Education

Administration

Rule 605: Coaching Standards and Athletic Clinics

Effective Date: 08/07/2026

Admin. Code Reference: R277-605

Rule Type: Current Rule

NOTICE OF SUBSTANTIVE CHANGE

TYPE OF FILING: Amendment

Filing ID: 58063

Rule or section number:

R277-605

1. Agency Information

Title catchline:

Education, Administration

Building:

Board of Education

Street address:

250 E 500 S

City, state:

Salt Lake City, UT

Mailing address:

PO Box 144200

City, state and zip:

Salt Lake City, UT 84114-4200

2. Contact Persons

Name:

Phone:

Email:

Elisse Newey

801-538-7500

Elisse.newey@schools.utah.gov

Please address questions regarding information on this notice to the persons listed above.

3. General Information

A. Rule or section catchline:

R277-605. Coaching Standards and Athletic Clinics

B. Purpose of the new rule or reason for the change:

The amendments are necessary primarily to emphasize compliance with code moratoriums for extracurricular activities.

C. Summary of the new rule or change:

The amendments add language specific to compliance with code moratoriums and also clarify the requirements for coaches and school activity leaders as supervisors and role models.

5. Fiscal Information

Provide an estimate and written explanation of the aggregate anticipated cost or savings to:

A. State budget:

This rule change is not expected to have fiscal impact on state government revenues or expenditures.

The proposed amendments reorganize and clarify the behavioral expectations for coaches and activity leaders in Section R277-605-4.

Specifically, the language prohibiting the use, possession, or distribution of controlled substances, tobacco, and alcohol is shifted from Subsection (3) to Subsection (4).

Additionally, the text updates terminology to align with statutory definitions under Section 76-9-1101, explicitly enumerating "an electronic cigarette product, or a nicotine product." This change represents a technical synchronization with existing criminal and tobacco statutes. It does not introduce any state-level enforcement programs, alter agency oversight costs, or require new funding allocations from the state budget.

B. Local governments:

This rule change is not expected to have fiscal impact on local governments' revenues or expenditures.

Local Education Agencies (LEAs) are already required by state law (Title 53G and Title 76) to maintain drug, alcohol, and tobacco-free school environments, which extends to personnel supervising students during school-related activities.

Incorporating explicit references to electronic cigarettes and nicotine products within this rule simply aligns the coaching standard with operational policies and training protocols that districts and charter schools already have in place.

Because these changes do not necessitate the creation of new reporting pipelines, additional physical signage, or distinct employee tracking systems, local governments will experience no incremental operational costs or fiscal savings.

C. Small businesses ("small business" means a business employing 1-49 persons):

This rule change is not expected to have fiscal impact on small businesses' revenues or expenditures.

This only applies to the Utah State Board of Education (USBE) and LEAs.

D. Non-small businesses ("non-small business" means a business employing 50 or more persons):

There are no non-small businesses in the industry in question, Elementary and Secondary Schools (North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) 611110). Because there are no non-small businesses, they do not account for any service delivery for Elementary and Secondary Schools. Therefore, non-small businesses are not expected to receive increased or decreased revenues per year. This proposed rule change is not expected to have any fiscal impact on non-small businesses' revenues or expenditures because there are no applicable non-small businesses, and it does not require any expenditures of, or generate revenue for non-small businesses.

E. Persons other than small businesses, non-small businesses, state, or local government entities ("person" means any individual, partnership, corporation, association, governmental entity, or public or private organization of any character other than an agency):

This rule change is not expected to have fiscal impact on revenues or expenditures for persons other than small businesses, businesses, or local government entities.

The updated language clarifies prohibited substances (such as vaping and nicotine products) for school coaches and athletic leaders while engaged in school-related functions.

Because these individual behavior restrictions align with existing statutory requirements for public school employees, the amendment does not create any new financial liabilities, fines, out-of-pocket expenses, or cost savings for educators, coaches, parents, or students as an aggregate class.

F. Compliance costs for affected persons:

There are no compliance costs for affected persons.

Individual coaches, assistants, and advisors are not required to complete any new paid courses, buy hardware, or pay filing fees to adhere to this revised conduct language.

As a result, the incremental individual compliance cost is $0.

6. Regulatory Impact Summary Table

Enter the cost or savings in the relevant cell. If there is no cost or savings, enter, "$0." If a cost or savings is inestimable, enter, "inestimable."

Fiscal Cost

FY2027

FY2028

FY2029

FY2030

FY2031

State Budget

Local Governments

Small Businesses

Non-Small Businesses

Other Persons

Total Fiscal Cost

Fiscal Benefits

FY2027

FY2028

FY2029

FY2030

FY2031

State Budget

Local Governments

Small Businesses

Non-Small Businesses

Other Persons

Total Fiscal Benefits

Net Fiscal Benefits

7. Regulatory Impact Analysis Approval

The State Superintendent of the Utah State Board of Education, Molly Hart, has reviewed and approved this regulatory impact analysis.

