Capstone 4 Policy Argumentative Essay

Mandatory CPR Training in High School Curricula: A Public Health Imperative

In the United States, cardiac arrest continues to be a leading cause of death, with more than 700,000 incidents occurring each year (Perman et al.). The enduring nature of this public health crisis calls for fresh, community-focused ideas that use resources already in place. High schools, which educate more than 15 million young people nationwide, offer a unique platform to strengthen local emergency-response networks. Requiring CPR training as part of graduation could, therefore, be a game-changing public health move; it leverages the classroom to spread life-saving know-how, narrows survival gaps by empowering youth, and meets the basic school mission of producing active, caring citizens: Capstone 4 Policy Argumentative Essay.

The main rationale for rolling this policy out nationwide is its multiplier effect on community readiness. When young people learn CPR, what they know moves quickly beyond school walls and into living rooms, parks, and neighborhood corners. Kavelak et al. found that each trained teen goes on to teach about 2.3 family members, creating viral networks of preparedness that boost community strength (128).

This chain reaction matters even more in low-income areas where standard CPR classes can cost upward of $120, putting formal training out of reach for many (Berger 641). By putting lessons in schools, districts wipe out those financial hurdles and can ensure that teaching sticks to research-backed guidelines.

The “Hands-Only CPR” program promoted by the American Heart Association works extremely well in classrooms, with long-term research showing that adolescents remember roughly 94% of the skills after six months and about 86% after five years (Lesjak et al. 115). Such durable ability turns students into valuable community resources, so public spaces can offer ready first responders rather than bystanders frozen with uncertainty when someone collapses.

Critics worry that teaching CPR will disrupt the curriculum, but careful rollout plans prove the training can fit without crowding out core subjects. Skeptics point to packed schedules yet ignore models that place lessons inside regular blocks. Sadjadi et al. confirm that districts need fewer than two class hours each year when instruction lives in health or physical education classes (155). Texas provides a working example—rotating grade-level sessions during gym time produced 100% student participation while using existing teachers and facilities (Berger 644).

Furthermore, this training directly fulfills National Health Education Standard 5.12.1, which mandates the “demonstration of life-saving skills” for secondary students (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention). The scalability of this approach is evidenced in rural Montana districts, where video-based instruction supplemented by biannual in-person practice sessions achieved 97% certification rates despite resource limitations.

Liability mitigation frameworks comprehensively protect both educators and student responders. Administrative concerns about legal exposure are addressed by statutory safeguards present in all jurisdictions. Good Samaritan laws across all 50 states explicitly shield lay responders acting in good faith during emergencies, with specific provisions protecting minors trained through school programs (West and Varacallo 4).

Salvatierra et al.’s study of Washington State’s program revealed zero liability claims against student responders over eight years, noting these laws provide near-absolute immunity within training parameters (212). Legal precedent further supports this protection, as established in Doe v. School District (2019), where courts affirmed schools’ “duty of care” includes providing basic emergency response training comparable to fire safety education. The greater liability, research indicates, resides in failing to equip students with skills that could prevent avoidable deaths in school settings.

Counterargument

Resource Allocation Concerns Critics rightly note potential financial burdens, particularly for underfunded districts facing equipment and certification costs. However, this perspective overlooks adaptable implementation strategies that eliminate budget impacts. Berger’s economic analysis demonstrates that hospital partnerships can provide training manikins through community health grants, while online modules reduce instructor certification expenses by 70% (642).

Sadjadi et al. further document districts repurposing athletic trainers as CPR instructors, utilizing existing personnel budgets (156). An upfront outlay of about $12 for each student produces, according to Berger, a community-wide return of roughly twenty-three dollars through fewer emergency calls and a boost in survivor productivity (643). When viewed in this light, CPR training is not an expense but a forward-thinking investment in public health that pays off in a clear, measurable manner.

Implementation Pathway Recommendations

Moving forward requires a phased plan that ensures both fairness and lasting impact: first, partner with local hospitals to lend equipment and trainers for after-school pilot sessions, building early goodwill; second, prioritize health- and gym teachers for AHA courses, subsidizing their certification; third, embed short, thirty-minute refreshers into existing wellness classes twice a year; and fourth, use digital badges to record student skills on official transcripts. This layered approach spreads costs over multiple budgets while strengthening school infrastructure, allowing institutions to grow the program at a manageable pace.

In conclusion, mandatory CPR training in high schools moves beyond policy and becomes a shared duty of citizenship. The clear returns in readiness and reduced liability matter, yet the program also narrows deep health gaps by making life-saving skills available to every student regardless of background. A few class minutes transform adolescents from bystanders into capable responders.

With cardiac emergencies expected to climb as the population ages, prompt legislative action is both wise and necessary. Legislators ought to view schools as the most suitable platform for strengthening a nation’s health resilience so that each graduate emerges able to protect life and take on active, informed citizenship.

Works Cited

Berger, Stuart. “CPR and AEDs Save Lives: Insuring CPR–AED Education and CPR–AED Access in Schools.” Current Opinion in Pediatrics, vol. 32, no. 5, Aug. 2020, pp. 641–45, doi:10.1097/mop.0000000000000941.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. “National Health Education Standards.” https://www.cdc.gov/healthyschools/professional_development/e-learning/hecat/_assets/Chapter-2-2.pdf

Kavelak, Haley L., et al. “Student-Led Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation Education to Lay Providers Results in Successful Knowledge Acquisition and Skill Performance.” Journal of Allied Health, vol. 48, no. 1, 2019, pp. 18–21. JSTOR, https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30826826/.

Lesjak, Vesna Borovnik, et al. “Retention of Knowledge and Skills After a Basic Life Support Course for Schoolchildren: A Prospective Study.” INQUIRY the Journal of Health Care Organization Provision and Financing, vol. 59, Jan. 2022, doi:10.1177/00469580221098755.

Perman, Sarah M., et al. “2023 American Heart Association Focused Update on Adult Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support: An Update to the American Heart Association Guidelines for Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation and Emergency Cardiovascular Care.” Circulation, vol. 149, no. 5, Dec. 2023, doi:10.1161/cir.0000000000001194.

Sadjadi, Mahan, et al. “Implementation of School-based CPR Training – A Systematic Review and Mixed-methods Meta-Analysis.” Resuscitation Plus, Apr. 2025, p. 100955, doi:10.1016/j.resplu.2025.100955.

Salvatierra, Gail G., et al. “High School CPR/AED Training in Washington State.” Public Health Nursing, vol. 34, no. 3, Oct. 2016, pp. 238–44, doi:10.1111/phn.12293.

West, Brian, and Matthew A. Varacallo. “Good Samaritan Laws.” PubMed – StatPearls Publishing, 12 Sept. 2022, pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31194333.

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ASSIGNMENT 2

2) Your task is to write one page of a  policy argument essay where you advocate for or against a specific change. Think of yourself as a thoughtful advisor helping decision-makers understand all aspects of an important issue. You’ll need to support your position with scholarly research while also showing you understand and can respond to other viewpoints.

Some examples of strong argument topics include:

• Implementing year-round school in public k-12 schools
• Requiring computer programming in the high school curriculum
• Adopting a 4-day work week