 

Schools must provide CPR training at least once between 9th and 12th grade. Schools failing to comply will receive a

written notice from the Department of Education and must correct the issue within one academic year. Continued

non-compliance may result in loss of eligibility for certain state educational grants.

 

This act will go into effect on July 1, 2026, and all students graduating in 2027 and beyond must complete CPR training

before receiving a high school diploma.