8. Family Impact Information

A. The agency has considered this rule's impact on family health, stability, and formation:

☒

9. Citation Information

Provide citations to the statutory authority for the rule. If there is also a federal requirement for the rule, provide a citation to that requirement:

Utah Constitution, Article X, Section 3

Subsection 53E-3-401(4)

Subsection 53E-3-501(1)(b)

11. Public Notice Information

The public may submit written or oral comments to the agency identified in box 1.

A. Comments will be accepted until:

07/31/2026

12. Effective Date Information

This rule change MAY become effective on:

(NOTE: This is the date the agency anticipates making the filing effective. It is NOT the effective date)

08/07/2026

13. Agency Authorization Information

Agency head or

designee and title:

Elisse Newey, Deputy Superintendent of Policy

Date:

06/16/2026

R277. Education, Administration.

R277-605. Coaching Standards and Athletic Clinics.

R277-605-1. Authority and Purpose.

(1) This rule is authorized by:

(a) Utah Constitution Article X, Section 3, which vests general control and supervision over public education in the Board;

(b) Subsection 53E-3-401(4), which allows the Board to make rules to execute the Board's duties and responsibilities under the Utah Constitution and state law; and

(2) The purpose of this rule is to specify standards for coaches and standards for extracurricular clinics and workshops.

R277-605-2. Definitions.

(1) "Approved provider" means:

(a) the American Heart Association;

(b) the American Red Cross;

(d) the National Safety Council; or

(e) another provider approved by the Superintendent.

(2) "Coach" means an individual who independently supervises students participating in an extracurricular activity on behalf of an LEA.

R277-605-3. Extracurricular Programs and the Core Curriculum.

(1) High school competitive extracurricular programs shall be supplementary to the high school curriculum.

(2) An LEA shall comply with the moratoriums established in Section 53G-7-1102 in its extracurricular programs and competitions.

R277-605-4. Coaches and School Activity Leaders as Supervisors and Role Models.

(1) Coaches and other designated school leaders shall diligently supervise students at all times while on school-sponsored activities, including supervising students:

(a) on the field, court, or other competition or performance sites;

(b) in locker rooms, in seating areas, in eating establishments, and in lodging facilities; and

(2) Coaches and designated school leaders are responsible for a student as long as a student remains on school grounds following a school-sponsored activity, subject to LEA policy, consistent with this rule.

(3) A coach or other designated school leader shall be an exemplary role model and may not [use alcoholic beverages, tobacco, controlled

substances, or ]participate in promiscuous sexual relationships while on school-sponsored activities.

(4) Coaches, assistants and advisors shall act [in a manner ]consistent with Section 53G-8-209 and may not, while engaged in school-

related activities:

(a) use foul, abusive, or profane language[ while engaged in school related activities; or];

(b) use, possess, or distribute:

(i) a controlled substance;

(ii) a tobacco product, an electronic cigarette product, or a nicotine product as those terms are defined in Section 76-9-1101; or

(iii) an alcoholic beverage; or

([b]c) engage in or permit hazing, demeaning, or assaultive behavior, whether consensual or not, including language or behavior involving

physical violence, restraint, improper touching, or inappropriate exposure of body parts not normally exposed in public settings, forced ingestion of any substance, or any act which would constitute a crime against a person or public order under Utah law.

R277-605-5. Athletic and Activity Clinics.

(1) School personnel, activity leaders, coaches, advisors, and other personnel may not require students to attend out-of-school camps, clinics, activities, or workshops for which the personnel, activity leaders, coaches, or advisors receive remuneration from a source other than the

school or district in which they are employed.

(2) Required or voluntary participation in summer or other off-season clinics, workshops, and leagues may not be used as eligibility criteria for team membership, participation in extracurricular activities, or for the opportunity to try out for school-sponsored programs.

R277-605-6. Training Requirements.

(1) An athletic coach shall maintain high-quality hands-on cardiopulminary resuscitation and first aid certification through an approved provider.

(2) An athletic coach shall annually receive training in responding to concussions and head injuries consistent with Subsection R277-614-4(3)(d).

(3) A coach shall complete child sexual abuse prevention training as described in Section 53G-9-207.

(4) A coach shall complete training on bullying, cyber-bullying, hazing, and retaliation consistent with Subsection R277-613-4(5).

(5) Each LEA shall maintain verification of its coaches' compliance with this section.

KEY: extracurricular activities

Date of Last Change: 2026[July 22, 2022]

Notice of Continuation: June 16, 2026

Authorizing, and Implemented or Interpreted Law: Art X Sec 3; 53E-3-401(4); 53E-3-501(1)(b)

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