The Maryland State Board of Education today approved new regulations designed to further improve safety for student-athletes. The regulations make permanent emergency rules put in place last summer aimed at strengthening concussion safety, while including some important new protections.
The regulations, approved unanimously, include the following new requirements:
- Coaches must complete biennial refresher concussion training.
- Physical education teachers are required to complete concussion training.
- Local school systems must implement policies for student athletes who have sustained a suspected concussion to ensure appropriate academic accommodations; documented notification to parents; and timely notification to athletic directors and school nurses.
- School systems must identify health care providers authorized to return student-athletes to play after a suspected concussion has occurred.
- MSDE, in collaboration with an appropriate medical, academic, and athletic advisory team, to identify collision, contact, and non-contact sports; and recommend limitations of contact athletic exposures to reduce concussion risk.
Emergency regulations approved last July required training for coaches in the area of brain injuries and put in place a process for returning injured athletes to competition. At that time, the board directed the Maryland State Department of Education to convene a task force to study concussion-related issues, including prevention strategies. The work of that task force led to the new regulations approved today.
The regulations go into effect immediately.